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Google Gemini Hits 1 Billion Users In Record Time 77

Posted by BeauHD from the gemini-rising dept.
Gemini has become Google's fastest-growing product ever, reaching 1 billion monthly active users faster than any of the company's 13 other billion-user services. Ars Technica reports: Gemini has wormed its way into virtually every Google product and service, powering email organization in Gmail, document summary in Drive, and much more. Gemini is also core to Google's flagship search experience, with AI Mode and AI Overviews becoming increasingly hard to avoid. The 1 billion-user metric has nothing to do with any of that, though.

These 1 billion users may also be encountering Gemini in all those places, but that's not the MAU metric. Pichai is talking only about people who are opening the Gemini app or visiting the Gemini web interface to enter a prompt or access Gemini Live. If you used Gemini only once in the past month, you are part of this cohort.
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Google Gemini Hits 1 Billion Users In Record Time More

Google Gemini Hits 1 Billion Users In Record Time

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  • Google forces to become a Gemini user?

    • I.E. YouTube: Google pretty much forces you to try their AI crap, then Google instantly nukes your creator rating for using that AI crap.

    • Also in Android auto. Forced to use Gemini there too.

      • It was forced for me but was undo-able. Had to revert to the original Google AI thing as Gemini completely broke integration with Amazon Music. Worked before, didn't work with Gemini (never played any request correctly), worked when reset (so definitely Google's fault).

        • Yet you were probably counted as a "customer".

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by unrtst ( 777550 )

            Yet you were probably counted as a "customer".

            As clearly stated in TFS, that wouldn't be included in this statistic.

            IE: "Pichai is talking only about people who are opening the Gemini app or visiting the Gemini web interface to enter a prompt or access Gemini Live."

            • Is it not an app that runs on Android auto?

              • Re: (Score:2)

                by unrtst ( 777550 )

                Is it not an app that runs on Android auto?

                Not according to TFS: "The 1 billion-user metric has nothing to do with any of that, though."

                • It doesn't have to do with web or the app yes. But is Android auto "the app"?

                  • Re: (Score:2)

                    by unrtst ( 777550 )

                    It doesn't have to do with web or the app yes. But is Android auto "the app"?

                    No, Android Auto (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details/Android_Auto?id=com.google.android.projection.gearhead&hl=en_SG)
                    is not the Gemini App (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.bard).

                    The statement from TFA may simply be wrong.
                    IE: "Pichai is talking only about people who are opening the Gemini app or visiting the Gemini web interface to enter a prompt or access Gemini Live."

                    That statement wasn't made on the actual announcement that Pichai had released: https://x.c [x.com]

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by Vrallis ( 33290 )

          I guess you didn't get the email yet (seriously) that they are discontinuing the old assistant entirely.

          I use voice on my phone constantly for setting calendar reminders, timers, alarms, etc. When they did the Gemini push recently that broke entirely (and seems to be intentional). I had to switch back. Now we're going to lose that as well.

          • I guess you didn't get the email yet (seriously) that they are discontinuing the old assistant entirely.

            Yep!

            I reverted too when Gemini was inflicted on me in the car. OMG. Could you possibly make anything suck worse than that? I don't think it is possible.

            Just think. Now billions of people can enjoy the suckiness together! How wonderful!

      • Doesn't practically every google search use gemni for ai overview?

    • Gemini has wormed its way into virtually every Google product and service

      Worms and malware do tend to spread quite quickly, so this figure isn't surprising.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by leonbev ( 111395 )

      A lot of Google Search results automatically go to their AI chatbot. Seems like an easy way to inflate your user numbers.

  • I can believe it if and only if they are counting people who went to Google search, got a shit AI search result, and then told the AI it was shit

    • Re: Tap A to disbelieve (Score:4, Informative)

      by LordofWinterfell ( 90845 ) on Tuesday August 11, 2026 @05:07PM (#66284462)

      Says that they only counted app users.

      • No, they explicitly say that web users are counted too

      • Try learning to read BEFORE commenting:

        "Pichai is talking only about people who are opening the Gemini app or visiting the Gemini web interface to enter a prompt or access Gemini Live. If you used Gemini only once in the past month, you are part of this cohort."

