“Gemini, what was the food you told my mom not to eat at the hospital?”
This line is from a video screened at the 'Gemini Workshop' held on the 20th at the Google Korea office in Gangnam, Seoul, for domestic media. Produced by students from Yonsei University's Department of Communication and Media, this content uses Google’s artificial intelligence (AI) model, 'Gemini,' to create a scenario that reaffirms medical information based on family conversations.
This workshop was held to present the results of the '2025 AI Challenge,' a class project from the Department of Communication and Media at Yonsei University. Google Korea suggested the theme of utilizing Gemini, and selected outstanding works among the content produced by the students for a demonstration event.
Students created video content on how to utilize Gemini in everyday situations. In one vlog-style content, a student contemplating class schedules during the semester seeks advice from Gemini, and AI assists with schedule adjustments based on areas of interest or commitments. In another video, when pointing a smartphone camera at an object, the 'Gemini Live' feature was demonstrated as it identified the object in real-time and provided related information. On the screen showing the wardrobe, examples of outfit recommendations considering schedules and weather were introduced, along with summarizing key points and background when pointing a printed document.
Student Kim Eun-hu, who presented the production review that day, said, “During the planning meeting, the idea came up that 'like the movie 'Her,' AI could feel like a friend,' leading us to perceive Gemini not just as a simple tool but as a friendly presence.” He added, “Previously, I thought of it only as an assignment helper, but I experienced through this project that AI can be naturally used in various scenes of everyday life.”
Kim Gi-hwan, a manager at Google Korea, noted, “This program was not designed to simply introduce the features but to see how actual users want to utilize AI.” He stated, “We recognize that what’s important for Korean users is the perceived experience rather than the technology itself.” He continued, “The content planned directly by students can also be shared internally at Google as feedback material, which could influence future feature designs or UX improvements.”
At the event that day, demonstrations of Gemini's latest features were conducted. Notably, 'Gemini Live' identifies objects pointed at with a smartphone camera and provides information in real-time. During the event, examples of outfit recommendations reflecting the season and existing schedules were shown when the wardrobe was displayed, as well as summarizing key points and backgrounds when pointing at printed documents. This feature is currently available in beta for some ultra-plan users.
Additionally, various features such as 'Deep Research' for reading and summarizing lengthy documents, 'Canvas,' a tool for developers and designers, AI-based prototyping tool 'Stitch,' and 'NotebookLM,' which summarizes uploaded study materials, were introduced. The company explained that 'NotebookLM' is particularly likely to be utilized as a study assistant tool focused on student users.
Manager Kim stated, “The key is to identify what features users actually need and in what situations AI's involvement feels natural,” and added, “Securing tangible usage cases is crucial for product diffusion in the Korean market.” He remarked that “collaboration with universities is one of the important approaches for this.”
Currently, Gemini is integrated into major services such as Google Search, YouTube, Maps, Gmail, and Google Docs, and can perform multifunctionality based on voice commands on Android. YouTube provides video summaries, Gmail offers suggested auto-replies, and Google Docs enables collaborative editing assistance, which are being gradually applied. Google plans to enhance the service according to the characteristics of domestic users.
Globally, as of the first quarter of this year, Gemini surpassed 400 million monthly active users (MAU). However, ratings indicated a relatively low perceived experience in the Korean market. According to Mobile Index, as of last month, the MAU of the Gemini app in Korea was 55,010, which is about 0.5% of the same period's ChatGPT (10.17 million). Google Korea is expanding collaborative programs aimed at creators, educational institutions, and universities to improve this situation.
In the United States, a policy is in place to provide Gemini’s paid subscription for free for about a year to some college students who complete .edu account verification. Regarding plans for a free policy targeting Korean college students, Manager Kim said, “Currently, there are no specific policies confirmed, but we are reviewing various approaches based on collaboration with educational institutions,” and added, “Discussions on program development to expand opportunities for experiencing Gemini are ongoing.”