Earlier this year, Google announced a significant evolution in its Gemini generative AI system with the introduction of Gemini 1.5 Flash. This update was designed not just to speed up processing times, but also to handle more intricate queries. A little over a month ago, Google began making Gemini 1.5 Flash available to users around the globe, offering the new capabilities at no cost. Even after this major release, Google has been actively enhancing the system’s performance and recently provided insights into the impressive speed improvements achieved.

Google reports that the responsiveness of Gemini 1.5 Flash has significantly increased in recent weeks, with response times now up to 50% faster than before. Although the company hasn’t shared detailed specifics about the modifications responsible for this improvement, it did emphasize efforts to minimize latency. While these optimizations aren’t strictly necessary for the system’s functionality, they do enhance the overall user experience, making interactions feel more fluid and natural.

In addition to speed enhancements, Gemini is also becoming more versatile through expanded support for extensions. These upgrades will allow Gemini to work more effectively with various Google apps and services, such as Google Tasks. The Tasks Extension was initially available on the Pixel 9, and users have eagerly awaited its availability on other devices. Recently, a Reddit user, Oldest_Rookie7, noticed that the feature had started appearing on their Pixel 8. This rollout has since been confirmed by 9to5Google, suggesting that while the distribution may be gradual, it is indeed happening.

As the Tasks Extension becomes accessible on more devices, Google is providing tips on how users can fully leverage its capabilities. Beyond simply creating new tasks and reminders, users can also modify existing tasks. Gemini’s ability to utilize contextual information from conversations ensures that these interactions are as intuitive and seamless as possible, enhancing the overall efficiency and user experience.