Google’s Global Rollout of Bard
Google has recently made an exciting announcement: Bard, its conversational AI chatbot, is now available for teenagers in most countries around the world. To gain access, teenage users in these regions must meet the minimum age requirements to manage their own Google account, typically falling between 14 and 16 years.
Initially, teenagers can interact with Bard in English, with more languages set to be added in the future. This development comes after Google expanded access to its AI-powered search experience (SGE) for teens who signed up for the company’s Search Labs, a move made two months prior.
Throughout the communications about both Bard and SGE, Google emphasizes its commitment to responsibility as it opens up these generative AI tools to a broader audience. While generative AI holds promise for various applications, such as travel and event planning, business research, and education, it is not without its pitfalls.
Addressing AI Susceptibility to Hallucinations
The Bard announcement specifically highlights generative AI’s susceptibility to hallucinations, where large language models underlying AI chatbots may generate incorrect or nonsensical text. To tackle this issue, Bard will automatically run its double-check response feature the first time a teen asks a factual question.
To further enhance the safety measures, the blog post encourages teens to regularly use the double-check feature. Additionally, this feature will soon automatically run when any new Bard user asks their first factual question, as outlined in the blog post.
The field of AI chatbots and generative AI has seen significant growth since OpenAI introduced its ChatGPT service to the public a year ago. In July, Google, along with Microsoft and two other leading AI companies, launched the Frontier Model Forum—an industry group aimed at identifying best AI safety practices and promoting responsible use.
In September, Google revealed the safeguards integrated into the SGE for teens. These measures are designed to prevent inappropriate or harmful content from surfacing. For instance, stronger guardrails have been implemented for outputs related to illegal or age-gated substances or bullying, among other concerns.
Users have the flexibility to turn both SGE in search and SGE while browsing on or off from the Google Search Labs home page. In August, Google provided a significant update to its Search Generative Experience, enabling it to summarize web pages and show definitions of unfamiliar words.
In October, Google took a step further by bringing Bard capabilities to its Google Assistant service, expanding the reach and functionality of its generative AI tools.
Read More (AI)
