Google’s Gemini is developing custom AI chatbots, some of which may be inspired by YouTubers

Google is considering partnerships with creators as part of its investment in the AI arms race. According to a report from The Information, Google is developing customizable chatbots that will run on its in-house large language model, Gemini.

The report indicates that Google’s chatbot users will be able to customize the personality and appearance of their AI companions. The product could eventually be integrated into YouTube, and Google has reportedly held talks with creators about the possibility of developing chatbots based on those influencers’ likenesses.

That plan sounds similar to the one Meta has put into place for its AI characters. Some of the chatbots powered by Meta’s Llama LLM were built in tandem with creators like Charli D’Amelio and MrBeast. TikTok has also explored the idea of launching its own customizable chatbot product.

All of that activity has compelled Google to supercharge its AI chatbot operation. According to The Information, Google Doodle design Ryan Germick is leading the Google Labs 

team that is spearheading the Gemini companion project. “Google Labs is a place where we experiment with future AI product ideas—some of which may be integrated into our products at some point, some of which will not,” a Google spokesperson told The Information.

Google’s customizable chatbots are likely to have a lot of details in common with the ones offered by Character.AI. The similarities make sense, given the latter firm’s connection to Mountain View. Character.AI was founded by a pair of former Google engineers in 2021.

There isn’t any buzz yet about which specific YouTubers could lend their likenesses to the Google Labs operation, but the development of those avatars has the potential to be hugely helpful for creators. Instagram is working on a program that would outsource some tasks — including fan interactions — to lookalike AIs.

Google hasn’t offered an exact timeline for its customizable chatbot rollout, but The Information noted that the new AIs could arrive as early as “this year.”