Google quietly adds a low-commitment way to use Gemini

Google has quietly loosened the rules around accessing Gemini on the web, and it’s a pretty notable shift if you’ve been keeping an eye on how AI tools are becoming more accessible. Previously, using Gemini’s web interface required a Google account with no exceptions. But now, you can head to gemini.google.com and start chatting in Incognito Mode or without having signed in to your Google account. (h/t: Chrome Unboxed)

This change means that just about anyone can get a feel for Gemini’s AI smarts without handing over personal credentials. You’ll still get the familiar chat interface, and some suggested prompts to help you get started. The experience feels nearly identical, aside from a few personalization differences. For instance, the usual “Hello, [your name]” greeting is swapped out for a more anonymous “Meet Gemini, your personal AI assistant.”

That said, there are still limits to what you can do as a guest. If you’re not signed in, you’re locked to the default Gemini 2.0 Flash model. The model picker still appears, teasing other options like “2.0 Flash Thinking (experimental),” “Deep Research,” and “Personalization (experimental),” but you’ll need to sign in to actually access them. Features like file uploads and chat history also remain off-limits unless you’re using a Google account — understandable since those rely on saving and syncing your data.

It’s a similar approach to what OpenAI did with ChatGPT, which also lets people try out the chatbot without logging in. Notably, the Android version of the Gemini app still requires a Google account to function, but dropping the sign-in wall on the web opens the door for more people to casually test-drive Google’s AI without diving headfirst into the ecosystem.