Key takeaways
- Use Gemini by opening the app or website, typing or speaking a request, and refining with follow-ups.
- Gemini looks like a chat window with a prompt box, model picker, tools menu and chat history.
- Use Deep Research for multi-source reports and NotebookLM for answers grounded in your own documents.
- On Samsung phones, Gemini handles open-ended AI tasks while Bixby handles device controls.
- AI agents look like chats or dashboards that show plans, tool calls and approvals; Cursor looks like VS Code with an AI panel.
To use Gemini, open the Gemini app or gemini.google.com, sign in with your Google account, type or speak what you need, and refine the answer with follow-up messages; you can also upload files and images, choose models, and use tools like Deep Research. Many people also wonder what AI tools look like before trying them. I build AI products and use these tools daily, so this page covers using Gemini, its interface, when to use Deep Research or NotebookLM, Gemini versus Bixby, and what AI agents, agentic AI, Cursor and vibe coding look like.
How do I use Gemini?
Open the Gemini app on Android or iPhone, or visit gemini.google.com, sign in, and type a request in the prompt box. Ask follow-up questions to refine, upload files or photos with the plus button, and choose a model or tool such as Deep Research when needed.
Also asked as: how to gemini use
Tips for better results:
- Give context: who you are, the goal and the format you want.
- Ask for step-by-step explanations when learning.
- Upload documents to summarise or question them.
- Use Gems for tasks you repeat.
- Check important facts using the sources it cites.
On Android, Gemini can also act as your phone assistant, activated by holding the power button or saying the wake phrase.
Is Gemini easy to use?
Yes. Gemini works like a chat app: you type or speak naturally and get answers, with no technical setup. Features such as file uploads, image generation and voice conversations are available from simple buttons.
Getting great results takes a little practice: specific prompts with context work far better than vague ones, and complex tasks benefit from breaking them into steps. Students often start by asking it to explain concepts, quiz them, or summarise notes. Its integration with Google apps, such as Gmail, Docs and Drive, makes it especially convenient for people already using Google services.
What does Gemini look like?
Gemini looks like a chat interface: a large prompt box at the bottom with buttons for uploads, tools and voice, a model selector, the conversation in the centre, and a sidebar listing past chats, Gems and settings. On phones, it appears as an app or an overlay above other apps.
Also asked as: how does gemini look like
Responses can include text, images, code blocks, tables and links to sources, with buttons to copy, share, regenerate or export to Google Docs. Canvas opens a side panel for editing documents or code, and Deep Research displays a plan and progress before delivering a report. The design changes as Google updates the product, but the chat-centred layout stays.
When should I use Gemini Deep Research?
Use Deep Research for questions that need many sources and a structured report: market overviews, comparisons of tools, literature summaries, background research before a project, or planning trips and purchases with detailed criteria.
Also asked as: when to use gemini deep research
Do not use it for quick facts or simple questions, where normal chat is faster. Give a clear scope: the question, audience, time period, sources to prioritise and desired structure. Review and edit the research plan before it runs. Deep Research takes several minutes and has daily limits, so save it for questions that genuinely need depth, and verify key claims in the cited sources.
When should I use Gemini vs NotebookLM?
Use Gemini for general questions, writing, brainstorming, coding and web-connected research. Use NotebookLM when you want answers grounded only in your own sources, such as lecture notes, papers or reports, with citations pointing to exact passages.
Also asked as: when to use gemini vs notebooklm
NotebookLM is ideal for studying a course, analysing a set of research papers, or onboarding with company documents; it also creates study guides and audio overviews. Gemini is better for open-ended tasks and current information from the web. Many students combine them: NotebookLM to understand course material, Gemini to explore beyond it.
Should I use Gemini or Bixby?
On Samsung Galaxy phones, use Gemini for open-ended AI tasks such as questions, writing, summarising and image understanding, and Bixby for Samsung-specific device controls, such as changing settings or controlling Samsung apps and devices.
Samsung integrates Gemini into many Galaxy AI features, and you can set Gemini as your default assistant, replacing the side button shortcut if you prefer. Bixby remains useful for quick phone commands and Samsung ecosystem control. Try both for a week with your typical tasks; many users keep Gemini as the main assistant and use Bixby for routines and device settings.
What does an AI agent look like?
To users, an AI agent often looks like a chat or task panel that shows a plan, the steps it is taking, tool calls such as "searching" or "editing file", progress updates, and requests for approval before important actions. Behind the scenes, it is code connecting a model to tools.
Also asked as: what does ai agent look like
Examples: a coding agent showing file diffs and terminal commands; a research agent displaying sources it is reading; a browser agent highlighting where it clicks; and business agents in dashboards listing tickets processed and actions awaiting approval. Good agent interfaces make every action visible and reversible, so people can trust and correct them.
What does agentic AI look like in practice?
In practice, agentic AI looks like systems completing multi-step tasks: an assistant that reads incoming invoices, extracts fields, checks them against purchase orders and queues exceptions for a person; or a coding agent that implements a feature, runs tests and opens a pull request for review.
The common pattern is goal, plan, tool use, observation and adjustment, with guardrails such as step limits, permissions and human approvals. Dashboards show what agents did and why, and logs allow audits. Most successful agentic systems today handle narrow, well-defined processes rather than open-ended goals.
What does Cursor AI look like?
Cursor looks much like Visual Studio Code, because it is built on VS Code: a file explorer, code editor tabs and a terminal, plus an AI side panel for chat and agent mode, inline AI suggestions as you type, and diff views showing proposed AI changes.
You can select code and ask the AI to edit it, chat about the codebase, or let the agent make multi-file changes that you accept or reject. Settings let you choose models and add project rules. VS Code users usually feel at home immediately, and most VS Code extensions and themes work in Cursor.
What does vibe coding look like?
Vibe coding looks like a conversation with an AI coding tool: you describe a feature, the AI writes code across files, you run the app, describe what is wrong or what to add next, and repeat, often accepting changes without reading every line.
A typical session: "Build a study planner with a calendar view", run it, "add reminders", run it, paste an error, "fix this", and so on, with the app evolving quickly. It feels fast and creative for prototypes. Done responsibly, it also includes git commits after each working step, tests, and reading the parts of the code that handle data and security.
Sources
GenAI engineer and AI product builder with 2+ years shipping production-grade AI systems: RAG pipelines, fine-tuned LLMs, hybrid retrieval and multi-modal apps across vision, speech and OCR, architected end to end from ingestion to deployment. Leads engineering for SCULT INDIA's 14-member team, founded the 500+ member TechVerse Enclave community and has mentored 200+ students. Three hackathon first prizes: Changethon 2025 (IIT Roorkee), Product Genesis at Vividhotsava 2025 (CSJMU) and BYTEBATTLE (MeetKats).
Open to GenAI roles, hackathon judging, mentorship sessions and guest talks at colleges. For campus sessions the inviting institution covers the visit end to end: travel (a First AC train ticket for journeys up to five hours, a flight for anything longer), accommodation, meals, and pickup and drop; the honorarium and workshop fees are negotiable on WhatsApp or on the call, and requests are welcome from institutions that can cover the visit this way. Email pranjulrathour41@gmail.com.
