Google’s generative AI, Bard, is getting an upgrade as it tries to catch up to its competitor, ChatGPT. ChatGPT, a chatbot developed by Microsoft-backed OpenAI, took the tech industry by storm when it was released last year. In fact, it became the fastest-growing consumer application ever and is now one of the top 30 websites in the world.
Meanwhile, Bard has struggled to gain the same popularity. According to website analytics firm Similarweb, in August, Bard received only 13% of the visitors that ChatGPT received. To address this issue, Google is introducing Bard Extensions, which will allow users to import their data from other Google products. This means that users can now ask Bard to search their files in Google Drive or provide a summary of their Gmail inbox. Currently, Bard only supports importing data from Google apps, but Google is working on connecting external applications as well.
One of the challenges that generative AI faces is providing accurate responses. Sometimes, the AI generates inaccurate information, which is known as “hallucinations.” To address this issue, Bard will now highlight the parts of its answers that differ from or agree with Google search results. This transparency is aimed at building users' trust in generative AI technology.
Additionally, Google is introducing a feature that allows users to invite others into Bard conversations. This feature will enable more collaborative exchanges and can be particularly useful for group discussions or brainstorming sessions.
Google’s senior product director, Jack Krawczyk, explained that the goal of these new features is to make Bard more reliable, transparent, and user-friendly. “We are presenting (Bard) in a way that it admits when it’s not confident,” he said. By holding Bard accountable for its responses and providing fact-checking elements, Google hopes to build trust in generative AI technology.
As the race for the best generative AI continues, it will be interesting to see how Bard’s new features impact its popularity and if it can catch up to ChatGPT. With Google’s commitment to improving Bard and incorporating user feedback, the future of generative AI seems promising.
In the words of Krawczyk, “We want to empower users to have meaningful and accurate conversations with Bard and trust the information it provides.” By adding new features and striving for transparency, Google is taking steps towards achieving that goal.
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