In a significant move, Alphabet, the parent company of Google, has announced the expansion of its AI chatbot, Bard, into Europe and Brazil. This marks the most extensive rollout for the product since its initial launch back in February. With this expansion, Bard finds itself in direct competition with ChatGPT, another human-sounding AI program backed by Microsoft.
Both Bard and ChatGPT utilize generative artificial intelligence to engage in conversations with users, providing responses to various prompts. Their introduction to the market has generated global excitement while raising concerns among some individuals.
Many companies have eagerly embraced the potential of AI, investing billions with the hope of reaping substantial rewards in advertising and cloud revenue. Recently, the tech world witnessed the long-awaited launch of xAI, the artificial intelligence startup spearheaded by billionaire Elon Musk. Notably, xAI’s team includes former engineers from Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI.
Amidst the growing interest in AI, Google has unveiled new features for Bard, available to users worldwide. According to Jack Krawczyk, Google’s senior product director, Bard can now converse in over 40 languages, including Arabic, Chinese, German, Hindi, and Spanish. This enhancement aims to enable users to explore their ideas from different perspectives, with the added benefit of hearing the correct pronunciation of words or even enjoying poems and scripts read aloud.
Krawczyk explained that users now have greater control over Bard’s responses, being able to adjust the tone and style to suit their preferences. They can choose from options like simple, long, short, professional, or casual responses. Additionally, users can now pin or rename conversations, export code to different platforms, and even incorporate images into prompts.
The EU launch of Bard encountered delays due to concerns raised by local privacy regulators. However, Google has since addressed these issues in discussions with watchdogs, emphasizing their commitment to transparency, choice, and user control. Amar Subramanya, the engineering vice president of Bard, highlighted that users have the option to opt-out of data collection, offering them more control over their information.
Notwithstanding these efforts, Google recently faced a fresh class-action lawsuit in the United States, alleging the misuse of users’ personal data to train its AI system. Regarding this matter, Subramanya refrained from providing specific comments but reaffirmed Google’s dedication to being bold yet responsible in their AI ventures.
Despite the initial novelty and excitement surrounding AI chatbots, recent statistics suggest that the charm may be wearing off. Web user numbers have indicated a decline in monthly traffic to ChatGPT’s website, accompanied by a drop in unique visitors, which was observed for the first time in June.
In conclusion, Google’s AI chatbot, Bard, has embarked on a major expansion into Europe and Brazil, placing it in direct competition with rival ChatGPT. This marks a significant step in the world of artificial intelligence, as companies continue to invest heavily in the potential of AI technologies. Bard’s new features and enhanced language capabilities are sure to attract attention, but the technology must navigate privacy concerns and legal challenges to ensure its sustained success. As the AI landscape evolves, it remains to be seen how these human-sounding chatbots will capture the interest and trust of users worldwide.
