Google’s new Bard chatbot is available for a week on hold, only in English and with geo-restrictions. Futura tested it and explained how to access it, as well as how it works.
Last week, Google finally opened public testing of its chatbot Bard, which is a direct competitor to OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Microsoft’s new Bing chatbot. Unlike the latter, which is based on the Large Language Model (LLM) called GPT, Bard uses the LaMDA model, developed by Google. And unlike ChatGPT, but just like Bing, its data is up to date and it can use the information on the web in real time.
To get into Bard, you must meet certain criteria. First, you must have a Google account. If you don’t have one, you can create one for free here. You must be over 18 years old, and you must be fluent in English, currently the only language available. You’ll also need to connect from the US or the UK, which are the only countries where the chatbot is available at this point.
VPN required from France
To test Bard, you must either go or use a VPN. Many paid VPNs work great, but you can also use the Opera browser’s built-in free VPN, and specify “Americas” as the location. Finally, the last condition before being able to chat with the AI is to register in the queue. To do this, go to bard.google.com and click on ” Join the waiting list Then you have to wait. In our case, the wait was five days, which is much faster than the new Microsoft Bing queue. You will receive an email as soon as your account is allowed to use the chatbot.
When you first log in, the site displays a warning that Bard is an experiment. Google warns that the answers may be wrong, and even displays at the bottom of the window that the information may be shocking and does not represent Google’s views.
If you have used ChatGPT before, Bard’s interface will be very familiar. It’s just a chat window. Enter your question in English, and the chatbot will answer you. You can then improve your application, provide additional information, or move on to another, unrelated question. Bard will remember past exchanges as context for what follows. Unlike ChatGPT, Bard doesn’t use several separate tabs for your chat history, everything is saved in a ” Cool activity To end a conversation and start a new one, tap “. Reset chat “.
An AI doesn’t always have the answer to everything
Just like ChatGPT, Bard has a few surprises in store. In this case, he cannot answer some relatively simple questions. Since he only accepts English, ask him, for example, to name all the presidents or all the states in the United States. The chatbot tells you it can’t help you. Similarly, when you ask him what was the first photo taken of an exoplanet, he goes on to answer the James Webb Space Telescope photo, taken on 1any September 2022. This is actually the first image ever taken of an exoplanet in the mid-infrared. The first image of an exoplanet dates back to 2004… Google protested this error when it was announced cold in February, and the problem still hasn’t been corrected.
When in doubt about the correctness of the information, each answer includes a button ” google search, which allows you to launch a classic Google search. You can also click like or dislike, to provide feedback on the quality of the response and help train the AI better. The Refresh button allows you to ask him for a different answer to the question. Finally, remember to be careful not to send sensitive information. Google collects data and uses it to train artificial intelligence. The company specifically states in its FAQ: Please do not include information that identifies you or others in your conversations with Bard. “.
