I ditched ChatGPT for Gemini and have blended emotions

When ChatGPT was launched, I jumped on the bandwagon straight away. I’ve been utilizing it ever since however have just lately determined to modify to Gemini for just a few causes. First, I get pleasure from attempting out new issues, simply to see what the competitors provides. However extra importantly, Gemini’s extensions promised seamless integration with Google’s ecosystem, which confirmed hopes of simplifying my workflow and saving me time. Or so I believed.

Gemini extensions: A sport changer?

For these of you unaware, Gemini extensions work with Google companies like Gmail, Maps, Duties, and lots of others. Their energy lies within the skill to save lots of time by permitting me to shortly retrieve particular recordsdata from Gmail and not using a guide search, ask how lengthy the drive is from level A to level B with out opening Google Maps, and even pull up music to assist me focus with out leaving the chatbot’s interface.

Sounds nice, proper? It’s — at the least when it really works. Granted, it does work more often than not. However the issue is that I’ve run into points typically sufficient to ask myself if it’s even price it. Prompting Gemini to drag up a particular file actually is a time saver, but when it doesn’t do the job accurately and I’ve to immediate it three extra occasions to get the job finished, it’s simpler and fewer traumatic to seek for it manually.

Let’s undergo just a few points I encountered so that you get a greater really feel for what I’m speaking about. Gemini was not in a position to pull up the final e-mail I acquired in Gmail for the lifetime of me. Even once I informed it that it was fallacious and to look once more, it nonetheless couldn’t do it. I went additional and even informed it the day and time I acquired the e-mail, and Gemini nonetheless failed and fetched me a unique, older e-mail.

I additionally had points when asking Gemini to drag up the final e-mail I acquired from a particular sender and inform me what it was about. Whereas it pulled up the sender, the date and time have been incorrect, and so was the content material of the e-mail. It mentioned the e-mail was a affirmation of a purchase order regardless that it was nothing of the kind. It’s price noting once more that this doesn’t at all times occur, but it surely occurs steadily sufficient to be a difficulty.

I get that Gemini — in addition to different AI chatbots — makes errors. Google additionally clearly states that Gemini could get issues fallacious. Nevertheless, I simply discover it odd that Google’s chatbot can’t carry out easy duties like these however has no points with extra complicated assignments, like telling me how a lot I paid for a resort in Spain 10 years in the past. It discovered the proper e-mail among the many hundreds I’ve in Gmail and fetched all the information and not using a mistake in just a few seconds.

However the Gmail integration isn’t the one concern right here, as I additionally had issues with Google Maps. When requested how lengthy it takes to drive from level A to level B in a particular metropolis, it acquired the information proper and confirmed me the instructions on a map. Great. However once I then requested how lengthy it could take to stroll that very same route, it modified level A to my house deal with for causes unknown to me, which is round 35 miles away. So the strolling period, which needs to be lower than half-hour, ended up being over 10 hours. Even with a number of further prompts, I couldn’t get Gemini to repair this error.

There are different issues Gemini can’t do, a few of which Google clearly states on its web site. Regardless, they only look like easy duties that the chatbot ought to be capable to carry out at this stage contemplating every part else it could actually do.

For instance, I can’t appear to seek out the renewal date for my Gemini Superior subscription (Google One AI Premium plan) inside my Google account, so I requested Gemini about it. It appeared like a fairly easy process, however apparently, it could actually’t be finished. It can also’t inform me how a lot Drive storage I’ve left or pull up my final Google Photographs image.

It might, nevertheless, plan a seven-day journey to London, present me one of the best obtainable flights, and assist me discover accommodations in my desired value vary. So it could actually deal with very complicated duties however typically fails with easy ones.

For now, no. On the subject of basic use, ChatGPT and Gemini are on par, at the least for my use case. There are issues that ChatGPT Plus does higher than Gemini Superior, although. For instance, it could actually summarize the inventory marketplace for the day past, together with positive aspects/losses in % for not solely an organization of selection however even for the ten greatest firms within the S&P 500 if I ask it too. Gemini can’t do this. Nevertheless, I discover extra use within the extensions supplied by Google for now, that are nice so long as they work.

So, a phrase of warning: If extensions are the explanation you’re contemplating making the swap or giving the free model of Gemini a strive, put together for just a few points. As already talked about, they do a great job more often than not, however they’re removed from good.

Whereas I’ve run into just a few points, I’m not giving up on Gemini simply but. AI is continually evolving, and I’ve religion that these issues might be solved and new options might be added quickly. I’m excited to see what the longer term holds.