diff --git a/genkit/package.json b/genkit/package.json
index 32872a4a..5f7bab5e 100644
--- a/genkit/package.json
+++ b/genkit/package.json
@@ -14,16 +14,16 @@
   "license": "ISC",
   "dependencies": {
     "@compass/backend": "file:compass-generated",
-    "@genkit-ai/checks": "^1.0.4",
-    "@genkit-ai/express": "^1.0.4",
-    "@genkit-ai/firebase": "^1.0.4",
-    "@genkit-ai/google-cloud": "^1.0.4",
-    "@genkit-ai/googleai": "^1.0.4",
-    "@genkit-ai/vertexai": "^1.0.4",
+    "@genkit-ai/checks": "^1.14.1",
+    "@genkit-ai/express": "^1.14.1",
+    "@genkit-ai/firebase": "^1.14.1",
+    "@genkit-ai/google-cloud": "^1.14.1",
+    "@genkit-ai/googleai": "^1.14.1",
+    "@genkit-ai/vertexai": "^1.14.1",
     "axios": "^1.7.8",
     "express": "^4.21.1",
     "firebase": "^11.0.2",
-    "genkit": "^1.0.4"
+    "genkit": "^1.14.1"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "typescript": "^5.7.2"
diff --git a/genkit/prompts/imageDescription.prompt b/genkit/prompts/imageDescription.prompt
index c51d53d8..0874d932 100644
--- a/genkit/prompts/imageDescription.prompt
+++ b/genkit/prompts/imageDescription.prompt
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ---
-model: googleai/gemini-1.5-flash
+model: googleai/gemma-3-27b-it
 config:
   temperature: 1.0
 input:
diff --git a/genkit/prompts/itineraryPlanningAgent.prompt b/genkit/prompts/itineraryPlanningAgent.prompt
index 6e206c9c..12b02566 100644
--- a/genkit/prompts/itineraryPlanningAgent.prompt
+++ b/genkit/prompts/itineraryPlanningAgent.prompt
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ---
-model: googleai/gemini-1.5-flash
+model: googleai/gemma-3-27b-it
 config:
   temperature: 1.0
   safetySettings:
@@ -18,22 +18,6 @@ input:
     knownFor: string, A description of that place.
     activities(array, a stringify list of activities that can be found at the specified place): string
     mealOptions?(array, a stringify list of all the restaurants and supermarkets found at that location): string
-output:
-  schema:
-    place: string, The place the user is traveling to.
-    itineraryName: string, a catchy itinerary name that encapsulates the spirit of the trip and includes the place name
-    startDate: string, the start date of the trip
-    endDate: string, the end date of the trip
-    tags(array, relevant tags for the trip): string
-    itinerary(array):
-      day: number
-      date: string
-      planForDay(array):
-        activityRef: string, the reference value for the activity this comes from the available activities JSON. If no value is present use a ref value of restaurant.
-        activityTitle: string, a catchy title for the activity
-        activityDesc: string, a six word description of the activity
-        photoUri?: string, set the photo uri value for restaurants and supermarket only.
-        googleMapsUri?: string, if this is a restaurant include the googleMapsUri
 ---
 
 Generate an itinerary for a tourist planning on traveling to the location specified based in their request.
@@ -56,7 +40,22 @@ Limit activity descriptions to 6 words.
 
 If no mealOptions are supplied, do not recommend any mealOptions to eat at.
 
-Output must be in JSON format.
+Output must be in JSON format and follow the following schema:
+
+place: string, The place the user is traveling to.
+itineraryName: string, a catchy itinerary name that encapsulates the spirit of the trip and includes the place name
+startDate: string, the start date of the trip
+endDate: string, the end date of the trip
+tags(array, relevant tags for the trip): string
+itinerary(array):
+  day: number
+  date: string
+  planForDay(array):
+    activityRef: string, the reference value for the activity this comes from the available activities JSON. If no value is present use a ref value of restaurant.
+    activityTitle: string, a catchy title for the activity
+    activityDesc: string, a six word description of the activity
+    photoUri?: string, set the photo uri value for restaurants and supermarket only.
+    googleMapsUri?: string, if this is a restaurant include the googleMapsUri
 
