Google to provide Gemini AI tools to U.S. government

The Google DeepMind website on a laptop computer arranged in New York, US, on Friday, Dec. 8, 2023. Alphabet's Google said Gemini is its largest, most capable and flexible AI model to date, replacing PaLM 2, released in May. Photographer: Gabby Jones/Bloomberg

Google will provide its Gemini artificial intelligence tools to U.S. federal agencies practically free, the government announced Thursday.

A suite of AI and cloud computing services called “Gemini for Government” from Google is intended to speed the adoption of the technology across the U.S. government, the General Services Administration (GSA) said in a joint statement.

“Gemini for Government gives federal agencies access to our full stack approach to AI innovation,” added Google chief executive Sundar Pichai.

“So they can deliver on their important missions.”

AI tools being provided include generation of video, images, or ideas as well as digital “agents” capable of independently tending to complex tasks.

U.S. agencies will pay a scant fee of less than a dollar for the AI tools, building on a previous agreement that saw Google Workspace software provided to the government at a major price discount, according to the GSA.

“Federal agencies can now significantly transform their operations by using the tools in Gemini for Government,” said GSA acting administrator Michael Rigas.

The deal comes just weeks after Google rival OpenAI said it was letting the U.S. government use a version of ChatGPT designed for businesses for a year for just $1.

“By giving government employees access to powerful, secure AI tools, we can help them solve problems for more people, faster,” OpenAI said in a blog post announcing the alliance.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Defense awarded OpenAI a US$200 million contract to put generative AI to work for the military.

OpenAI planned to show how cutting-edge AI can improve administrative operations, such as how service members get health care, and also has cyber defense applications, the startup said in a post.