Google has been very upfront about its plans to inject Gemini AI into almost all of its devices, with the exception of the base Pixel 8 — which Google says has some hardware limitations that prevent it from running the latest Gemini version. One of the newest ways to get the Gemini treatment is through Google Messages.
This rollout isn't surprising at all, as Google officially confirmed the addition of Gemini to News about a month ago. But now, it's finally starting to become available to some Google Messages beta users, and here's what you can expect from the new integration.
First, it's only available to beta testers who have RCS enabled, are 18 years or older, and have a Pixel 6 or later, Pixel Fold, Galaxy S22 or later, Galaxy Z Flip, or Galaxy Z Fold. Any other devices are not yet eligible to use Gemini in Google Messages. Google also says that where the Gemini in Messages feature is available, you'll need to set your phone's language to English, or French if you're in Canada.
Once you're in the beta and have Gemini, though, you can do a lot with the AI chatbot, including talking to the bot to get information. You can reply to Gemini with text or image prompts, and you can even use extensions in your chats with Gemini.
If you need help drafting a message, all you need to do is ask Gemini and it will provide an appropriate response, which you can edit and then send as you see fit. You can also provide feedback directly in the Messages app by long-pressing and holding the response you want to provide feedback on, and then selecting "Thumbs Up" or "Thumbs Up" to indicate the type of response.
Google hasn't said yet whether it will allow Gemini Advanced users to access advanced features in Messages, so we'll have to wait for more information about the AI capabilities to be released to know for sure. However, at least for now, you can join the Google Messages beta and test the feature as long as you meet the above requirements.
