Google Experiments With AI To Create A Virtual Personal Mentor

With Google finally catching up with OpenAI’s ChatGPT via Google Bard, after the rival got a head start last year, the search giant is now looking to further expand its generative AI portfolio by launching new AI tools that could offer users life advice.

Google’s AI teams — including Deepmind — are said to be testing a new AI assistant that can perform “at least 21 different personal and professional tasks,” such as providing life advice, design ideas and even tutoring, according to The New York Times.

The release suggests that Google may be trying to stay ahead of competitors such as Microsoft-backed OpenAI, Meta and Amazon. Additionally, the company may want to start relying on AI for “sensitive tasks.”

Google has also reportedly hired Scale AI, a contractor that works with the Google DeepMind team. According to two anonymous sources, the “assembled teams” responsible for testing capabilities now include more than 100 industry experts with Ph.D.s in various fields.

However, this new approach appears to be at odds with the company’s stance – presented to Google executives in December – of avoiding emotional involvement with chatbots because it can lead to “losing the agent”.

The responsible team tests “the assistant’s ability to answer intimate questions” and even “challenges in people’s lives”.

The capabilities of this “personal” generative AI include the ability to answer deeply personal questions, such as how to tell a friend you can’t attend their wedding.

“The project’s idea generation feature could give users suggestions or recommendations depending on the situation. Its tutoring function can teach new skills or improve existing ones, such as progressing as a runner; and planning capabilities can create financial budgets, meal and exercise plans for users,” the New York Times reported.

Google’s current PaLM 2-based chatbot – Google Bard is said to be prohibited from giving its users financial, medical and legal advice, but that may be changing as Google gradually develops new “personal” AI tools. always – plans can change.