Add Extensions to Gemini

Google’s New AI Assistant: Gemini’s Got a Few Kinks to Work Out

The Frustrating Experience

I was driving home the other day and wanted to call my partner to let him know that I was stuck in traffic. As I’ve got a relatively old car, I rely on my phone for calls, music, and more. Usually, there’s no problem, but this time, when I said, "Hey Google, call Jim on his mobile!" my phone informed me that Gemini doesn’t do that.

The Reason Behind the Frustration

It turned out that I had recently installed Google’s new AI virtual assistant, Gemini, which had automatically shut down Google Assistant. Gemini, being brand new and not fully baked, was still missing many of the features of Google Assistant, including making phone calls and sending texts.

The Workaround: Enabling Apps Activity

However, there is a way to increase Gemini’s features. You need to add extensions, just like you would add them to Google Chrome. But, I hadn’t turned on Gemini Apps Activity, which logs and stores all your Gemini activity. Without Apps Activity turned on, extensions don’t work.

Turning on Gemini Apps Activity

To turn on Gemini Apps Activity, you can:

• In the mobile app, tap on your personal icon in the upper-right corner and select Gemini Apps Activity.
• On the web, go to myactivity.google.com/product/gemini.
• Select the Turn on button, and agree to the terms of what is saved (e.g., your chats, product usage information, and location), for how long (18 months, although you can switch to three or 36 months), and for what (the usual corporate "to provide, improve, and develop Google products").

Accessing Gemini’s Extensions

Once Apps Activity is enabled, you can access Gemini’s extensions. You can ask Gemini to do something, and if there’s an extension to help, it will automatically access it. Or, you can browse the available extensions by going to gemini.google.com (via the web) or tapping your personal icon (on the mobile app).

The Available Extensions

I tried out some of the available extensions, including:

• Google Workspace, to summarize or receive answers from Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Docs, Google Drive, Google Keep, and Google Tasks content.
• Google MessagesPhoneUtilities, to open apps, set timers and alarms, and handle other settings.
• Google Flights for flight info.
• Google Hotels to search for hotels.
• Google Maps to get "location-based information."
• YouTube and YouTube Music to find videos and music selections.
• And a few non-Google apps: Spotify, WhatsApp, and OpenStax.

Deleting Your Activity

If you’d rather not make all your Gemini activity permanently available, you can set an auto-delete for activity older than three, 18, or 36 months. You can also manually delete your activity logs on the same page by tapping Delete and selecting Last hour, Last day, All time, or Custom range.

Conclusion

Gemini, Google’s new AI assistant, has a lot of potential, but it’s still a work in progress. With the right extensions, it can become a powerful tool. For now, it’s worth experimenting with the available extensions and features to see what works best for you.

FAQs

Q: What is Gemini?
A: Gemini is Google’s new AI virtual assistant.

Q: What are the limitations of Gemini?
A: Gemini is still missing many features, including making phone calls and sending texts.

Q: How do I enable Gemini Apps Activity?
A: You can enable Gemini Apps Activity in the mobile app by tapping on your personal icon in the upper-right corner and selecting Gemini Apps Activity, or on the web by going to myactivity.google.com/product/gemini.

Q: What are the available extensions?
A: The available extensions include Google Workspace, Google MessagesPhoneUtilities, Google Flights, Google Hotels, Google Maps, YouTube, YouTube Music, and a few non-Google apps: Spotify, WhatsApp, and OpenStax.

Q: Can I delete my activity?
A: Yes, you can set an auto-delete for activity older than three, 18, or 36 months, or manually delete your activity logs.