Google has launched Gemini for Workspace, a business-centric offering that brings the power of Gemini Ultra 1.0 to Workspace apps. Gemini for Workspace offers advanced AI capabilities, including improved features in Docs, Sheets, and Slides. It also includes a standalone Gemini chatbot experience and enterprise-grade data protections. The pricing for Gemini for Workspace starts at $20/user per month for the business add-on and $30/user per month for the enterprise tier, providing better pricing compared to Microsoft’s Copilot for Microsoft 365.
Google has also released Gemma 2B and 7B, open-source AI models that are smaller and more lightweight than its flagship Gemini model. Gemma models are suitable for tasks like chatbots or summarizations and can run directly on a developer’s laptop or desktop computer. By making Gemma open source, Google aims to allow more people to experiment with its AI and compete with other companies that offer better access. Gemma comes with responsible AI toolkits and can be used for English language-related tasks. Developers can use Gemma for free in Kaggle, and researchers can apply for cloud credits.
Google and Microsoft are going after this market hard. Note the two part strategy Google is employing – a paid version for advanced features, an open source version to allow developers to expand its capabilities and build on their technology.