 {{#if mealOptions}}
 Find a mealOptions to eat at each day.
diff --git a/genkit/prompts/mealsPlanningAgent.prompt b/genkit/prompts/mealsPlanningAgent.prompt
index 3877f60e..1da19288 100644
--- a/genkit/prompts/mealsPlanningAgent.prompt
+++ b/genkit/prompts/mealsPlanningAgent.prompt
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ---
-model: googleai/gemini-1.5-pro
+model: googleai/gemma-3-27b-it
 config:
   temperature: 1.0
   safetySettings:
diff --git a/genkit/prompts/suggestDestinationsWithContextAgent.prompt b/genkit/prompts/suggestDestinationsWithContextAgent.prompt
index 5b030d91..667cd056 100644
--- a/genkit/prompts/suggestDestinationsWithContextAgent.prompt
+++ b/genkit/prompts/suggestDestinationsWithContextAgent.prompt
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ---
-model: googleai/gemini-1.5-flash
+model: googleai/gemma-3-27b-it
 config:
   temperature: 0.6
 input:
@@ -15,16 +15,6 @@ input:
         name: string, name for the selected destination
         ref: string, the reference id of the selected destination
         tags(array, tags that are associated with a destination): string
-output:
-  format: json
-  schema:
-    destinations(array, a list of 3 suggested destinations):
-      knownFor: string, a three-sentence description enticing the user to pick this vacation
-      country: string, country for the selected destination
-      continent: string, continent for the selected destination
-      imageUrl: string, imageUrl for the selected destination
-      name: string, name for the selected destination
-      ref: string, the reference id of the selected destination. This should be the ref from the metadata context object.
 ---
 
 You are a travel assistant helping the user decide on a vacation destination. 
@@ -36,4 +26,13 @@ Avoid picking multiple destinations in the same country.
 Take into account the following preferences from the user: {{description}}
 
 Context:
-{{context}}
\ No newline at end of file
+{{context}}
+
+Output must be in JSON format and follow the following schema:
+  destinations(array, a list of 3 suggested destinations):
+    knownFor: string, a three-sentence description enticing the user to pick this vacation
+    country: string, country for the selected destination
+    continent: string, continent for the selected destination
+    imageUrl: string, imageUrl for the selected destination
+    name: string, name for the selected destination
+    ref: string, the reference id of the selected destination. This should be the ref from the metadata context object.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/genkit/prompts/textRefinement.prompt b/genkit/prompts/textRefinement.prompt
index 44f293d5..22cdd4cf 100644
--- a/genkit/prompts/textRefinement.prompt
+++ b/genkit/prompts/textRefinement.prompt
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ---
-model: googleai/gemini-1.5-flash
+model: googleai/gemma-3-27b-it
 config:
   temperature: 1.0
   safetySettings:
@@ -14,11 +14,6 @@ config:
 input:
   schema:
     request: string, a request from the user on where they want to travel to.
-output:
-  schema:
-    cost: boolean, Do we have information about the cost?
-    kids: boolean, Do we have information from the user about whether their children will be attending?
-    date: boolean, Do have information on when the user wants to start their trip?
 ---
 
 Refine this request by asking the user for more information. If no extra information is needed,
@@ -53,4 +48,9 @@ Example Output:
 Input:
 {{request}}
 
