Google Gemini is a family of multimodal large language models (LLMs) developed by Google DeepMind. It is a highly advanced generative AI system positioned as the successor to Google’s earlier models, such as LaMDA and PaLM 2. Gemini has been designed to simulate human-like conversations and process complex queries.
Multimodal capabilities and model variants
A key feature of Google Gemini is its multimodality. This means that the algorithm can not only process and generate text, but also natively understand, interpret and combine images, audio, video and computer code. For example, users can feed Gemini a mix of text, images and videos, whereupon the model generates coherent and relevant responses.
Google offers Gemini in various sizes to cater for different areas of application:
- Gemini Ultra: The largest and most powerful model for highly complex tasks.
- Gemini Pro: A scalable model optimised for a wide range of tasks and large-scale deployment. The stable version, Gemini 2.5 Pro, was released on 17 June 2025.
- Gemini Nano: The most efficient variant, specifically designed for use on devices (on-device tasks), such as on Google Pixel smartphones.
- Gemini Flash: A lighter, faster and more cost-effective variant, which, for example, was released as a stable version – Gemini 2.5 Flash – on 17 June 2025.
The Gemini models utilise a Transformer architecture and feature long context windows. As a result, Gemini 1.5 Pro can process up to 2 million tokens, which is equivalent to the content of around 1,500 pages, 30,000 lines of code or 700,000 words. This enables the model to analyse extensive documents, reports or code repositories and answer complex questions about them.
Integration and applications within the Google ecosystem
Gemini is deeply integrated into numerous Google products and services and acts as an AI assistant. It supports users with writing, brainstorming, learning and planning. In Google Workspace, for example, Gemini helps with drafting emails and documents in Gmail and Google Docs, summarises meeting notes in Google Meet and analyses data in Google Sheets.
Gemini also expands functionality in the field of end-user devices: on Android smartphones, it can replace Google Assistant as the primary assistant, generate images and videos, and retrieve information from the Google ecosystem (e.g. Google Maps, YouTube). In the smart home, Gemini is being introduced as “Gemini for Home”, where it replaces Google Assistant on smart displays and speakers to enable more natural and intuitive interaction. For developers and businesses, the Gemini models are accessible via APIs and platforms such as Google Cloud Vertex AI, enabling them to create and scale their own AI applications.
