The hype swirling around Google Bard shows public fascination with where conversational AI like chatbots is heading. As an AI specialist, I want to share insider context on this technology‘s present and future impact potential.
Chatbot Adoption Rising Steadily
Recent surveys on AI chatbot demand found:
- 63% of consumers globally would use a chatbot over a human for quick queries [Hitwise Research, 2023]
- 57% expect to increase chatbot use in daily life by 2025 [IBM, 2022]
This data mirrors the growth in conversational agents – 25% of enterprises used chatbots in 2022 versus just 7% in 2017 [Statista].
With Google Bard‘s entry, search interest has spiked:
The market signals show Bard riding strong tailwinds as it prepares to scale.
Bard‘s Capabilities Today
As an early glimpse, Bard‘s initial demo showed both intriguing potential…and pitfalls:
Strengths
- Concise, factually accurate answers for some basic questions
- Quick access to recent real-world info like sports scores
- Broader knowledge base versus niche training sets
Limitations
- Dropped context mid-conversation
- Factual inaccuracies already identified
- Limited response length constrains utility
Nonetheless, this represents impressive progress of conversational AI in a short timeframe – albeit amplified by hype. Google‘s existing resources in knowledge engineering, natural language processing and talent will enable aggressive improvement.
The Road Ahead
Over the next 2 years, I predict Google will:
- Expand access as stability and quality matures
- Integrate Bard into its enterprise cloud and productivity offerings
- Build voice-enabled versions for the Google Assistant
- Leverage user feedback to rapidly advance capabilities
Longer term, chatbots promise to reshape business. virtual assistants, customer service and more. But without proper governance, issues around bias, misuse and job loss may arise.
The Imperative of Directing AI Ethically
Bardcredits its knowledge to "human reviewers", hinting at some form of supervision. But details remain vague around Google‘s moderation policies and AI safety practices.
This must be addressed given society‘s reliance on technology giants shaping the future. I recommend Google clearly communicate:
- Their processes for accountability if Bard causes harm
- How they will minimize harmful bias and errors
- Which ethical standards guide Bard‘s development
Additionally, users should assess responses critically rather than take them as absolute truth.
The path ahead will have obstacles, but the destination makes it all worthwhile. With ethical foundations guiding the way, Google Bard and its successors can unlock human potential at scale.