Google Stock (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) saw a nearly 5% surge on Thursday as the tech giant unveiled its chatbot, Bard, in Europe and Brazil. The AI tool, capable of interacting in over 40 languages, now boasts new functionalities, including the ability to incorporate images in chat interactions.
Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL), heralded this expansion as Bard’s most extensive to date, with availability spanning across most regions of the world. The chatbot supports a wide range of widely spoken languages, such as Arabic, Chinese, German, Hindi, and Spanish.
Moreover, Google introduced several updates to enhance Bard’s responsiveness to users’ needs. Noteworthy features include the ability to listen to Bard’s responses, image integration where users can upload images alongside prompts for analysis, code export to diverse platforms, response sharing with friends, conversation pinning and renaming, and customization of Bard’s tone and style with options ranging from simple to professional or casual.
While the image feature is currently operational in English, Google has plans to extend its availability to other languages in the near future.
Despite Bard’s successful deployment in approximately 180 countries earlier this year, its arrival in the European Union was delayed due to concerns regarding compliance with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), as reported by Bloomberg. Addressing this issue, Jack Krawczyk, Google’s Senior Product Director, affirmed the company’s commitment to providing users with transparent notices regarding data usage and storage.
Going forward, users will have the autonomy to decide whether to allow Google’s employees to review their conversations, a practice aimed at product improvement. These control options will be accessible worldwide, not solely limited to EU users, according to the report.
Large language models (LLMs) powering chatbot AI services have faced hurdles in Europe in the past due to prevailing data protection laws. Microsoft-backed OpenAI’s ChatGPT, for instance, temporarily suspended operations in Italy due to similar concerns. Following the release of ChatGPT, several companies, including Alibaba, SenseTime (OTCPK:SNTMF), and Baidu (NASDAQ:BIDU), have introduced their own generative AI services.
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Author Faith Yakubu 
