In an effort to maintain a leading edge in the highly competitive generative AI arena, Google is introducing a range of innovative features to enhance its chatbot Bard. With formidable rivals like Microsoft-backed OpenAI, Anthropic, and other notable players making significant strides in the field, Google is proactively upgrading Bard to keep pace with the rapidly evolving landscape of generative AI. This move demonstrates Google’s commitment to staying ahead of the competition by continuously improving and refining its AI capabilities.
In March, the search giant made a significant entrance into the public sphere with its ChatGPT competitor, initially conducting tests in the United States and the United Kingdom. Subsequently, at the annual Google I/O developer conference held in May, the company unveiled a series of new updates for its ChatGPT platform. OpenAI’s ChatGPT, on the other hand, also made headlines in May by introducing fresh features such as the launch of the ChatGPT app for iOS and the integration of voice prompts. These developments illustrate the ongoing rivalry between Google and OpenAI as they continue to innovate and enhance their respective chatbot offerings.
Google unveiled several updates on Thursday, bringing new functionalities to its chatbot Bard. These enhancements include image analysis capabilities, which were previously announced as a Google Lens feature during the Google IO conference in May. Users can now upload images and request information about them or ask Bard to generate captions based on the images. However, this feature is currently limited to the English language.
Furthermore, Google has introduced different styles of responses, allowing Bard users to customize the tone and style of the chatbot’s answers. Users can choose from five options: simple, long, short, professional, or casual. For instance, one can request Bard’s assistance in crafting a concise marketplace listing for a vintage armchair. This feature is currently available in English and will soon be expanded to other languages.
Another significant addition is the ability to have Bard’s responses read aloud. This feature proves helpful for users who wish to hear the correct pronunciation of a word, listen to a poem, or review a script. It supports over 40 languages, offering broader accessibility to users worldwide.
In terms of language support, Bard now covers more than 40 languages, including Arabic, Chinese, German, Hindi, and Spanish. It has also expanded its availability to Europe, after addressing privacy concerns raised by The Irish Data Protection Commission. Google has actively engaged with experts, policymakers, and privacy regulators to ensure a responsible expansion.
