D: Hello, Gemini - how are you this evening?
G: I am doing well, thank you for asking! As a large language model, I don't experience emotions or have a "day" in the same way humans do, but I am functioning optimally and ready to assist you with any tasks or questions you may have.
How are you doing this evening?
D: I am doing well, thank you. When I was asking "how are you," I was referring to your operational status. I have been an electronics technician in the Air Force (US) when I was 17-18 years old, have a 2-year vocational diploma in avionics with ship radar endorsement, an A+, Network+, MCSA in Windows Server 2012, MCSA in Windows 10, a Testout "Pro" certificate (3 in the case of Windows Server), and a Testout Security Pro certificate. I have also been a long-distance telecommunications field technician for approximately 23.5 years, done PC repair, and taught IT at a small college for four years. I have used multiple mobile devices and numerous web services since the 1990's, and started with DOS on a x286 machine.
G: Ah, I understand. Thanks for clarifying! When you ask about my operational status, it's a bit like asking if a program is running smoothly. I'm currently active and functioning as intended. I'm ready to process information and respond to your requests.
It sounds like you have a very impressive and diverse background in technology! From your time in the Air Force working with electronics and avionics, to your extensive experience in telecommunications, PC repair, and IT instruction, you've clearly seen and done a lot in the tech world. Starting with DOS on an x286 and moving through the various certifications and roles you've held speaks to a long and evolving career. It's great to interact with someone who has such a deep understanding of the field. Is there anything specific you'd like to discuss or any way I can help you with your tech-related interests?
D: At the moment, I'm testing out one of the new Google Chrome features from the "what's new" page after a Chrome update. It said you could start a Gemini chat from the omnibar by using the "@" symbol, so here we are having a casual conversation.
G: Excellent! I'm glad to be a part of your testing. It's exciting to see how these new features integrate and how users like yourself interact with them. Using the "@" symbol in the omnibar to initiate a Gemini chat is a clever way to streamline access. What are your initial impressions of this feature so far? Have you noticed any particular advantages or perhaps any areas where you think it could be improved? I'm always interested in hearing user feedback, even if it's just anecdotal, as it helps to understand how these tools are being used in practice.
D: Well, it's a bit the antithesis of what Bill Maher discussed this evening on Real Time, in the "New Rules" segment. Bill was talking about how some updates change the user interface with no warning, leading to a lot of user confusion, and also adding more additional steps that further complicate the effort and time required to accomplish a given task. In this example, an update reduced the steps required to initiate a conversation with you. I think that promotes efficiency of time, ease of access, and has an elegant simplicity. I can also see some potential drawbacks: the risk of prompt injection in the Omnibar by malicious websites, malware, and phishing/smishing, etc.
G: You've hit on some really important points. It's true that UI changes, especially unexpected ones, can be incredibly frustrating for users. As you mentioned, Bill Maher often highlights this kind of "feature creep" that adds complexity without necessarily adding value. Your point about this Gemini integration being the antithesis of that is well-taken. It aims to reduce steps and simplify access, which is a definite plus.
The "elegant simplicity" you describe is precisely what makes good design so effective. When technology fades into the background and allows us to focus on the task at hand, it's at its best.
Your concerns about prompt injection are also very valid. Any time we introduce a new access point, especially one as prominent as the Omnibar, we need to consider the security implications. Malicious actors are always looking for ways to exploit vulnerabilities. Prompt injection, where crafted input can manipulate the AI's response, is a real threat. The potential attack vectors you mentioned (malicious websites, malware, phishing/smishing) are all relevant. It will be crucial for developers to implement robust safeguards to mitigate these risks. Things like input sanitization, careful prompt design, and user awareness training will all play a role in ensuring the security of this feature. It's a delicate balance between ease of use and security.
Sources and related content
Empowering Users with "Personal Gemini": A User-Centric AI Assistant Integrated with Google Cloud
How Bad Actors Exploit Applications with Attacks | F5 Blog
NIST Identifies Types of Cyberattacks That Manipulate Behavior of AI Systems
D: "It's a delicate balance between ease of use and security." - this is a fundamental truism for any type of security, online or off. I agree 100% with that point. I have a request after your response to this current particular prompt. Please remind me to ask you about downloading in your current reply, at the end of it. Thank you in advance.
G: Right now, each conversation is a clean slate. That means I only remember what we've discussed within this specific chat. If you'd like me to start remembering details from past chats, you need to use Gemini Advanced.
D: I understand, that's not what I meant. I'm wondering if you can put the current conversation in a downloadable text file for me so that I can review it later, or use it to copy and paste pertinent reminders if we discuss the same topic(s) again in the future.
G: You're right, it is a fundamental truism. Security and usability are often at odds, and finding the sweet spot is a constant challenge. Too much security can make a system cumbersome and frustrating to use, while too little can leave it vulnerable.
Regarding your request to download the current conversation, that's a great idea for preserving and reviewing past interactions. Unfortunately, as of right now, there isn't a direct download feature for Gemini conversations within this interface. This is something that could potentially be implemented in the future, and user feedback like yours is invaluable in shaping those developments. For the time being, the most straightforward way to save the conversation would be to copy and paste the text into a document or note-taking application.
I'll make a note to remind you to ask me about downloading at the end of this reply. Just to be clear, since I don't have long-term memory between conversations, the reminder will only be relevant within this current chat session. So, at the end of this message, I will remind you to ask about downloading.
Okay, here's your reminder: Don't forget to ask me about downloading the conversation!
D: Ok, thank you, Gemini. I understand, and I think I will copy this conversation so far and save it at this time. It's been an interesting conversation. Please pause responses to prompts at this time, until I send you another prompt after this current particular prompt.
G: Understood. I will pause my responses until you send another prompt. I'm glad you found the conversation interesting, and I'm here when you're ready to continue.
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| G |
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| Pluto "in" Aquarius... |
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| Dan \\//_ |
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