How To Use Bard (now Gemini): 6 Ways To Put Google's Generative AI To Work

Google Bard (now called Gemini) was the interface connecting users to Google's large language model (LLM). Launched in March of 2023 as an experiment, Gemini allows readers to locate information, learn about topics, write code, and more through a conversation with the chatbot. The experimental technology allowed Google to test and refine the product as users learned to use Gemini.

Like other AI chatbots, like ChatGPT, Gemini offers free and subscription services. You can use it to improve your work productivity by relying on the chatbot to automate tasks and assist you with assignments.

How to access Google Gemini

You can access Google Gemini through the mobile app on Android devices, through the Gemini website, or in the Gemini tab within the Google app on iOS devices. To use Gemini in the Google app, sign into your Google account and tap the Gemini tab—this is an optional step, but it allows you access to previous queries. You should then be able to enter a prompt for the large language model tasks you want to complete.

6 ways to use Google Bard (now Gemini) at work

Google Gemini can assist you with tasks like summarizing, analyzing, and explaining to increase productivity and improve performance.

The examples below will show you how to use Google Bard, also known as Gemini, to automate tasks with an AI assistant like Gemini.

Build background knowledge on a topic.

You can consult with Gemini to learn more about a specific topic—much like you do when you "Google" something. For example, before going overseas on a work trip, you could ask Gemini for a list of the most important phrases you may have to use during your visit. Or, if you want to understand an unfamiliar term your supervisor used, Gemini can give you a quick definition, provide context to help you understand how to use it, and compare it with similar and dissimilar terms.

Analyze notes from a meeting.

Note-taking helps you pay attention during meetings and record important information you want to remember later. Gemini can make your notetaking practice more effective—even if you upload handwritten notes for it to analyze. It can extract key information to identify action items and summarize key points. You can ask Gemini to analyze the effectiveness of the meeting by pointing out unresolved issues and showing you how well the conversation stayed on topic. You also can put Gemini to work following up after the meeting by setting reminders and creating an action list.

Brainstorm ideas.

Gemini can act as a creative partner when you're starting a new project and need to brainstorm ideas before moving on to the next step. Provide information about the target audience. Share the goals of the project. Then, you can ask it to generate ideas about market research, logistics, and budgeting. Gemini can help you develop tools to evaluate your launch ideas and should be able to update its suggestions as you share feedback from others.

Write code.

If you're learning how to program computers, you could use Gemini to understand your code as you write it. Ask it to evaluate your code or provide examples. Gemini also can assist you with identifying errors in code and sometimes can generate snippets of code. If you need help working with application programming interfaces or libraries, Gemini may be able to direct you to the information you need.

Search for information in Google tools.

As a Google product, Gemini can access the company's other apps and services, like Gmail and Drive. It can search and locate your emails, documents, and files for the necessary information. For example, you can ask Gemini to search your emails for details about an upcoming business trip, including hotel and flight arrangements. It can offer suggestions for the itinerary, connect you with YouTube videos about your destination, and more. Gemini can also assist you with research by searching your files to locate key information and specific data to include in proposals and emails.

Analyze SEO.

You can also leverage Gemini to analyze your website and offer suggestions to improve SEO or generate schema markups. Specifically, Gemini can help you understand the performance of your website by analyzing and ranking website traffic and comparing your site with your competitors. You can also use it to optimize the content by asking it to identify relevant keywords and improve meta descriptions. Gemini can identify broken links through your website's map and tell you how well your site works on mobile devices.

Tips for generating better results when using Google Gemini

Like with other skills, practice is the key to using Google Gemini. The following tips can help you optimize your queries and prompts to produce higher-quality responses.

1. Have fun.

Spend some time getting familiar with the interface and the rhythm of asking questions. Start with smaller tasks like asking Gemini for gift ideas for a friend's birthday. Ask it to share a favorite joke or prompt it to assume the persona of a famous character and engage in conversation with it.

2. Ask follow-up questions.

Sometimes, Gemini's answers may be incomplete or unrelated to your questions. When that happens, you can ask a follow-up question and provide more details to tailor the response better. You can also use follow-up questions to learn more about the topic you're exploring.

3. Get conversational.

Google designed Gemini so you can engage in conversation with it. You can ask Gemini to refine, explain, or translate ideas to a different language. You can prompt it to role-play a discussion between two people about a topic you're interested in.

4. Verify the response.

Gemini may not be human, but it may make mistakes or "hallucinate" because it relies on data provided by humans. This is why you must verify all information you receive before sharing it with others. Fact-checking is an additional yet important step to avoid giving out incorrect information.

Get started today

Taking online courses is a great way to gain a deeper understanding of generative AI and the ethics around its use. The Google AI Essentials course on Coursera covers writing effective prompts, developing content, avoiding harmful AI use, and staying up-to-date in an AI world. This program takes about nine hours to complete adn is beginner-friendly.