Google is rolling out an enhanced version of its Bard chatbot, taking a leap in the world of conversational AI. Bard, originally developed to rival OpenAI’s ChatGPT, is now more capable and smarter than ever, thanks to a series of impressive updates.
One of the most notable updates is Bard's integration with Google's own apps and services such as Gmail, Docs, Drive, Maps, YouTube, Google Flights, and Hotels. According to Jack Krawczyk, product lead for Bard, this feature is being introduced thoughtfully, with user consent and data privacy in mind. Users must opt-in to allow Bard to interact with these Google services and can revoke permission at any time.
Google is particularly cautious about how it uses data from these integrations. Importantly, personal data accessed from Gmail, Google Drive, or Docs is not used for reinforcement learning. Moreover, human reviewers will not see the email content accessed by Bard, ensuring user privacy.
Bard's new extensions make it a more versatile assistant. For example, if you're planning a trip with friends, Bard can retrieve suitable dates from your Gmail thread, check real-time flight and hotel info, and even provide YouTube suggestions for things to do at your destination—all in one conversation.
Another remarkable update is the "Google it" button that validates Bard's responses using Google Research and DeepMind technologies. If Bard is unsure about an answer, the statement may be highlighted in orange, helping users understand the bot's limitations.
Additionally, Bard now allows for collaborative chats. When someone shares a Bard conversation through a public link, you can continue the dialogue and explore the topic further.
The company is also extending Bard’s English language features to over 40 new languages, making it more accessible to users around the globe.
By combining advanced integrations with Google's own suite of apps, verification features, and collaborative capabilities, Bard is setting a new standard in the realm of conversational AI. It appears Google is keen on making Bard not just a chatbot, but a multifunctional AI assistant designed to assist, verify, and collaborate.
