Google has entered the AI chatbot race with the launch of Bard, its own AI chatbot that is similar to OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Bard aims to merge the vast knowledge of the world with the intelligence and creativity of Google’s large language models to provide high-quality and fresh responses to questions. The technology behind Bard is the Language Model for Dialogue Applications (LaMDA) and it uses information from the web to generate novel responses.
Bard will be available for selected testers initially and then to the public in the coming weeks. The goal for Google is not to monetize Bard immediately, but to focus on building a healthy online ecosystem and sending search traffic to creators and news publishers. Meanwhile, Microsoft is also expected to integrate ChatGPT into its Bing search engine, and details may be announced at an event on Tuesday.
Google’s AI subsidiary, DeepMind, is also exploring the potential of AI chatbots, with CEO Demis Hassabis mentioning the possibility of a 2023 private beta test of an AI chatbot called Sparrow. Google has a responsible AI and machine learning program in place, with a focus on building ML models and products in a responsible and ethical manner.
AI technology has already become ubiquitous in our lives, with large language models like ChatGPT, LaMDA and others playing a significant role in shaping AI systems. Google’s expertise in AI has been well-established, with the departure of AI researcher Timnit Gebru in 2020 causing bad publicity for the company. However, Google’s focus on responsible AI and ML technology has remained steadfast, with the company’s co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin returning to active work after being triggered by the success of ChatGPT.