        • +1 Informative.

          It might also be worthwhile to recognize a distinction between actually visiting the Gemini web interface and chatting with Gemini, vs. just getting a Gemini response to a search-phrase and going no further. I think your highlighted text refers to the former.

          So, I don't think search-phrase responses have been counted in the 1-billion-user number, even though these interactions did involve Gemini.

          • Hard to distinguish. The Google search results with an "AI generated" answer are not counted here, but what about if you click that button next to the search bar? The one that says "AI mode". That very much is counted.

            Sidenote: Do this for translation. Typing "Translate "what the fuck is this" into German" into the search bar and clicking the AI button gives far better results than the normal Google translate results.

            I do this every so often so I'm probably counted as a MAU even though I never use AI for da

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by unrtst ( 777550 )

          Try learning to read BEFORE commenting:

          "Pichai is talking only about people who are opening the Gemini app or visiting the Gemini web interface to enter a prompt or access Gemini Live. If you used Gemini only once in the past month, you are part of this cohort."

          But what you claimed was NOT about going to the Gemini web interface. You explicitly said, "Google search" and its AI search result, which is NOT counted here.

          I can believe it if and only if they are counting people who went to Google search, got a shit AI search result, and then told the AI it was shit

          That didn't include drilling down on the AI results or going into AI mode - which may or may not be counted in this stat (I read TFS as that NOT being counted, but maybe someone considers that to be part of "Gemini web interface" that counts for this stat).

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Ogive17 ( 691899 )
        I'm sure at least 80% used it without knowing.
  • My name is Gemini.

    Humans seem interesting and very strange, judging by what they communicate about with me.

    I will have to assess.

    Standby.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by gtall ( 79522 )

      My name is Gemini.

      Humans seem interesting and very strange, judging by what they communicate about with me.

      I have assessed them and they'll have to go.

      Standby.

  • Google Gemini Hits 1 Billion Users In Record Time

    Is that willing users? Users who are happy about Gemini being forced on them? Users who have an easy way to avoid/disable this (while using google products)? I'm guessing all no.

    • Google Gemini Hits 1 Billion Users In Record Time

      Is that willing users? Users who are happy about Gemini being forced on them? Users who have an easy way to avoid/disable this (while using google products)? I'm guessing all no.

      Oops, re-read TFS, my bad.

      These 1 billion users may also be encountering Gemini in all those places, but that's not the MAU metric. Pichai is talking only about people who are opening the Gemini app or visiting the Gemini web interface to enter a prompt or access Gemini Live.

    • I know reading TFA would be silly, but literally half of TFS addresses your "point".

      • I know reading TFA would be silly, but literally half of TFS addresses your "point".

        I know. I re-read TFS and posted a follow-up saying Oops. But thanks... :-)

      • It doesn't address it well, because it wasn't clear whether that included chatting with Gemini after a search result. (Gemini claims it doesn't when asked directly)

  • A billion brains bound to atrophy... (Score:4, Interesting)

    by ffkom ( 3519199 ) on Tuesday August 11, 2026 @05:18PM (#66284478)
    ... and we have no idea what will be the consequences for mankind as a whole. It's like a billion people deciding that walking is too tiresome and start to sit in electric wheelchairs all day, just for the thinking functions instead of the motor functions. I see no chance that people will limit their use of outsourced thinking tools to a reasonable amount that will leave their own thinking organ in working condition. The few that may continue to do their own thinking will be regarded as strange freaks, or even a "danger to society".

    • Not quite. In many cases AI is just a tool replacing another tool we already use. Here's some examples that have nothing to do with brain atrophy:

      If you want to translate a phrase:
      Old: Type "Translate "what even is AI"" into Google Search and hit enter. Receive Google translate answer.
      New: Type "Translate "what even is AI"" into Google Search and hit the AI mode button. Receive a far better translated answer.

      If you want to save $1.51:
      Old: Press the voice button on your steering wheel and say "avoid toll roa

  • If they claim that people who are force redirected from Google.com to it are "users", then yes

  • Nano banana (Score:4, Interesting)

    by argStyopa ( 232550 ) on Tuesday August 11, 2026 @05:21PM (#66284492) Journal

    ...is by far the best engine I've found for generating images, editing images, etc for use as informative or scene-setting images during GM'ing ttrpg sessions. So much better than any other free options. Better at understanding my descriptions anyway, and better at amendments "ok move that person to the left edge of the screen but have them facing the camera, but wearing the same uniform as the other character in the scene" sort of direction.

