Google Bard Update and Elon Musk’s Thoughts on AI Consciousness: 5 Highlights You May Have Missed
As the global discussion on the pros and cons of Artificial Intelligence (AI) persists, progress in this field continues to accelerate. Google has recently unveiled a range of fresh capabilities for its generative AI system, Google Bard, which now possesses the capability to vocalize its responses. Additionally, the AI chatbot is now accessible in the European Union. In a separate development, Elon Musk shared his perspective on the consciousness of AI.
All this and more in our roundup of five big AI things you might have missed today.
1. Google Bard gets new features
In a blog post, Google announced new additions to the generative AI chatbot Bard. Starting today, users can collaborate with Bard in more than 40 languages, including Arabic, Chinese, German, Hindi, and Spanish. In addition, it is now available in more locations, including Brazil and Europe. In addition to this, you can now also listen to Bard’s answers, as the feature is available in more than 40 languages.
2. Artificial intelligence robots can help fight loneliness
Researchers at the University of Auckland have developed companion robots powered by artificial intelligence that can help alleviate loneliness. In a newly published study, researchers revealed that AI companion robots can help reduce stress and loneliness by providing companionship, which currently plagues about a third of the world’s population. This can be especially beneficial for the elderly as these robots can help them stay active in their homes.
Professor Elizabeth Broadbent, from the University of Auckland’s Waipapa Taumata Rau Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, said: “Artificial intelligence offers exciting opportunities to give companion robots better skills for social connection. But we need to be careful when we build the rules to ensure they are moral and trustworthy.”
3. Can artificial intelligence become conscious? Elon Musk has the answer
MIT researcher Lex Friedman asked Elon Musk when he announced the formation of xAI if artificial intelligence could become conscious. Musk replied: “I often wonder where consciousness begins as we progress from one cell to ~35 trillion cells. If the Standard Model is correct, quarks and leptons become ‘conscious’ no later than ~13.8 billion years from the beginning, assuming no sentient aliens.” Btw, where are the aliens!?”
4. Google Project Tailwind was revealed as NotebookLM
Google first introduced Project Tailwind at Google I/O 2023 in May. Google has announced NotebookLM, an “AI-first notebook” that aims to help students improve their organizational skills and stay on top of their academic activities. Unlike ChatGPT, which relies on massive data sets, NotebookLM takes data from an individual’s specific data set, the company revealed in a blog post. In a process known as “source grounding,” the chatbot selectively retrieves information exclusively from its personal data to ensure that responses are directly relevant.
5. China issues temporary rules for generative artificial intelligence
To keep the booming artificial intelligence industry in check, China has issued interim guidelines on the use of generative artificial intelligence, according to a Reuters report. The guidelines were originally drawn up three months ago, but this latest draft takes a softer approach, with regulators seeking to “support the development of the technology”. The rules, which Beijing classifies as “temporary”, will take effect on August 15.
