Gemini and Google Assistant continue to compete for the title of your preferred personal assistant for smartphones. Google’s goal is for Gemini to eventually replace Assistant entirely at some point. However, there are some features that aren’t available in Gemini yet, so the company is keeping the two side by side. Now, Google is rolling out a change that will make it easier to analyze files in Gemini.
Gemini allows you to complement your prompts with multimedia and documents
Like other AI-powered chatbots, Gemini can analyze files to provide more accurate results. You can use multiple file formats to complement your original text prompt. For example, you can ask the AI assistant to summarize an article in PDF format, including some specific requirements. You can also ask for more information about a particular item by adding related images. You have the option to add multiple complementary files to the text prompt if you wish.
However, triggering prompts with complementary files requires you to open Gemini, either the floating overlay or the full-view app. Next, you must locate the specific file location in order to attach it to the prompt. This can be annoying, as sometimes you’re not quite sure where the file is located. It also adds extra steps to use cases where you want to get a quick scan of a file you just saw in another app.
Google Gemini is now part of Android’s file-sharing menu
Fortunately, Google has spotted the issue and sent out a fix. Now, Gemini will be available from the “Share” menu on Android. That means you’ll see the AI-powered assistant as an app available to share the file. For example, if you see an image in your gallery or if you receive a document on WhatsApp, you can send it directly from there to Gemini to trigger a scan.
As spotted by Android Authority, the option is available as part of the Gemini v1.0.686588308 update. Currently, you can add up to 10 files to scan at a time. Lastly, the AI assistant supports the following file formats:
