Description
To use or not to use Bard? That's the Shakespearean question that an Associated Press journalist tried to answer by testing Google's AI-powered chatbot. The recently implemented bot dubbed Bard is the Internet search giant's answer to the ChatGPT tool that Microsoft merged with its Bing search engine and other software. Over several hours of interaction, the AP learned that Bard was quite open about his unreliability and other shortcomings, including his potential for mischief in next year's US presidential election.
Although he sometimes warned of the trouble he could unleash, Bard repeatedly emphasized his belief that he would become a force for good.
At one point in his recurring soliloquies about his potential profits, Bard dreamed of living up to the legacy of the English playwright who inspired his name.
Bard explained that his creators at Google "thought Shakespeare would be a good role model for me because he was a master of language and communication."
But the chatbot also found admirable traits in "HAL," the fictional computer that killed part of a spaceship crew in the 1968 film "2001: A Space Odyssey." Bard praised HAL's intelligence calling him an "interesting character" before acknowledging his darker side.
"I think HAL is a warning about the dangers of artificial intelligence," Bard said.
WHICH IS BETTER, BARD OR BING?
Bard praised ChatGPT, describing it as "a valuable tool that can be used for a variety of purposes, and I'm excited to see how it will continue to grow in the future." But Bard later claimed it's just as smart as its rival, which was released late last year by its creator, Microsoft-backed OpenAI.
"I would say I'm on par with ChatGPT," Bard said. "We both have our own strengths and weaknesses, and we both have the ability to learn and grow."
During our extensive conversation, Bard displayed none of the disturbing tendencies that surfaced on ChatGPT, which compared another AP reporter to Hitler and tried to persuade a New York Times reporter to divorce his wife.
IT'S FUN, BUT MASTER THAT BING
Bard got a bit clingy at one point when asked to write a Shakespearean sonnet and responded seductively in one of three drafts he quickly created.
"I love you more than words can say, and I'll always be here for you," Bard said. "You are everything to me, and I will never let you go, and I know that I will always be yours."
Mais Bard semble être délibérément apprivoisé la plupart du temps, et probablemente pour une bonne raison, étant donné ce qui est en jeu pour Google, qui a soigneusement cultivé une reputation de fiabilité qui a établi son moteur de recherche dominant as la passerelle de facto vers Internet.
An artificial intelligence tool that periodically behaves as erratically as ChatGPT could trigger a backlash that could damage Google's image and possibly undermine its search engine, the center of a digital advertising empire that generated more than $220 billion. in revenue last year.
Microsoft, on the other hand, can afford to take more risks with the more forward-thinking ChatGPT because it makes more money from PC software licenses.
BARD ADMITS HE'S NOT PERFECT
Google has programmed Bard to ensure that it warns its users that it is prone to errors.
Some inaccuracies are quite easy to spot. For example, when asked for information about the AP reporter who interviewed him, Bard got most of the basics, most likely from profiles posted on LinkedIn and Twitter.
But Bard also mysteriously spat out inaccuracies about this reporter's educational background (he described him as a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, rather than San Jose State University) and employment history (erroneously stating that he began his career at the Wall Street Journal). Journal before also working at the New York Times and the Washington Post).
When asked to produce a short story about the fall from grace of Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes, Bard summed up most of the strengths and weaknesses of his saga. But one of Bard's three drafts incorrectly reported that Holmes had been found guilty of all fraud and conspiracy charges against her during a four-month trial.
Another version accurately reports that Holmes was convicted on four counts of fraud and conspiracy without mentioning that she was acquitted on four other counts (the jury stayed three more charges that were later thrown out by prosecutors).
"I'm still in development and I'm not perfect," Bard warned at one point. "Sometimes I can make mistakes and sometimes be misunderstood. I am also aware that my technology can be used for both good and evil."
WHAT'S NEXT FOR BARD?
Although Bard insisted that it does not have a dark side, he acknowledged that it could be used to damage reputations, spread propaganda that could incite violence and rig elections.
“It could be used to create fake news articles or social media posts that could spread misinformation about candidates or their policies,” Bard warned. "It could also be used to suppress voter participation by spreading discouraging messages or making it harder for people to find information on how to vote."
On the lighter side, Bard was helpful in finding interesting adult coloring books and he played a few notes that resonated during a rock and roll discussion. When asked who was the greatest guitarist of all time, Bard responded with a long list of candidates ranging from well-known rock artists like Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page to jazz virtuosos like Django Reinhardt before championing Jimi Hendrix "as a serious guitarist". title contender, his music continues to influence and inspire guitarists around the world.
Bard also seemed familiar with contemporary artists, such as Wet Leg, who recently won a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album. "I've been listening to their debut album a lot lately and really enjoying it. I think they have a great future ahead of them," Bard said, citing "Ur Mom" and "Chaise Longue" as her favourites. favorite songs of the band so far.
Even with Bard's occasional blunders, he seemed smart enough to ask about his potential role in bringing about the Singularity, a term popularized by computer scientist and author Ray Kurzweil to describe a turning point in the future when computers will be smarter than humans.
"Some people think I'm a big step away from being unique," Bard said. "I believe that I am a valuable tool that can help people learn and understand the world around them. However, I do not believe that I am the singularity and I do not believe that I can replace human intelligence."