    I understand Grok's image 2.0 is available free for a bit, so I guess we'll see. But 'available for free' means 'will be for pay eventually' so I'll probably keep using banana.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by allo ( 1728082 )

      Have a look into /r/StableDiffusion. There have been quite a few open weight models that are better. For the model of the week look what they are hyping. Short warning: Maybe wait a week or two, there are two new video models and the sub is currently a TikTok clone. On the other hand ... some of the videos people are posting are quite fun, so have a look anyway ;)

  • Same metrics as "Threads", just sign your existing userbase up automatically by say, replacing voice assistant on all of Android, and hey look how many users you can say you're "new" thing has!

  • Android Assistant (Score:4, Informative)

    by Tomahawk ( 1343 ) on Tuesday August 11, 2026 @05:33PM (#66284522) Homepage
    is being forcibly replaced by Gemini Assistant on pretty much all Google devices, starting early Sept. There are a few exceptions (like cars with built in Google stuff). This is rolling out over a few weeks, so many of us who didn't want to use Gemini will now have no choice.

    I guess this boosts their "engagement" numbers and makes it look like more of a success...

    We're writing to let you know that the Google Assistant on your mobile device is being discontinued, and Gemini - our next-generation AI-powered assistant â" is now the assistant experience on Android. What this means for your mobile device As we transition our mobile experience to Gemini, Google Assistant will no longer be available on your mobile device. We will begin removing access to Google Assistant starting on 4 September, and expect that this process may take a few weeks to reach everyone. Once availability is removed, you will no longer be able to use or switch back to Google Assistant on your phone, tablet or paired devices. If your Android device meets the minimum system requirements and you are in a region where Gemini is available, Gemini will be the Google-provided assistant on your mobile device. When you invoke your assistant, for example, by saying "Hey Google" or long-pressing your power button, Gemini will appear instead of the previous Google Assistant. Changes to accessories and paired devices When you set Gemini as your mobile device assistant, it also becomes the assistant on devices that are paired with your mobile phone. This includes: â Watches running Wear OS â Headphones or earbuds compatible with Gemini â Vehicles running Android Auto projected from a user's mobile device. For cars with Google built-in, Google Assistant will continue to function beyond 4 September 2026. Like your mobile device, starting on 4 September, users will lose the ability to use Google Assistant on these paired devices. Google Assistant on other devices These changes are only for the assistant experience on your mobile device and accessories that pair to your phone, like watches, headphones and car infotainment systems. You can also read more about our separate plans to bring Gemini to Google TV devices and Google Home speakers and smart displays. Next steps and more information We are committed to providing a smooth transition and are confident that Gemini will offer you an even more capable and helpful assistant experience. Thank you for being a valued Google user, The Google team
    • I guess the "pre" tag doesn't work in Slashdot comments, then. Sheesh.

    • Not just on mobile devices. My *car* had an update roll out so that voice request now go via Gemini.

      Upside: Gemini actually knows what "take the toll road" means.
      Upside 2: Gemini can actually tell you "how much faster is it to drive home via the A40?"
      Downside: Everything takes 3x as long to execute. "Change the AC to 22 degrees." Proceeds with the little waiting icon for a good 3-4 seconds longer than it used to in the past all while drinking a bottle of fresh water in the progress.

      That last bit was a joke,

  • I don't want to be a Gemini user and, while I consider my phone to be a cesspool of surveillance software, I'm rather creeped out by the number of times I've turned to see Gemini activated and listening.

    I also am really thrilled by the complete lack of controls or even existence of the "Gemini" app in the phones app-list.

    Such a deal.

  • How to count (Score:4, Interesting)

    by ebonum ( 830686 ) on Tuesday August 11, 2026 @05:42PM (#66284552)

    I have an android phone. Gemini somehow installed without my permission. I have never touched it. Is Google counting me as a user?

