Google’s AI-powered tool Bard announces significant updates, global availability, and new features for more interactive and productive user experiences.
- Bard, Google’s collaboration with generative AI, is now globally available, supporting multiple languages, and is set to be integrated with various Google apps and other popular services.
- The tool will soon support visual interactions, allowing users to input images in their prompts and receive visually-rich responses.
- Major updates include coding upgrades, export features, and a new image generation capability through integration with Adobe Firefly.
Just two months since the launch of Bard, Google’s experiment with generative AI, significant upgrades are already being rolled out. Developed initially for users in the U.S. and the U.K., Bard has been well-received, leading to swift improvements based on user feedback. One key update is the transition of Bard to PaLM 2, a more advanced large language model, enabling Bard to offer enhanced capabilities such as advanced math and reasoning skills and coding features.
Now, Google is unveiling an array of new updates to make Bard more accessible, more interactive, and more integrated. Bard is set to go global, with its waitlist being removed and access expanded to over 180 countries and territories. Furthermore, Bard will support more languages, starting with Japanese and Korean, aiming to support up to 40 languages in the near future. As Bard grows, Google remains committed to maintaining high standards of quality and local nuances, adhering strictly to its AI Principles.
Bard is also set to become more visual in its interactions. Users will be able to include images alongside text in their prompts, enabling new avenues for imagination and creativity. With the integration of Google Lens, Bard will be able to analyze uploaded images and provide relevant responses. For instance, users can upload a photo of their pets and ask Bard to generate a funny caption, and Bard will analyze the photo and offer creative captions within seconds.
Developers’ feedback has been instrumental in shaping Bard’s updates, resulting in several key coding upgrades. Starting next week, Bard will provide more precise citations, with just a click required to underline and link to the sources of blocks of code or other content. A dark theme has also been introduced to make interactions with Bard easier on the eyes. An “Export” button is being added, enabling users to export and run code with partner Replit, starting with Python. Furthermore, users can now export Bard’s responses directly into Gmail and Docs, providing a seamless transition between drafting and finalizing documents and emails.
Looking ahead, Bard will be integrated with numerous Google apps such as Docs, Drive, Gmail, Maps, and others. This integration will extend to services from across the web, with extensions from outside partners. One notable integration is with Adobe Firefly, Adobe’s creative generative AI models, which will allow users to quickly turn their creative ideas into high-quality images. Other upcoming partnerships include services like Kayak, OpenTable, ZipRecruiter, Instacart, Wolfram, and Khan Academy.
With these exciting developments, Bard aims to become a hub for user creativity, productivity, and curiosity. By combining human imagination with Bard’s generative AI capabilities, Google aims to offer boundless possibilities for what users can create and achieve. The latest updates signal a significant step in that direction, promising a future where AI plays an even more prominent role in our everyday lives.
