Topline
Google launched an artificial intelligence chatbot called Bard on Tuesday, the company’s response to the AI frenzy dominating big tech companies after the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT—backed by Google’s rival Microsoft—caught the attention of millions last year.
Google announced Tuesday, March 21, 2023, it’s allowing more people to interact with “Bard,” the … [+]
Key Facts
The new chatbot—a software programmed to simulate human conversation—will initially be available to a limited number of users in the U.S. and the U.K., and more users, countries and languages will be included over time, Google said Tuesday, but did not specify exactly how many users would have access to the technology.
Users will access Bard through a separate website from the Google search engine, Google said, in an effort to separate the source of much of the company’s revenue from the experimental technology that has been prone to problems at other companies.
Google also announced AI-powered features last week for Google Cloud and Google Workspace, like Google Docs and Google Sheets, including a feature that would draft emails for users who select a specific topic.
Key Background
Tuesday’s launch is the latest in the race to dominate the AI space, which accelerated late last year when San Francisco startup OpenAI launched ChatGPT, a chatbot that can answers users’ questions, not just by providing links to answers as search engines do, but by offering human-like answers to often difficult questions. In January, Microsoft added a chatbot to its search engine, Bing.
Contra
The shift to AI has faced some obstacles. When Google announced its intention to launch a chatbot last month, Bard incorrectly answered a question during a promotional video, Reuters reported. The mistake scared some investors and coincided with a rout for the share price of Google’s parent company Alphabet, erasing $100 billion from Alphabet’s market value.
Further Reading
Alphabet Stock Plunge Eras $100 Billion After New AI Chatbot Gives Wrong Answer In Ad (Forbes)
ChatGPT’s Biggest Competition: Here Are The Companies Working On Rival AI Chatbots (Forbes)
Google To Release Chatbot Following ChatGPT Frenzy (Forbes)
Here’s What To know About OpenAI’s ChatGPT—What It’s Disrupting And How To Use It (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/anafaguy/2023/03/21/google-releases-bard-ai-chatbot-amid-competition-with-chatgpt/