Google has officially announced Gemini 2.0, and with it comes word that the tech giant is testing new features that could be useful for gaming.

Google's Gemini has become a big part of the average Android user's life, and a new blog post reveals that it could soon have an impact on gaming as well.

Google used Gemini 2.0 to build an AI agent “capable of navigating the virtual world of video games. The agent can reason about games based on what is displayed on the screen and connect to Google Search to provide information.

The blog includes a video showing the agent helping three people playing Clash of Clans, Hay Day, and Squad Busters. One can see how the AI suggests an ideal army formation based on the available units shown on the screen.

The demo also shows integration with Google search, all done through verbal commands. Finally, the video also shows that in addition to what is happening on the spot, one can ask for reminders about quests, etc.

Similar functionality is possible with the recently announced ChatGPT Advanced Voice with Vision. A search function is not yet available, but will be soon.

While the idea is interesting, the video, on the other hand, seems a bit limited at this point. For example, do we really need an AI to remind us of our daily quests, especially in a game like Clash of Clans?

Squad Busters is not a game dedicated to a large meta, but I can see the advantage of being able to check the meta with a simple request. I think the big problem with this video is that the game on display is, at best, not that complicated, so there is no real need for an agent.

Gemini 2.0 is a pretty big enhancement, and CEO Sundar Pichai has said that Gemini 2 has advanced reasoning capabilities that will soon be included in AI Overviews for Google Search. Gemini 2.0 has been called by Google the starting point for the “agent age,” and its model is said to be comparable to OpenAI's o1 model.

For reference, o1 is said to be one of the smartest programs ever created and has even been found to be capable of plotting.

AI agents are an interesting concept, but until we see them interact with more complex games, they may seem more like a gimmick than anything else. But if AI agents can offer sound advice and ideas, they could help improve play on the best Android phones.