Google Launches Free AI Coding Assistant

Google Unveils Gemini Code Assist: A New AI Coding Companion

On Tuesday, Google debuted a complimentary, consumer-focused iteration of its artificial intelligence-powered code completion and assistance application, designated Gemini Code Assist for individuals. Simultaneously, the company launched Gemini Code Assist for GitHub, an automated code review function designed to identify potential errors within code and provide suggestions directly within the GitHub platform.

Gemini Code Assist for Individual Developers

The individual version of Code Assist empowers developers to interact with a Google AI model using natural language within a chat interface, granting access to and enabling modifications of their existing codebases. Similar to GitHub’s widely adopted Copilot, Gemini Code Assist for individuals is capable of resolving bugs, completing code segments, and clarifying complex portions of the codebase.

Underlying Technology and Integration

Google’s AI coding assistant leverages a specialized version of its Gemini 2.0 AI model, specifically optimized for coding tasks. Integration with popular Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) like VS Code and JetBrains is facilitated through plugins, and the tool supports a broad range of programming languages.

Generous Usage Limits

A key differentiator is the substantial usage allowance offered by Code Assist for individuals: 180,000 code completions per month. This is significantly higher than the free tier of GitHub Copilot, which limits users to 2,000 completions monthly. Furthermore, the individual version provides 240 chat requests daily, exceeding the free Copilot plan’s request limit by a factor of nearly five.

Expanded Context Window

The model at the core of Code Assist for individuals boasts a 128,000-token context window. Google asserts this is more than four times the capacity of competing models. This larger window allows the AI to process more extensive code segments within a single prompt, enhancing its ability to analyze and understand intricate codebases.

The free public preview of Gemini Code Assist for individuals is available for sign-up starting Tuesday.

Gemini Code Assist for GitHub: Automated Code Reviews

Gemini Code Assist for GitHub functions by automatically examining pull requests for potential bugs and offering supplementary, potentially beneficial recommendations.

Google's Competitive Strategy

These new tools represent Google’s intensified efforts to challenge Microsoft and its GitHub subsidiary in the developer tools market. The company recruited Ryan Salva, formerly the leader of the GitHub Copilot team, seven months ago to lead Google’s developer tooling initiatives.

Attracting and Retaining Developers

Google intends to attract developers early in their careers with the free, high-capacity AI coding assistant, hoping to convert some to paid enterprise plans in the future, according to Salva in an interview with TechCrunch. The enterprise version is where Google anticipates generating revenue.

Enterprise Offerings and Integration

Google has been marketing Gemini Code Assist to businesses for approximately one year. In December, the company announced plans to integrate the AI coding assistant with third-party platforms including GitLab, GitHub, and Google Docs. Enterprise tiers include features such as audit logs, integration with Google Cloud products, and customization options for private repositories.