Alphabet-owned Google is soon expected to launch an upgraded version of its generative artificial intelligence platform Bard, which aims to rival Microsoft-backed ChatGPT.
Launched in February, the new conversational AI service focuses on creating innovative ways to engage with information, from language and images to videos and audio. Last month, Google opened limited public access to select consumers in the US and the UK.
“We clearly have more capable models,” Sundar Pichai, Alphabet’s chief executive, said in an interview on The New York Times’ Hard Fork podcast.
“Pretty soon, perhaps as this goes live, we will be upgrading Bard to some of our more capable PaLM models, which will bring more capabilities; be it in reasoning, coding, it can answer maths questions better. So, you will see progress over the course of next week.”
Google’s Pathways Language Model (PaLM) is seen as a major advancement in generative AI. It enables data scientists to efficiently train a single model across multiple systems that is capable of understanding hundreds of languages and generation tasks.
So far, Bard has not attracted many users compared to the instant popularity of ChatGPT that was launched last year, according to industry experts.
Mr Pichai said the company is cautious with rolling out the capabilities of Bard to ensure they are effective and frictionless.
“To me, it was important to not put [out] a more capable model before we can fully make sure we can handle it well,” Mr Pichai said.
The current model of Bard comes with various generative AI capabilities. For example, users can ask Bard to give them tips to reach their goal of reading more books this year, explain quantum physics in simple terms, write a customised job description, draft an invitation for a Halloween-themed birthday party or quickly write an outline for a blog post.
Generative AI uses machine learning to produce content such as text, images, video and audio. It can generate novel content, in the right context, instead of merely analysing or acting on the existing data.
Recent new breakthroughs in the field could drastically change the way we approach content creation, according to a report from McKinsey and Company.
The global generative AI market is expected to reach $188.62 billion by 2032, growing at an annual rate of more than 36 per cent, from $8.65 billion last year, data from The Brainy Insights market research company showed. The North American region dominated the market in last year.
Google said it is building Bard responsibly while keeping the human factor in the spotlight and is taking every step cautiously.
“It is so clear to me that these systems are going to be very, very capable, and so it almost doesn’t matter whether you have reached AGI [artificial general intelligence] or not,” Mr Pichai said.
“Can we have an AI system which can cause disinformation at scale? Yes. Is it AGI? It really doesn’t matter. Why do we need to worry about AI safety? Because you have to anticipate this and evolve to meet that moment.”
AGI is the representation of general human cognitive abilities in the form of a software. It will ensure the software will react like a human being when it is presented an unfamiliar task.
The biog
Fast facts on Neil Armstrong’s personal life:
- Armstrong was born on August 5, 1930, in Wapakoneta, Ohio
- He earned his private pilot’s license when he was 16 – he could fly before he could drive
- There was tragedy in his married life: Neil and Janet Armstrong’s daughter Karen died at the age of two in 1962 after suffering a brain tumour. She was the couple’s only daughter. Their two sons, Rick and Mark, consulted on the film
- After Armstrong departed Nasa, he bought a farm in the town of Lebanon, Ohio, in 1971 – its airstrip allowed him to tap back into his love of flying
- In 1994, Janet divorced Neil after 38 years of marriage. Two years earlier, Neil met Carol Knight, who became his second wife in 1994
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Top tips to avoid cyber fraud
Microsoft’s ‘hacker-in-chief’ David Weston, creator of the tech company’s Windows Red Team, advises simple steps to help people avoid falling victim to cyber fraud:
1. Always get the latest operating system on your smartphone or desktop, as it will have the latest innovations. An outdated OS can erode away all investments made in securing your device or system.
2. After installing the latest OS version, keep it patched; this means repairing system vulnerabilities which are discovered after the infrastructure components are released in the market. The vast majority of attacks are based on out of date components – there are missing patches.
3. Multi-factor authentication is required. Move away from passwords as fast as possible, particularly for anything financial. Cybercriminals are targeting money through compromising the users’ identity – his username and password. So, get on the next level of security using fingertips or facial recognition.
4. Move your personal as well as professional data to the cloud, which has advanced threat detection mechanisms and analytics to spot any attempt. Even if you are hit by some ransomware, the chances of restoring the stolen data are higher because everything is backed up.
5. Make the right hardware selection and always refresh it. We are in a time where a number of security improvement processes are reliant on new processors and chip sets that come with embedded security features. Buy a new personal computer with a trusted computing module that has fingerprint or biometric cameras as additional measures of protection.
Sun jukebox
Rufus Thomas, Bear Cat (The Answer to Hound Dog) (1953)
This rip-off of Leiber/Stoller’s early rock stomper brought a lawsuit against Phillips and necessitated Presley’s premature sale to RCA.
Elvis Presley, Mystery Train (1955)
The B-side of Presley’s final single for Sun bops with a drummer-less groove.
Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two, Folsom Prison Blues (1955)
Originally recorded for Sun, Cash’s signature tune was performed for inmates of the titular prison 13 years later.
Carl Perkins, Blue Suede Shoes (1956)
Within a month of Sun’s February release Elvis had his version out on RCA.
Roy Orbison, Ooby Dooby (1956)
An essential piece of irreverent juvenilia from Orbison.
Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls of Fire (1957)
Lee’s trademark anthem is one of the era’s best-remembered – and best-selling – songs.
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