It appears that Google may feel threatened by the success of OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The tech giant is now testing similar AI chat products, including Apprentice Bard, an AI chatbot that gives users answers to questions. The company is also looking into integrating an AI chatbot into its search engine.
Google’s parent company is working on multiple AI projects in response to ChatGPT’s popularity. According to Google’s AI chief, Jeff Dean and CEO Sundar Pichai, the company may release products like ChatGPT later this year.
Google’s apprentice bard
Apprentice Bard runs on Google’s LaMDA tech and appears similar to ChatGPT. Currently, employees are testing the chatbot by asking it questions and giving feedback on the response. According to CNBC, the AI is aware of current events, a feat ChatGPT has yet to accomplish. Additionally, the site reports that employees feel the responses have become more advanced over the last few weeks.
Google is also testing a new search engine page featuring AI chatbot integration. After typing a question in the search bar, the search page suggests similar follow-up questions a user may have. Beneath this the user will then see standard search results.
“We have long been focused on developing and deploying AI to improve people’s lives,” A Google spokesperson said. “We believe that AI is foundational and transformative technology that is incredibly useful for individuals, businesses and communities, and as our AI Principles outline, we need to consider the broader societal impacts these innovations can have. We continue to test our AI technology internally to make sure it’s helpful and safe, and we look forward to sharing more experiences externally soon.”
Google’s AI vs. ChatGPT
Google is already testing its AI against its rival by giving both chatbots the same prompt and comparing them. When asked to write a Wes Anderson-style movie about a shoplifter getting interrogated at a perfume shop, ChatGPT wrote a more extensive narrative-style script. In contrast, Google’s LaMDA wrote in movie script format.
Jack Brassell is a freelance journalist and aspiring novelist. Jack is a self-proclaimed nerd with a lifelong passion for storytelling. As an author, Jack writes mostly horror and young adult fantasy. Also an avid gamer, she works as the lead news editor at Hardcore Droid. When she isn't writing or playing games, she can often be found binge-watching Parks & Rec or The Office, proudly considering herself to be a cross between Leslie Knope and Pam Beasley.