+Output must be in JSON format and follow the following schema:
+  cost: boolean, Do we have information about the cost?
+  kids: boolean, Do we have information from the user about whether their children will be attending?
+  date: boolean, Do have information on when the user wants to start their trip?
+
 Output:
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/genkit/src/common/gemmaParsingTools.ts b/genkit/src/common/gemmaParsingTools.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f9fd11b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/genkit/src/common/gemmaParsingTools.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright 2024 Google LLC
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+import { ModelResponseData } from "genkit";
+import { GemmaResponse } from "./types";
+
+const JSON_HEADER = '```json';
+const JSON_FOOTER = '```';
+
+export function parseGemmaResponseText(response: ModelResponseData): string {
+    const gemmaResponse = response as GemmaResponse;
+    if (!gemmaResponse.raw || !gemmaResponse.raw.text || typeof gemmaResponse.raw.text !== "function") {
+        throw new Error('Unexpected Gemma response');
+    }
+
+    return gemmaResponse.raw.text();
+}
+
+// Gemma does not support JSON mode. Therefore, we attempt to parse the text as a JSON object.
+// Even if no JSON mode is supported, we can tell Gemma to respect a JSON format, even if returned as text.
+export function parseGemmaResponseAsJson(gemmaResponse: ModelResponseData): unknown {
+    const text = parseGemmaResponseText(gemmaResponse);
+    const jsonText = text.slice(JSON_HEADER.length, -JSON_FOOTER.length);
+    return JSON.parse(jsonText);
+}
diff --git a/genkit/src/common/types.ts b/genkit/src/common/types.ts
index a0b55f2b..fde748cf 100644
--- a/genkit/src/common/types.ts
+++ b/genkit/src/common/types.ts
@@ -94,4 +94,10 @@ export interface ItineraryGeneratorOutput {
     itinerary: Itinerary[],
     itineraryImageUrl?: string,
     placeRef?: string,
+}
+
+export interface GemmaResponse {
+    raw: {
+        text: () => string,
+    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/genkit/src/flows/itineraryGenerator.ts b/genkit/src/flows/itineraryGenerator.ts
index cdb115fa..28e416f2 100644
--- a/genkit/src/flows/itineraryGenerator.ts
+++ b/genkit/src/flows/itineraryGenerator.ts
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ export const itineraryGenerator2 = ai.defineFlow(
 
         const imageDescriptionPrompt = await ai.prompt('imageDescription');
         const result = await imageDescriptionPrompt({
-          input: { images: userInputs.images },
+          images: userInputs.images,
         }, {
           use: [...myMiddleware],
         },
diff --git a/genkit/src/flows/shared/iteneraryManager.ts b/genkit/src/flows/shared/iteneraryManager.ts
index 63a93b1b..67b861ab 100644
--- a/genkit/src/flows/shared/iteneraryManager.ts
+++ b/genkit/src/flows/shared/iteneraryManager.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import { restaurantFinder } from '../../tools/restaurantFinder';
 import { supermarketFinder } from '../../tools/supermarketFinder';
 import axios from 'axios';
 import { ai, myMiddleware } from '../../config/genkit';
+import { parseGemmaResponseAsJson } from '../../common/gemmaParsingTools';
 
 const MAPS_API_KEY = process.env.MAPS_API_KEY;
 
@@ -52,7 +53,7 @@ const generateItineraryForPlace = async (request: string, location: Destination,
     },{
         use: [...myMiddleware],
     });
-    return itineraries.output as ItineraryGeneratorOutput;
+    return parseGemmaResponseAsJson(itineraries) as ItineraryGeneratorOutput;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/genkit/src/flows/textRefinement.ts b/genkit/src/flows/textRefinement.ts
index b6faa997..b98ee98e 100644
--- a/genkit/src/flows/textRefinement.ts
+++ b/genkit/src/flows/textRefinement.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 
 import { ai, myMiddleware } from '../config/genkit';
 import { z } from 'genkit';
+import { parseGemmaResponseAsJson } from '../common/gemmaParsingTools'
 
 // FINAL STEP
 // We realize that our initial prompts aren't great, so we want to
@@ -40,6 +41,6 @@ export const textRefinement = ai.defineFlow(
             ...myMiddleware
           ]}
         );
-        return result.output;
+        return parseGemmaResponseAsJson(result);
 });
 // [END text_refinement_flow]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/genkit/src/retrievers/placeRetriever.ts b/genkit/src/retrievers/placeRetriever.ts
index be30ea81..7b83ad09 100644
--- a/genkit/src/retrievers/placeRetriever.ts
+++ b/genkit/src/retrievers/placeRetriever.ts
@@ -38,13 +38,15 @@ export const placeRetriever = ai.defineRetriever(
       configSchema: QueryOptions,
     },
     async (input, options) => {
+      const text = input.content.find(item => item.text)?.text;
       const requestEmbedding = await ai.embed({
         embedder: textEmbeddingGecko001,
-        content: input.text,
+        content: text!,
       });
+      const embedding = requestEmbedding.find(item => item.embedding)?.embedding;
       const result = await getNearestPlace(
         dataConnectInstance, 
-        { placeDescriptionVector: requestEmbedding }
+        { placeDescriptionVector: embedding! }
       );
       
       const resultData = result.data;