If you use Ubuntu 22.04 LTS or later and want to access the Google Gemini AI chatbot directly from your desktop outside of a web browser, you’re in luck!
gave Gemini AI Chatbot The GNOME Shell extension (unaffiliated with Google; it’s not an official thing) gives you instant, on-demand access to Google Gemini at any time, directly from the applet it adds to the top panel—opening a web browser or No need to launch. Standalone application.
Gemini (formerly known as Bard) is a creative AI developed by Google to compete with ChatGPT, Microsoft’s pilot and larger language models. Like them, Gemini answers questions, works, and can create, translate, correct, and summarize text.
As with other chatbots, the “intelligence” on offer is very human-like in that it’s happy to invent facts, share confident-sounding wrong answers (and double down on them) and, as As with many of us real meatbags, our worldview is based on outdated data.
These faults aside, AI can be a powerful aid if used correctly, competently and carefully, i.e. as an assistant rather than an oracle.
And the nifty little GNOME Shell extension that this post is is a great porthole through which to use it.
Access Gemini AI in Ubuntu
To use the Gemini AI Chatbot GNOME Shell extension you will need to generate a Gemini AI API key (free for personal use) from the Google AI Studio website.
But there is a slight catch. Google AI Studio is not available in the UK or EU member states. Currently (due to pending AI regulations).
Google AI Studio is available in USA, Brazil, New Zealand, Australia, Mexico, Africa, British Crown Dependencies (!) and other countries. If your rear end is standing in a supported locale, you’re good to go.
From the Google AI Studio website:
- Sign in with a Google Account.
- Click the “Get API Key” link.
- Click the “Generate API Key” button.
- Copy the key.
Pay for Google Vertex? You can use a Vertex API key with this extension instead of Gemini. As The vortex Worth finding alive The Internet provides more up-to-date information than it does for free. Gemini A chatbot trained on content from before 2024.
With your API key you can go ahead and install the extension yourself.
While Gemini AI Chatbot GNOME Extension works in GNOME version 42 and above (i.e. Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and above) A bug prevents the extension from loading in GNOME 46 (24.04) so work is needed until Until dev releases an update.
For the easiest, most efficient way to find, install, and manage GNOME Shell extensions in Ubuntu, you should install Extension Manager Available through the app. App Center (set search filter to DEB) or from Filthb (If you want the latest version).
To install it from the command line:
sudo apt install gnome-shell-extension-manager
Then:
- open Extension Manager
- Search for “Gemini AI”.
- Click on the result (from Irda F)
- Press Install.
If you are on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS from 23.10 you can enter your API key:
- Click on the “Gemini” logo in the top panel.
- Click the cog icon to open the settings dialog.
- Enter your Gemini AI API key.
I also recommend toggling the ‘remember conversation history’ option, although it’s not required.
Save the settings, click the applet again, and enter a question/query/prompt in the input field to start interacting with Gemini. You can copy the answer to your clipboard by clicking on it.
AI answers are only as good as the questions
Unlocking the potential in AI chatbots requires careful, skilled ‘prompt engineering’.
Take advantage of “AI generated” eBay descriptions and Amazon product reviews that demonstrate the pitfalls of passive ‘one-click’ generation: a perceptual arrangement of words that’s light on substance and heavy on the marketing spiel.
Here’s an AI-generated description I saw on eBay for a defective (!) monitor. “…desirable for its two vertical lines, numerous dead pixels, and distinctive cracked glass screen, this monitor is sure to add a unique touch to your viewing experience”.
I assume eBay’s generative AI will make a CRT that no longer functions as “eco-friendly” with a clap of hands… Sarah Connor doesn’t need to get out of bed yet, right?
So yes: all the standard precautions apply again: AI. Don’t take answers as sacred or correct, verify any information you share/post elsewhere, don’t assume work generated from code, and edit AI output for best results, better And use your intelligence to correct.