Google CEO Sundar Pichai introduces AI Chatbot ‘Bard’

Google has launched an experimental AI chatbot called “Bard”. The aim of this conversational service is to compete with the widely popular ChatGPT tool created by OpenAl. The introduction of Bard comes just two weeks after Microsoft announced a multi-billion dollar investment in OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT and other language-based AI tools.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai stated in a blog post that Bard seeks to combine the vast knowledge of the world with the power and creativity of Google’s large language models. Based on LaMDA, the company’s language model for dialogue applications, Bard has been in development for a few years and utilizes information from the web to provide up-to-date and high-quality responses.

The chatbot also claims to perform mundane tasks such as providing lunch ideas or party planning tips. It is designed to explain complex subjects in a way that is easy to understand, even for children. Pichai described Bard as a source of creativity and a platform for curiosity.

Initially, Bard will only be available to a select group of trusted testers before being released to the public later this year. Pichai emphasized that AI can help people gain deeper insights and understanding, as AI-powered features in search will distil complex information into easy-to-digest formats.

Pichai said that this is an early launch of the tool and with time they will make improvements in it before making Bard more widely available for people across various regions. 

Prior to the release of ChatGPT, Google had been cautious about launching its own language-based AI due to concerns about the potential risks of releasing an unfinished technology. The announcement by Google coincided with an AI launch event by Microsoft, further indicating the two technology powerhouses are set to compete in the field of generative AI.