While OpenAI’s ChatGPT has rapidly gained popularity for its advanced conversational abilities, Google’s AI chatbot Bard has trailed behind. But that may change with Google’s latest upgrade to Bard’s intelligence. As of today, Bard is now powered by Gemini, Google’s new AI model designed to match and even surpass the capabilities of ChatGPT.

Initially launching in English for users across 170 countries, Gemini brings what Google calls Bard’s “biggest and best upgrade yet.” Sundar Pichai, Google’s CEO, says Gemini significantly improves Bard’s understanding, factual accuracy, and overall quality across a wide range of conversational tasks from coding to summarization.

Bard currently runs on Gemini Pro, providing a balance of speed and advanced intelligence. But Google plans to launch “Bard Advanced” next year, leveraging the full multimodal power of Gemini Ultra, Google’s most advanced AI model. Unlike text-only models, Gemini Ultra can process and generate images, audio, and video as well as text.

The ability to fluidly combine modalities is where Gemini truly shines, says Demis Hassabis, head of Google DeepMind. Hassabis points to demo use cases like using Bard and Gemini Ultra to create the optimal paper airplane design through iterative photographic input and feedback.

While the launch of Gemini-powered Bard marks a major milestone for Google, Pichai says this is just the start of a new AI-driven era focused on multimodal interaction. If Gemini lives up to Google’s promises, Bard may soon match or top ChatGPT’s coveted conversational prowess. But the ultimate test will be how Gemini-powered Bard performs in the real world.