Contrary to popular belief, Google is not lagging behind ChatGPT, the world’s most popular AI. Recently, Google unveiled Gemini, its new AI, poised to go head-to-head with OpenAI’s powerful GPT-4.
While ChatGPT offers a free GPT-3.5 version and a paid GPT-4 version, Google Bard will come in three flavors: Nano, Pro, and Ultra. Nano targets mobile devices, Pro is already accessible worldwide except in Europe, and Ultra, Google claims, outperforms GPT-4 in nearly all tests conducted.
The European Union Digital Markets Law imposes privacy regulations on companies, causing delays in the introduction of new technologies, platforms, and applications in the region. We witnessed a similar scenario with Bard’s launch, and it parallels what occurred with Threads, Instagram‘s alternative to Twitter.
If you’re eager to experience the benefits of Gemini Pro or Bard, follow the steps below to get started.
How to Use Bard with Gemini Pro
Gemini, in its various versions, has been trained to handle text, images, audio, and video, making it a multimodal AI capable of detecting and analyzing diverse types of content. The Nano version is slated for future updates to the Google Pixel 8 series, while the Ultra version will be available in a few weeks. Currently, it’s unclear whether Ultra will be entirely free or incorporate a paywall, akin to ChatGPT Plus.
Gemini Pro, on the other hand, is already accessible through Bard, but only outside the European Union. Nevertheless, you can use it via a VPN by selecting the United States as your connection country. While other non-European countries may work, opting for the United States is recommended for smoother initial use.
Considering Bard consumes minimal data, you can employ various free VPN extensions for Google Chrome, such as Urban Proxy, or opt for well-established paid VPN services like NordVPN.
Configuration of Google Account Options
Subsequently, you’ll need to change your primary account’s language to English, as this AI currently only supports English. Failing to adjust the language will result in Bard displaying the Spanish version, preventing you from accessing Bard with Gemini Pro. To make the language change, simply visit this link and switch your language setting to English in the Language section. After this adjustment, the Google interface will transition from Spanish to English.
With these steps completed, you can access Google Bard and commence using Gemini Pro. To verify that you’ve executed the steps correctly, click on the question mark icon to confirm that Google Bard’s update with Gemini Pro is available, as depicted in the following screenshot.