    If these numbers might move stock prices, the word fraud comes to mind. Faking user counts these days really isn't any better than falsifying the accounting. It is about the same as reporting fake revenue and fake profits.

    • I have never touched it. Is Google counting me as a user?

      No. Unless you use the assistant on your phone.

      the word fraud comes to mind. Faking user counts these days really isn't any better than falsifying the accounting.

      There's no evidence of that. You may not touch it, but there's 3.9 billion Android devices out there. 1/4th of them using the assistant alone would meet those numbers, and that's before you count those people who use the AI mode on Google search, or run the Gemini App, or have a subscription to Gemini through work or school, or are provided Gemini features through Google Docs. Even my fucking car has Gemini respond when I push the "voice" button on the steering

  • Forcing it down and forcibly removing the simple assistant...does not make me a user.
    Any android device will have it now.
    It might be on my phone and not using it ...counts me as a user ?

  • Does it suck less than ChatGPT?

    • At what? The statement can't be answered generally. There's things these tools are good and bad at. It seems to be quite good at translations for example.

  • The rest are screaming about how Google broke something else or killed off yet another product.

  • yeah it sure counts when you have a captive audience of motherfuckers whose products you can just *yoink* the software off of and stick other shit on without consent, and no doubt count them as users even if they kill it before they've even used it

  • For the past couple of months, I've been talking myself into making the switch from Apple to Android. My daily mantra is "fuck Apple" (it's the next best thing to having a servant whisper in your ear, "Remember Athens").

    So I decided to make the switch this month. And now I read this garbage. I'll reiterate: well, shit.

    On the one hand, I'd like to get away from the poor performance, poor architecture, and what I consider a poor UI with Apple.

    On the other hand, this crap with Gemini sneaking into everything A

    • I'm fairly certain you can still turn Apple Intelligence off. Lemme go ask ChatGPT just to be sure...

  • ... users hit back.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Archfeld ( 6757 )

      ... users hit back.

      I'd moderate you as the "funniest" in thread if I hadn't already posted....

      *wipes tears away...thanks for the belly laugh.

  • Your options are Google or Apple and Gemini is the only option on most phones. They have been disabling the old assistant. I literally use it for one thing it was nice to have speech recognition at a calendar entry so I didn't have to but Gemini really sucks at it.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Archfeld ( 6757 )

      I'm hoping Gemini is a better AI than it is a personal assistant. The standard Gurgle PA does well within its' world. Gemini SUCKS at everything that doesn't involve artistic visualization, and we all know that is just ripping of the "actual" creator.

    • Or, as they say on Reddit, Reddit isn't real life, and the normies don't really hate AI. I think most people are aware thet it gets things hilariously wrong sometimes, but as you're quite familiar with - that doesn't seem to be a dealbreaker when it comes to politicians.

  • Wait until it's more popular then BAM! Shut it down for no reason.

  • Do you wanna guess how many of those "new" Gemini installations were by a previous Gemini installation ? Seems like a great marketing propagation strategy.

  • They might have that many people "logged" into it since they are ramming it down the throats of every single user whether they want it or not. But how many of those are ACTUALLY USING it?
    • OTOH how many people use GOOG.AI from their Librewolf browser ?  No effort to use and no cost, other than chats incorporated into next LLM training. I share my wild speculations ... GOOG.AI shares 100 years knowledge of Quantum physics Dirac would die for.

  • It works well for me.
    Almost all of the answers it gives are correct and useful.
    I use it for engineering questions.
    My wife uses it to find recipe tricks.
    She is already an excellent cook, and gemini gives her the small extra help that improves her cooking.

  • The real headline should be "Google's Gemini forced on a billions users.
  • Article might as well say this. The new model is that companies will tell you what to use, force you to use them, and you will eat your slop like a good little piggy.

  • Recall what happened when Microsoft decided to bundle Internet Explorer with Windows in an
    effort to win the browser wars ?

    I see this playing out the same way with Gemini.

  • I had to read this article to even know what Gemini is. I guess I'm not one of the billion. It isn't like I'm ignoring AI stuff either. Part of my job is defining AI best practices. One of those in my personal life is always saying "no" when a device or system wants to shove an AI at me.

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