Google has announced the expansion of its AI chatbot called Bard to 180 countries, positioning it as a competitor to Microsoft-backed ChatGPT. The move comes as Google aims to integrate creative AI into its core products, including its flagship search engine.
At the annual Google Developers Conference, CEO Sundar Pichai emphasized the company’s focus on reimagining its offerings with generative AI at the forefront. Despite concerns about AI’s impact on society and job displacement, Google’s expansion of AI capabilities follows Microsoft’s rapid integration of similar technologies.
Google demonstrated how Creative AI will enhance a variety of services, including Gmail, photo editing, and online work tools. The company is committed to implementing AI in a responsible manner, ensuring that its efforts meet ethical standards.
Google lifted the wait list for Bard, made it available worldwide in English and revealed plans to support 40 languages in the future. The company has also introduced browser extensions that will bring AI features to apps like Gmail and Maps, enabling functions like auto-completing text in emails and generating artwork ideas from available supplies.
However, the expansion of generative AI technologies raises concerns about the potential misuse of AI, such as voice clones, deeply fake videos, and the spread of disinformation through persuasive text messages. In response, experts have called for caution and a pause in the development of powerful AI systems to ensure safety.
In particular, AI models supported by Microsoft’s OpenAI have recently become publicly accessible, enhancing the capabilities of the Bing search engine and Edge browser with image and video processing. The dangers and ethical implications of AI remain a topic of debate, with notable figures such as computer scientist Jeffrey Hinton warning of a serious and imminent existential threat posed by AI.
Despite the risks, both Google and Microsoft are aggressively pursuing the integration of generative AI, demonstrating its potential to enhance user experiences and transform various industries. As these technologies advance, responsible development and strict ethical guidelines will be critical to addressing potential challenges and ensuring AI is used to benefit society.
