Gemini Could Soon Let You Turn Yourself Into a 3D Avatar

Gemini has come a long way since its debut, and Google doesn’t seem to be slowing down. In the latest update, Google is experimenting with a new feature inside its Gemini experience on Android that could let users create a 3D avatar based on their own appearance.

Google is quietly testing a 3D avatar feature in Gemini

Folks over at Android Authority spotted the feature in a recent beta version of the Google app, where a new menu option labeled “Characters” quietly appears. From what can be seen so far, this section lets users generate a 3D avatar by recording a short selfie video. Don’t get too excited though! The feature doesn’t work yet.

You can manage that avatar later, with options to edit or delete it entirely. It’s still early days, though, as parts of the feature don’t appear to be fully functional yet. Conceptually, this sounds familiar. Apple already offers something similar with Personas on the Apple Vision Pro, and Samsung has its own take with Likeness on the Galaxy XR.

As the outlet helpfully explains, the key difference is that Android phones lack the advanced sensors found on those headsets. That suggests Gemini itself is doing most of the heavy lifting to approximate a user’s face and expressions. As for why you’d actually want this, that part remains unclear.

A likely use case is video calls, where an avatar could stand in when you don’t feel like turning on the camera. It might also set the stage for upcoming smart glasses. We’re frankly not very sure what the actual use case is, but Google may be planning something bigger. As usual, the company hasn’t officially explained its plans, but if and when this feature ships, there may be more to learn.