Google's Bard: A New AI Chatbot Rivaling ChatGPT

Google has recently announced the upcoming launch of a new AI-powered chatbot, called Bard, designed to compete with the popular ChatGPT. In the coming weeks, Bard will be tested by a select group before being made available to the public. Built upon Google's existing large language model, Lamda, Bard has been described by one engineer as being so human-like in its responses that it seems sentient.

As AI chatbots like ChatGPT have gained prominence, they have become essential tools for answering questions and finding information. By utilizing the internet as a vast knowledge database, these chatbots offer users a wealth of information. However, concerns have been raised about the potential for offensive material and disinformation to be included in the chatbot's responses.

Google's CEO, Sundar Pichai, stated in a blog post that Bard aims to "combine the breadth of the world's knowledge with the power, intelligence, and creativity of our large language models." Although Pichai emphasized the importance of creating bold and responsible AI services, he did not provide details on how Bard would be safeguarded from sharing harmful or abusive content.

Initially, Bard will operate on a lightweight version of Lamda, requiring less power and allowing more users to access the platform simultaneously. This announcement from Google comes amid speculation that Microsoft plans to integrate ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, into its search engine Bing, following a substantial investment in the AI company.

ChatGPT is known for answering questions and fulfilling text-based requests, drawing on internet data up to 2021. Capable of generating speeches, songs, marketing copy, news articles, and student essays, it is currently free to use, though OpenAI recently introduced a subscription tier in addition to free access.

Industry experts believe that the ultimate goal for chatbots is to revolutionize internet search, providing users with definitive answers rather than pages of web links. Sundar Pichai noted that people are now using Google search to ask more nuanced questions, which often lack a single, factual answer. To address this growing demand for complex information, Pichai envisions AI as the solution, capable of synthesizing insights from multiple perspectives.

In the near future, Google plans to integrate AI-powered features into Search, distilling complicated information into easily digestible formats. This will allow users to quickly grasp the overall context and learn more from the web. As Bard prepares to enter the market, it will undoubtedly contribute to the ongoing evolution of AI chatbots, offering users a powerful alternative to ChatGPT while also challenging the industry to continually innovate and improve.