Google Launches AI Chatbot Bard | LaMDA Technology into search for Real-time Answers

Key takeaways

• ChatGPT surpasses 100 million users in just two months.
• Google introduces AI chatbot Bard and integrates its technology into search.
• Microsoft embraces AI transformation in search products, leveraging ChatGPT technology.
• Tech leaders and AI experts call for temporary halt on development of ‘giant’ AI systems like GPT-4.
• AI unearths lost play by Lope de Vega.

ChatGPT surpasses 100 million users in just two months

ChatGPT, the rapidly growing AI chatbot, has achieved a staggering milestone of 100 million users in just two months, surpassing the user adoption of popular apps like TikTok and Instagram. The unprecedented rate of growth has caught the attention of analysts, with UBS noting it as a remarkable feat in the consumer app space. To enhance the user experience and sustain the service, OpenAI has introduced a $20 monthly subscription, initially available in the US, providing faster performance and early access to new features. This viral launch not only establishes OpenAI's first-mover advantage in the AI industry but also generates valuable feedback for refining the chatbot's responses, while the subscription revenue helps offset the substantial computing costs faced by the company.

Google introduces AI chatbot Bard and integrates its technology into search

Google unveils its own AI chatbot, Bard, in response to the success of Microsoft's ChatGPT, integrating Bard's technology into Google search to provide concise answers for complex queries, with an emphasis on real-time information. Bard will undergo testing with product specialists before a wider release to the public. Similar to ChatGPT, Bard utilises a large language model called LaMDA developed by Google. These large language AI models, including LaMDA and ChatGPT, employ neural networks that mimic the structure of the human brain, learning from vast amounts of internet text to generate responses to textual prompts. Google also plans to share LaMDA technology with developers, creators, and businesses, enabling the creation of AI-powered applications.

Microsoft embraces AI transformation in search products, leveraging ChatGPT technology

Microsoft is harnessing the technology behind ChatGPT to infuse more artificial intelligence into its search products, including Bing search engine and Edge web browser, as the company joins the race to leverage advanced AI tools. The partnership with OpenAI, the startup behind ChatGPT, marks a strategic move by Microsoft to enhance the information available to users and capitalise on the growing demand for powerful AI capabilities. This announcement follows Google's recent introduction of its own AI chatbot, Bard, in response to the success of ChatGPT. With significant investments in AI and a strong partnership with OpenAI, Microsoft aims to market ChatGPT's technology to its cloud customers and integrate its power into its suite of products, shaping the future of information gathering.

Tech leaders and AI experts call for temporary halt on development of "giant" AI systems like GPT-4

Over 1,000 AI experts, researchers, and supporters sign an open letter advocating for a temporary pause on the creation of ‘giant’ AI systems like GPT-4, stressing the importance of comprehensively studying and addressing the capabilities and risks associated with such models. The letter, signed by prominent figures including Elon Musk and Steve Wozniak, highlights concerns about the escalating development of powerful AI that lacks understanding, predictability, and control. Coordinated by the Future of Life Institute, the signatories reference OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman's suggestion of independent review and limitations on compute growth for advanced systems. If voluntary suspension is not observed, the letter suggests government intervention as a means to regulate AI models exceeding the scale of GPT-4.

AI unearths lost play by Lope de Vega

Pioneering AI technology utilised in the Etso project has unearthed a previously unknown play by the renowned Golden Age writer Lope de Vega, raising hopes of discovering more lost or misattributed works from Spain's literary past. Spain's National Library recently confirmed the authenticity of the play, believed to have been penned by Lope shortly before his death in 1635. Etso employs AI analysis to determine authorship in the context of Golden Age plays, many of which lack attribution or have been misattributed. One such work, La Francesa Laura, held in the library as an anonymous 18th-century manuscript, was identified as a creation of Lope de Vega by Etso's computer algorithms. This breakthrough signifies the potential for AI to revolutionise research in uncovering more hidden literary treasures.