Google Launch AI chatbot Bard offers for adults up-to-date information

Google’s AI chatbot: Access real-time info, includes Google it button.

Google has released its new AI chatbot Bard, but it is only available for users over 18. Unlike its viral rival ChatGPT, Bard can access up-to-date information from the internet and has a “Google it” button which accesses search. Bard also namechecks its sources for facts, such as Wikipedia.

Bard’s features:

Bard’s main advantage over ChatGPT is its ability to access real-time information from the internet. Its “Google it” button allows users to search for information and add it to the conversation. It can write anything from speeches and marketing copy to computer code and student essays.

Limitations of Bard: 

Google has warned that Bard has “limitations” and may share misinformation and display bias. This is because it “learns” from real-world information, in which those biases currently exist – meaning it is possible for stereotypes and false information to show up in its responses.

How do AI chatbots work?

AI chatbots are programmed to answer questions online using natural, human-like language. They use machine learning algorithms to understand user queries and provide accurate responses. These chatbots can write anything from speeches and marketing copy to computer code and student essays.

ChatGPT and Microsoft’s investment:

When ChatGPT launched in November 2022, it had more than one million users within a week, according to OpenAI, the firm behind it. Microsoft has invested billions of dollars in ChatGPT, incorporating the product into its search engine Bing last month. It has also unveiled plans to bring a version of the tech to its office apps, including Word, Excel and Powerpoint.

Google’s cautious approach to generative AI race

Google has been more cautious in the generative AI race, with Bard being its version of a large language model. Bard is launching first in the US and UK, and users will have to register to try it out.

Bard’s origin and the claim of sentience

Bard is a descendant of an earlier language model of Google’s called Lamda, which was never fully released to the public. It did, however, attract a lot of attention when one of the engineers who worked on it claimed its answers were so compelling that he believed it was sentient. Google denied the claims and fired the engineer.

Bard as an experiment for creativity

Google senior product director Jack Krawczyk sees Bard as “an experiment” and hopes people will use it as a “launchpad for creativity”. He showed an example of how he used Bard to help him plan his young child’s birthday party. Bard came up with a theme that incorporated his child’s love of bunny rabbits and