"The Future of Google Search is AI"
Plans to Integrate with Google Maps, Docs, Gmail, and More
Accelerating Competition with ChatGPT
Google has fully launched its artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot 'Bard' in 180 countries worldwide, including the United States and South Korea. Support for Korean and Japanese languages has also begun, not just English. The competition with 'ChatGPT,' which is currently leading the generative AI chatbot craze, is expected to intensify significantly.
Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, announced on the 10th (local time) at the 'Google Annual Developer Conference (I/O)' held at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California, USA, "Starting today, we are ending the waitlist for Bard usage," and added, "We plan to expand the service to 40 languages soon, beginning with Korean and Japanese."
Bard is equipped with PaLM 2, the next-generation large language model (LLM) that Google unveiled for the first time that day. PaLM 2 provides human-like responses based on the input content and supports more than 20 programming languages and over 100 spoken languages. It can handle writing, analysis, coding, and solving math problems.
Services in Korean and Japanese have also started. Jack Krawczyk, Bard's product lead at Google, explained in a pre-media briefing that Bard can answer questions in English, Korean, and Japanese.
Visual elements such as providing answers in images to users' questions are also being added. It will be possible to analyze images through Google Lens. For example, the company explained that users will be able to take a photo of a drawer full of craft supplies with their smartphone and ask, "What can I make with these?" Google plans to link Bard, equipped with PaLM 2, with information from Google Maps, Docs, Sheets, and Gmail in the future. Answers provided by Bard can also be sent to Google Gmail, Docs, and other services.
Additionally, Google has partnered with Adobe, well known for 'Photoshop.' Through Adobe's Firefly, released in March, image editing and other functions will be possible. Other new features include a dark mode to reduce eye strain.
Currently, Google is introducing generative AI into its search engine through a program called Converse. The new search engine combined with Bard will start accepting registrations from some users from today and will enter a pilot operation within a few weeks. Local media have evaluated, "The future of Google Search is AI."
However, CEO Pichai emphasized that these technologies are still in the early stages and clearly stated responsibility regarding AI technology. This is interpreted as a response to previous incidents involving incorrect answers. He said, "As we expand related services in the future, we will prioritize quality and adhere to strict and responsible standards," adding, "We will develop AI in a way that maximizes benefits while complying with AI principles."
Meanwhile, Google also unveiled its first foldable phone, the Pixel Fold, on the same day. It features a 7.8-inch internal display and a 5.8-inch external display. The price is $1,799, and pre-orders start today.
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