On February 6, Google announced an AI chatbot called “Bard,” set to launch in the coming weeks. Bard is based on Google’s large language model, LaMDA, and will initially be available to a group of “trusted testers” before a broader public rollout. Bard will directly compete with OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which is backed by Microsoft.
The product announcement follows a recent company-wide meeting where employees expressed concerns about Google’s competitive edge in artificial intelligence, given the sudden popularity of ChatGPT.
Google stated that thorough testing is required: “We’ll combine external feedback with our own internal testing to ensure Bard’s responses meet high standards for quality, safety, and are grounded in real-world information.”
“You’ll soon see AI-powered search features that simplify complex information and multiple perspectives into digestible formats, so you can quickly understand the big picture and learn more from the web,” wrote CEO Sundar Pichai.