Google CEO Sundar Pichai has announced that the company’s ChatGPT-powered AI, Bard, will be getting significant upgrades in the coming days. Speaking on the NYT’s Hard Fork podcast, Pichai acknowledged that Microsoft’s Bing was ahead of Google in the chatbot race, but claimed that Google’s new, more capable Pathways Language Model versions of Bard would catch up quickly.
Pichai’s tone was cautious, suggesting that Google wanted to experiment carefully with Bard’s capabilities, but he was also excited about the potential of the technology. He said AI engines like Bard and ChatGPT could be personalised to companies and individuals and claimed that the technology would be “incredibly beneficial” while admitting it also “has the potential to cause harm in a deep way.”
The Google executive also addressed concerns about data privacy and the pace of AI development. He welcomed discussions about regulation, saying, “AI is too important an area not to regulate, but it’s also too important an area not to regulate well.”
Pichai also touched on other issues related to AI, including how it might impact jobs and content on the web. He said, “We all may need to course-correct in certain areas,” and suggested Google was committed to “getting it right with the publisher ecosystem.”
The interview reflects the many questions and concerns about AI currently being discussed in the tech industry. Pichai acknowledged that there was still much to debate, and no one had all the answers. However, he remained optimistic about the technology’s potential.
It is clear that the debate over AI is only just beginning, and Pichai’s comments highlight the need for caution and regulation. As companies like Google and Microsoft race to develop more capable chatbots, the implications for privacy, jobs, and society as a whole must be carefully considered.
