Google’s chatbot Bard, created as a response to ChatGPT’s AI program, is now being made available for open access in the U.S. and Britain starting from Tuesday. The company stated that this is an early experiment and more countries and languages will be added in the future. In a blog post co-authored by Bard, Google stated that they have gained valuable insights from testing the chatbot and are seeking feedback from more users to further improve it. The company also plans to enhance Bard’s capabilities by enabling it to respond to other mediums, such as images, audio, or video.
How to use Google Bard
Bard, Google’s AI tool, can be accessed on its standalone website rather than being integrated directly into the search engine. Users can input their queries into a text box and Bard will generate a response. Additionally, Bard features a “Google it” button attached to the answer that can direct users to a related search results page in a new tab. Google states that Bard often provides multiple drafts of responses to a prompt, allowing users to choose the most suitable starting point for their conversation with the chatbot.
How Google Bard works
Similar to Bing’s chatbot, Google’s Bard operates through a large language model that serves as a “prediction engine” to generate responses based on the selection of likely next words. However, Google has cautioned that this technology is not without its flaws, including the potential to perpetuate biases and stereotypes, as well as providing incorrect information.
Bias is a recurring problem in chatbots, with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman admitting in February that ChatGPT has some shortcomings in this area. Additionally, in 2016, Microsoft had to shut down its chatbot Tay after it used racial slurs on Twitter. Google, on the other hand, has implemented guardrails to maintain helpful and relevant interactions and is actively seeking feedback from users to refine its system. The company’s blog states, “We’ll learn alongside you as we go. With your feedback, Bard will keep getting better and better.”
