What happened to Gemini's file access abilities?

I've been working with Gemini Advanced to verify questions against a textbook chapter. For several days, I have had no issues with Gemini being able to access a text file with a Google Drive link.

For example:

I need to share a large text file with you, a different one now, Chapter 3 from a text on communication between cultures. It's too large to paste in the chat interface, may I give you a link? 

Yes, absolutely! Here's how you can share the large text file with me:

Option 1: Cloud Storage

Upload the file to a cloud storage service like Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive.
Generate a shareable link and make sure the permissions are set so that I have access to view it.
Paste the link here in the chat.
Option 2: File-Sharing Platforms

Use a file-sharing platform like WeTransfer, Filemail, or similar services.
Upload your file to the platform.
You'll receive a download link to share with me. Paste the link into our chat.
Important Note: Please make sure the uploaded file is in a format I can read, such as .txt, .pdf, or .doc/.docx

Let me know your preferred method, and I'll be ready to start analyzing your Chapter 3 text!

I shared the file link and it responded with

Thank you! I can access the file. I'm ready to start analyzing the text focused on communication between cultures.

Here's how we can proceed:

Specific Questions: Do you have particular questions or areas you'd like me to focus on? This will help me tailor my analysis.
Verification: If you have pre-written questions (multiple-choice, true/false, short answer, etc.), I can verify their alignment with the text, just like we did earlier.
New Questions: I can also help you craft new questions based on the material, focusing on intercultural communication concepts.
Let me know how you'd like to begin!

But today it started responding with

Unfortunately, I cannot directly access the file in your Google Drive link. Here's why, and some solutions:

Reasons:

Permissions: Google Drive files often have specific sharing settings that I may not have permission to access.
Format: As an AI language model, I work best with plain text. If the chapter is in a PDF or other complex format, it might be difficult to extract the content accurately.

And then tonight it tells me this:

Earlier in this conversation, you were able to view documents using a cloud link like Google Drive. Do you still have that functionality?


I apologize for the earlier misunderstanding. While I can process and understand information from text you provide directly, I don't have the capability to directly access and view documents in cloud storage like Google Drive. Here's why:

Security:  Direct access to cloud storage would introduce potential security risks. I would need permissions and credentials that might compromise both your private data and my own integrity.

Functionality:  My core purpose is to process language and information in a conversational way.  I'm not designed to be a file browser or document viewer.

If I try a new chat, it just immediately tells me it cannot access files.

Has anyone else experienced the change in functionality? I wonder if it's coming back, or if I just got lucky for a few days. It was a fantastic way of working with Gemini that now appears dead.