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Google Gemini is good, but this update could make it downright sci-fi

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Google Gemini running on an Android phone.
Joe Maring / Digital Trends

Ever since seeing the “Welcome home, sir” scene in Iron Man 2, many of us have wanted a smart setup with a Jarvis-like assistant. While some may have hoped that Alexa would provide that kind of functionality, so far, the assistant is just too limited. That might change with the launch of Gemini 2.0 and Google’s Project Jarvis, though.

In a sense, this new project is Jarvis. The system works by taking stills of your screen and interpreting the information on it, including text, images, and even sound. It can auto-fill forms or press buttons for you, too. This project was first hinted at during Google I/O 2024, and according to 9to5Google, it’s designed to automate web-based tasks. Jarvis is an AI agent with a narrower focus than a language learning model like ChatGPT — an AI that demonstrates human-like powers of reasoning, planning, and memory.

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Imagine if you could ask Jarvis to research the cheapest flight for an upcoming trip or keep an eye out for online listings of a vintage game console you’d like to buy. This project has the potential to simplify everyday tasks and take the tedium out of many online chores.

Gemini Advanced on the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The system is still in the early stages of development, though. The predominant theory is that Jarvis will be powered by Gemini 2.0, and it could release as early as December of this year for testing. Jarvis would act as an example of what Gemini is capable of rather than a full feature. With talk that Jarvis will become available for early testers, a public launch doesn’t seem likely anytime soon.

That’s further reinforced by the news that Jarvis doesn’t always process information quickly, implying that it will need the cloud for some time yet before it’s able to operate at regular speed on-device. With a new or upgraded AI model every time we turn around, it’s easy to see why Google is stepping up its game. The company needs to be able to compete with OpenAI and GPT-5.

Patrick Hearn
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Patrick has written about tech for more than 15 years and isn't slowing down anytime soon. With previous clients ranging from…
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