The broader Gemini flaws
Beyond any number of specific shortcoming examples is the indisputable fact that Gemini just tends to be slow, inconsistent, and unreliable as a basic virtual assistant compared to the system it’s replacing. So while, yes, it can do all sorts of whizbang parlor tricks like creating fake images and videos, generating 30-second “songs” on command, and acting as your chatty companion for all those moments when you’re just dying to talk to a computer at length, it more often than not feels like a step backwards at the tasks that actually matter — the simple sorts of things most of us actually want a virtual assistant to handle when we ask.
And, again, all of that’s to say nothing of the deeply troubling issue of accuracy and being able to rely on any info Gemini gives you as an on-demand assistant. Whether you’re asking about your calendar or asking for broader world knowledge, interact with Gemini or any other LLM chatbot enough — and pay careful enough attention to the responses it’s giving you — and you will see instances where it’s flat-out making stuff up and presenting those inaccuracies to you as fact.
As I wrote early on in the AI chatbot craze, when it comes to online interactions, getting something right even 90% of the time isn’t good enough. Accuracy and thoroughness matter. One simple answer is fine — when it’s right. And when you can trust that it’s right.
