What is Gemini and how does it work?

What is Gemini?

Gemini is Google's chatbot assistant, and it's designed to help with all sorts of things: writing, research, brainstorming, problem-solving—you name it. Like ChatGPT and Claude, you just chat with Gemini by typing in questions or requests, and it responds in a way that feels natural and human-like.

Since Gemini is made by Google, it can connect with other Google tools you might already use—things like Gmail or Google Docs. This can be handy if you're already living in the Google ecosystem.

How does Gemini work?

Gemini uses what's called a large language model (LLM)—it's the same kind of technology that powers ChatGPT and Claude. Basically, it's been trained on massive amounts of text, and it uses what it learned to predict what words should come next when you ask it something. That's how it can give you helpful, coherent responses to all kinds of questions.

Here's what makes Gemini particularly interesting: it can work with more than just text. You can give it images and even audio, which makes it useful for a wider range of tasks than you might expect.

What's Gemini good at?

We find Gemini especially useful for:

Research and explanations: Gemini can explain complex topics clearly and give you summaries of information on many subjects.

AI prompt: "Explain how blockchain technology works in simple terms, with a real-world example"

Writing and editing: Like other chatbots, Gemini can help you draft emails, essays, reports, or creative content. It can also edit and improve your existing writing.

AI prompt: "Help me write a professional email requesting a deadline extension for a project, explaining that unexpected technical issues came up"

Brainstorming and creative ideas: Whether you're planning an event, naming a product, or solving a problem, Gemini can come up with creative suggestions quickly.

AI prompt: "Give me 10 creative name ideas for a mobile app that helps people find local volunteer opportunities"

Working with images: You can upload images to Gemini and ask it to analyze, describe, or answer questions about them. This is useful for identifying objects, explaining diagrams, or getting context on visual content.

AI prompt: "I'm uploading a photo of a plant. Can you identify it and tell me how to care for it?"

Coding help: Gemini can write code snippets, explain programming concepts, and help you fix errors across multiple languages.

AI prompt: "Write a JavaScript function that takes an array of numbers and returns only the even numbers"

What's Gemini not so good at?

Gemini has limits you should know about:

Accuracy and hallucinations: Like all chatbots, Gemini can confidently give you wrong information. Always check important facts with reliable sources.

Complex reasoning: While Gemini handles many tasks well, it can struggle with multi-step logical reasoning or very complex analysis.

Consistency: Some people report that Gemini's quality and helpfulness can change from one conversation to another.

Privacy considerations: Because Gemini is made by Google, some people have concerns about how their data is used, especially if they already use many Google services.

Quick tips for using Gemini

Be specific in your prompts: The clearer and more detailed your request, the better the response. Instead of "help me write," try "help me write a 200-word introduction for a blog post about urban gardening for beginners."

Use the image analysis: If you have visual content you need help with (charts, diagrams, photos), Gemini's ability to work with images can be quite useful.

AI prompt: "I'm uploading a graph showing sales data. What trends do you notice?"

Iterate and refine: If the first response isn't quite right, ask Gemini to adjust. You can say things like "make it shorter," "use simpler language," or "add more examples."

Check important information: For anything critical (medical advice, legal questions, financial decisions), verify Gemini's responses with reliable sources.

How does Gemini compare to ChatGPT and Claude?

All three tools are strong chatbot assistants with similar core abilities. Some differences:

• Gemini: Can work with text and images well, connects with Google services
• ChatGPT: Large user base, access to plugins and DALL-E for image generation (with Plus)
• Claude: Excellent for analyzing long documents and thoughtful, detailed reasoning

Many people try all three and choose based on the specific task or personal preference. See Which chatbot should I use? for a detailed comparison.

Related tools and resources

Curious about Gemini's pricing? Check out Gemini free vs paid: What do you get?. Ready to try it? See How to sign up for Gemini. For detailed usage guidance, visit Gemini tips and limitations.