Google is on the verge of enhancing its suite of enterprise solutions with the introduction of Gemini Business, a new AI chatbot designed to complement its existing Google Workspace offerings. This expansion aims to incorporate advanced AI capabilities into its portfolio, which already includes email, calendar, docs, storage, and video chat services.
Workspace users will enjoy Gemini Business
The transition from “Bard” to “Gemini” signifies Google’s commitment to refining its AI tools for corporate clients. According to early patch notes revealed by Dylan Roussei of 9to5Google and TestingCatalog.eth, the upcoming “Gemini Business” and “Gemini Enterprise” products promise to provide Workspace customers with enterprise-grade data protections.
Uhoh! New Gemini release updates 🤯
Ability to edit and run Python code snippets directly from Gemini is really neat!
The new plans are also awesome. What a crazy month for Gemini! 👀 pic.twitter.com/pb954EsJ4e
— Dylan Roussel (@evowizz) February 19, 2024
Furthermore, these enhancements will allow users to confidently utilize Gemini within their professional environments, ensuring that conversations remain private and are not utilized to further train the Gemini models. While these early patch notes offer a glimpse into what’s to come, the accuracy of the revealed launch date remains uncertain.
Typically, one would anticipate the inclusion of a Google application within the “Business Standard” tier of Workspace, priced at $12 per user per month. However, it appears that Gemini will not be part of this package. Instead, Google is introducing “Gemini Business and Gemini Enterprise plans” as distinct offerings, suggesting an upgrade path for current Google Workspace subscribers.
According to Roussei, the prompt to “upgrade today” redirects users to the Duet AI Workspace page, which marks Google’s initial foray into “AI for business.” Despite this redirection, the page has yet to showcase any updates or new plans related to Gemini.
The transition from Duet AI to “Gemini Business” raises questions about the continuity and pricing strategies of Google’s AI offerings for the business sector. Duet AI, introduced in August 2023, aimed to embed AI functionalities within Gmail, Docs, and other Workspace applications through simple “help me write” prompts, leading to chatbots capable of navigating these platforms. Initially, Duet AI was poised to cost an additional $30 per user per month.
However, six months have passed since its announcement, and Duet AI has yet to become widely available, with interested businesses being directed to a trial request form. Considering the rapid pace at which Google updates its AI initiatives, it’s plausible that Duet AI’s features and objectives might be absorbed by the Gemini project. This speculation brings to the forefront the issue of cost—whether the previously mentioned $30 surcharge will be maintained or adjusted in response to customer feedback and market demands.
Should the proposed $30 additional charge for AI functionalities within Workspace materialize, the overall cost for an AI-enhanced Workspace account could escalate to $45 per user each month. While this figure may seem steep, it’s important to consider the substantial computational resources required by generative AI technologies, which inherently drive up costs. The current phase is characterized by a competitive rush among companies to attract as many users as possible, despite the fact that this pursuit often results in financial losses for major industry participants.
The cost of Nvidia’s leading AI graphics cards, essential for powering such advanced AI operations, ranges from $10,000 to $40,000 per unit, excluding the significant ongoing expenses for electricity. This financial context highlights the intricate balance between innovation in AI capabilities and the economic realities of providing such cutting-edge services.
Featured image credit: Google Dev Blog
