Gemini Versus Vertex AI: A Comparison of Two Google AI Tools

Editor's Note: Google announced on February 8, 2024 that Duet AI and Bard will be moved under the Gemini product umbrella. This blog has been updated to reflect the new branding. 

Gemini and Vertex AI are two innovative tools developed by Google, designed to help you work smarter and more efficiently. While both use artificial intelligence and are integrated with the Google ecosystem, there are still key differences between the two tools.

When you understand what each of these Google products offer, you can make smart decisions about what to invest in for your organization.

Understanding Gemini

First, let's understand Gemini. Gemini is a suite of generative AI-powered capabilities integrated into various Google Cloud and Google Workspace products. Both Gemini for Google Workspace and Gemini for Google Cloud aim to enhance productivity and collaboration by providing AI assistance in various areas.

Gemini offers a range of features, including:

• Code Completion and Generation: Gemini for Google Cloud can assist developers with code completion, suggesting relevant code snippets based on the context of their work. It can also generate code blocks based on natural language descriptions.
• Application and Infrastructure Operations: Gemini for Google Cloud can guide managing applications and infrastructure, suggesting best practices, and automating routine tasks.
• Conversational Assistance: Gemini for Google Cloud can answer questions and provide guidance through natural language conversations. This can be helpful for users who are not familiar with technical terminology or who prefer a more interactive way to learn.
• Smart Writing Suggestions: Gemini for Google Workspace can help you write more effectively and efficiently in Google Docs, Gmail, and Slides. For example, it can generate first drafts of documents, suggest edits, and help you create custom visuals.
• Data Analysis: Gemini for Google Workspace and Google Cloud both help users analyze data more quickly and effectively in applications like Google Sheets and BigQuery. For example, it can classify data, generate reports, and create custom plans.
• Meeting Management: Gemini for Google Workspace you to have richer and more productive meetings. It can generate meeting notes, create custom backgrounds, and suggest discussion topics.

Gemini is generally available but is still under development and is regularly being updated with new, robust features.

As Gemini continues to develop, it is also expected to be integrated into even more Google Cloud and Workspace products, making AI assistance more widely available and accessible to users of all levels of technical expertise.

Understanding Vertex AI

Vertex AI is a unified machine learning (ML) platform that unifies the entire ML workflow from data preparation and model training to deployment and monitoring. It provides a suite of tools and services that enable businesses to build, deploy, and manage ML models at scale.

Key features of Vertex AI include:

• AutoML: Vertex AI offers AutoML capabilities for tabular, image, text, and video data, enabling users to train high-quality models without writing code.
• MLOps: Vertex AI provides a set of MLOps tools for model deployment, monitoring, and versioning, helping businesses manage their ML models throughout their lifecycle.
• Integration with Google Cloud: Vertex AI is tightly integrated with other Google Cloud services, such as BigQuery, Dataproc, and Cloud Storage, making it easy to build and deploy ML models that leverage the power of Google Cloud's infrastructure.

Use cases for Vertex AI include:

• Fraud Detection: Vertex AI can be used to build models that detect fraudulent activity in financial transactions.
• Customer Segmentation: Vertex AI can build models that segment customers based on their demographics, behavior, and preferences.
• Predictive Maintenance: Vertex AI can build models that predict when equipment is likely to fail, allowing businesses to schedule maintenance proactively.
• Natural Language Processing: Vertex AI can build models for tasks such as sentiment analysis, machine translation, and question answering.
• Computer Vision: Vertex AI can build models for tasks such as image classification, object detection, and facial recognition.

In-Depth Comparison: Gemini Versus Vertex AI

Now, let's take a deep dive into comparing these two generative AI models.

Purpose

• Vertex AI: Vertex AI is designed for building and deploying custom AI applications. It provides the tools and infrastructure needed to create and manage AI models from start to finish. This includes everything from data preparation and model training to deployment and monitoring.
• Gemini: Gemini is designed to enhance the productivity of existing users by providing AI-powered assistance within Google Cloud and Workspace products. It can be used to build and deploy custom AI applications, but it's also used to simplify content generation in Docs, Slides, and Gmail as well as improve collaboration in Google Meet.

Audience

• Vertex AI: Vertex AI is targeted at developers and data scientists with the technical expertise to build and deploy AI models. It requires a deeper understanding of AI concepts and methodologies.
• Gemini: Gemini is designed for a broader audience, including non-technical users who may not have a background in AI. It's user-friendly and can be integrated into existing workflows without extensive AI knowledge.

Complexity

• Vertex AI: Vertex AI is a more complex platform because it focuses on creating and managing complex AI models. It involves setting up infrastructure, configuring models, and optimizing performance.
• Gemini: Gemini is a simpler platform because it focuses on providing AI assistance within existing products. It relies on pre-trained models and offers a more user-friendly interface.

Use Cases

• Vertex AI: Vertex AI is ideal for building custom AI applications for specific business needs, such as fraud detection, customer segmentation, or predictive maintenance. It allows for the creation of tailored solutions that address unique challenges.
• Gemini: Gemini is well-suited for tasks such as code completion, code generation, application and infrastructure operations, and knowledge discovery. It provides AI-powered assistance in various areas of productivity.

Integration

• Vertex AI: Vertex AI is tightly integrated with other Google Cloud services, making it easy to leverage existing data and infrastructure for AI development.
• Gemini: Gemini is integrated into various Google Cloud and Google Workspace products, providing AI assistance within existing workflows.

Pricing

• Vertex AI: Vertex AI has a pay-as-you-go pricing model, with costs based on compute resources, storage, and other factors.
• Gemini: Gemini is available in some Google Cloud and Google Workspace plans, with pricing included in the overall plan cost.

Vertex AI is a powerful tool for developers and data scientists who want to build custom AI applications, while Gemini is a valuable tool for non-technical users who want to enhance their productivity with AI-powered assistance.

The choice between the two platforms depends on your organization's specific needs and expertise. If you are part of the data science or developer industry, Vertex AI may be a helpful supplemental tool.

Conversely, if you're looking for helpful AI assistance as you navigate Workspace or Google Cloud, Gemini makes for a great add-on.

Look to Promevo for Google Assistance

If you're looking to integrate tools like Gemini or Vertex AI into your Workspace subscription or your organization is just beginning its Google journey, Promevo is here to help.

As a certified Google partner, we provide end-to-end support with all things Google, from setting you up in Workspace to developing custom solutions for your workplace needs. Our team enables you to harness Google's capabilities to reinvent how you do business and accelerate your company's growth.

We are proud to be a 100% Google-focused partner helping you succeed. Contact us today to learn more and get started.

FAQs: Gemini Versus Vertex AI

What is Vertex AI used for?

Vertex AI is a unified machine learning platform that offers a wide range of capabilities for building, deploying, and managing ML models at scale.

It is used by businesses of all sizes to solve a variety of problems, including fraud detection, predictive maintenance, natural language processing, and more.

Is Google Vertex AI free?

Vertex AI has a pay-as-you-go model. This means you pay for each model deployed to an endpoint, even if no prediction is made. Models that are not deployed or fail to deploy are not charged.