Google Gemini (formerly known as Bard) Comes to Canada

Roger Stringer Roger Stringer
February 08, 2024
3 min read
Google Gemini (formerly known as Bard) Comes to Canada

From the Google blog:

Today, we’re officially entering the next chapter of the Gemini era and we’re thrilled to invite Canadians along the journey with us. Since launching last year, Canadians have been eager to collaborate with our state-of-the-art AI models and starting today, Gemini (formerly Bard) is available in Canada from coast-to-coast-to-coast, in both English and French, along with 40 other languages worldwide. Gemini is ready to ignite your productivity, supercharge your ideas, and satisfy your boundless curiosity.

Ushering in the Gemini Era

Canadians can access the Gemini website in all supported languages including English and French. With Gemini, you can collaborate with AI in a completely new way — to prepare for job interviews, debug code for the first time, or brainstorm new business ideas. You can use features like double-check (in English and French), Extensions, and image generation (available in English to start). And coming soon, we’ll be rolling out our new mobile experience with an app on Android and in the Google app on iOS.

[...]

Putting the ‘Eh’ in AI

Canadians are innovators and are eager to use technology to learn, teach, create, build and solve problems, big and small. AI can unlock significant opportunities for Canada and help tackle some of our largest economic and societal challenges. In fact, an Economic Impact Report published in September 2023 by Public First, found that generative AI could boost Canada's economy by $210 billion.

As generative AI continues to improve, we’re taking a bold and responsible approach, grounded in our AI Principles, to build this technology. Our focus is unwavering: to make AI more helpful for everyone while prioritizing quality and safety. Our teams work on innovative foundational research to make AI-enabled products safer, more equitable and inclusive, and some of this critical work is happening right here in Canada.

Making AI More Helpful for Everyone

Today marks the beginning of a new chapter for Canadians to directly experience and harness the helpfulness of AI models through Gemini. Whether it’s helping plan a road trip from Halifax to Vancouver, learning some facts about the Battle of Vimy Ridge or putting together a weekly meal plan for your family, you can use Gemini to tap into the innovative power of the web in new ways.

About time, Google confirmed in a separate briefing that the delay was related to Bill C-18 and the company wanting to get Québécois right.

Do you like my content?

Sponsor Me On Github