Gemini Passes 1 Billion Users, 63 Percent Actually Prefer Talking to AI

Google Gemini's growth is very fast. (photo: dok. google)

Google Gemini officially reached 1 billion monthly active users (monthly active users/MAU) in 2026. This achievement makes Google Gemini the fastest growing product in the company's history.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai also celebrated the achievement. Usage data also shows changes in the way users interact with Gemini, from voice conversations, sharing cameras and screens directly to producing more than 150 million images every day.

Google Gemini previously recorded 650 million monthly active users in October 2025. This number increased to 750 million in February 2026 and reached 950 million in mid-2026, before finally reaching 1 billion.

Google Gemini's growth is very fast. In less than a year, the number of Gemini users is said to have increased by about three times. For comparison, Gmail took about 14 years to reach the same number of users. Google Gemini's daily active users are also said to have increased three times compared to the previous year.

With this achievement, Gemini is now in the ranks of AI services with the largest user base, alongside ChatGPT which, according to sources, will also reach 1 billion users by June 2026.

From Bard to Google Gemini

Google Gemini's journey began with Bard, an AI chatbot that initially used LaMDA technology. Google then switched to PaLM 2 to improve its mathematical, reasoning and programming capabilities. After that, Google introduced the Gemini model with multimodal capabilities that allow the system to handle text, video, audio and code.

The next development further expands Google Gemini's capabilities. Gemini 1.5 brings a larger context window capability so that it can be used to read large PDF documents and large amounts of code. Then Gemini 2.0 brings a new focus on the ability to run tasks in several stages.

Google is no longer positioning Gemini as just a chatbot app. Gemini is now part of a variety of Google products and services, including AI Overviews in Search, Android and Google Workspace. This change brings Gemini closer to users' daily activities.

On the infrastructure side, Google's system is said to be able to process 22 billion API tokens every minute. Google also uses a lighter model such as Gemini 3.5 Flash to help reduce operating costs.

63 percent of Gemini users voted for the voice

Google Gemini usage data shows that voice interaction is one of the main ways users communicate with AI. As many as 63 percent of Gemini users choose to use voice instead of typing.

The figure shows that the use of AI is beginning to shift from simply entering commands through text to a more natural conversation. Gemini Live also expands the experience. One in five Gemini Live sessions is said to involve sharing a camera or laptop screen directly.

With this ability, users can not only talk to AI, but also provide visual context in real time.

Students use a lot of files and PDFs

Student groups are also an important user of Google Gemini. According to data shared by Google, 38 percent of prompts sent by students to Gemini involve uploaded assignment files, notes or PDF documents.

The ability to read and understand documents makes AI can be used to help various learning activities based on digital materials.

Gemini produces 150 million images every day

The use of Google Gemini is not limited to conversations. The platform generates more than 150 million images every day.

The volume of image creation shows that visual generative capabilities have become an important part of AI use. In addition to generating images, Gemini is also increasingly used to handle various practical tasks.

Google Gemini is currently said to be able to connect with more than 40 third-party applications. This integration allows Gemini to help users perform a number of activities in the real world, including ordering transportation services and making restaurant reservations.

This ability shows the change in the function of AI from merely providing answers to being an assistant that can help carry out tasks.

iPhone users are also increasing.

Google Gemini's growth is not only on Android devices. More than 100 million active users are said to use Gemini on iOS and Mac devices.

Mac users are also said to give Gemini prompts about twice as often as users on other desktop devices.

The figure shows that Google Gemini is able to expand its user base beyond the Android and Google ecosystem.

The achievement of 1 billion monthly users is an indicator that generative AI is increasingly entering daily activities.

Google Gemini usage data shows that users are not only using it to search for information or have text-based conversations.

Voice, camera, screen sharing, documents, image creation and application integration are starting to become part of the experience of using AI.

With growth that has tripled in less than a year, Google Gemini is now one of Google's fastest-growing AI products.