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During a recent promotional event, Google offered the world its bard first look, the tech giant’s attempt to oust the immensely popular AI chatbot, ChatGPT. And while this event was probably designed to generate buzz about Google’s foray into AI chat, it quickly became a public demonstration of what can go wrong with these mysterious AI-based chat services.
First reported by Reuters, Bard returned an incorrect answer., causing the Alphabet (GOOGL) stock price to drop by as much as 9% on the day of the demo. For many in the data community, this did not come as a surprise; this is why.
What’s wrong with Bard’s ad?
The problem: When asked what information could be shared with a 9-year-old about the impressive James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), Bard incorrectly chalked it up as “…used to take the first pictures of a planet outside the solar system from Earth.” This answer was quickly identified as incorrect, as the first images of a planet outside Earth’s solar system were taken in 2004 by the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (VLT).
What is Google Bard?
Google CEO Sundar Pichai calls Bard a “conversational AI service”. If that sounds familiar, chances are you’ve come across one of the many online influencers talking about ChatGPT in recent months.
Opinions vary widely on this AI breakthrough. Those in favor discuss revolutionary plans or share their enthusiasm for leveraging the chatbot to quickly grow a business. One of the most popular use cases for ChatGPT is the ability to automate repetitive tasks. On the other hand, critics have expressed erroneous views about its capabilities, thinking that chatbot functionality replaces human research and critical thinking. Google Bard will generate similar conversations.
What is LaMDA?
Google’s Bard is based on LaMDAa language model the company released in 2021, which in turn is based on the company’s popular open source neural network architecture, Transformer.
Interestingly, LaMDA was trained using dialogue, which allowed it to learn to respond to human conversations more naturally than previous language models. (If the name LaMDA sounds familiar, you may remember when a Google engineer thought LaMDA had become aware.)
Announced in May 2021, Google’s LaMDA debut was an opportunity to discuss the benefits of its model, with the announcement specifically focusing on the veracity of its responses. Two years later, during Bard’s announcement, reporters quickly discovered a factual error. What will this mean for Google’s implementation? We’ll have to wait and see.
How is Google Bard different from LaMDA?
Given how similar the two sound, some have asked, what makes this new product different? Google modestly claims that its new service adds the “breadth of the world’s knowledge” to LaMDA’s already impressive conversational skills. It also promises to enhance the model’s capabilities to offer more guidance and research than an ordinary chatbot. In short, Bard trusts LaMDA. LaMDA does not report to Bard.
Also note that Google plans to open the service up to developers via the Bard API hook, which makes it more exciting than a regular chatbot. And while users can already generate fluid conversations with LaMDA, Google Bard promises to elevate the conversation by including the same information the company provides with its ubiquitous Google search service.
Counterintuitively, Bard’s factual misstep shouldn’t undermine the promised value of this new service. Google search results never promised absolute accuracy. Search engines should always consider their sources. That fact remains, even with the launch of an awesome chatbot.
Ways to use Google Bard
Data scientists aren’t the only people excited to use Google Bard. Pichai imagines that this service will help anyone who uses Google. Her or his promise? Bard simplifies complex topics. Consider the following use cases:
Find simple answers to complex questions
Imagine that you want to take a vacation. Google’s existing search easily answers questions when you know where you want to go and helps you find prices for specific dates. But Pichai likens this new chatbot to a conversation with a friend.
You should be able to start a conversation about a project at work, break down a complex research paper into the most important points, and then ask for recommendations on how to apply those points in the coming weeks.
Bard could also increase sales team training, offer dinner recommendations when hosting a picky eater, and talk about the best parts of the latest Marvel movie. Google already deploys AI to augment its products, but this process will expand as the new chatbot evolves. All this, and you never have to leave your familiar search engine.
Automate routine tasks
Google already integrates with marketplaces, allowing you to buy products and make reservations right from its interface. Google Bard might allow you to do this through a conversation. Alexa could start your Spotify playlist, but imagine working in tandem with an AI to curate the soundtrack for your next road trip as you drive to work.
Join a community conversation
Social media often encourages online discussions, rewards controversial takes, and gives trolls additional exposure. This led to many popular platforms leaving the 2010 era. Google Bard could curate conversations for niche communities, connecting curious minds while filtering out hate speech and misinformation.
Potential dangers when using Google Bard
Unsurprisingly, this new chatbot has garnered a lot of attention, at least in part, due to its vast potential for applications. It’s just as exciting for a board game fanatic as it is for a project manager. Pichai omits some important points in his press releases, and these were made more apparent with the recent misattribution of an extraordinary space photograph. Here are some more points to consider.
Chatbots don’t have to tell the truth
Popular chat agents like ChatGPT have a built-in ethics guide. For example, you should not make off-color jokes or deliberately try to mislead him. But that’s not always the case with AI chat systems.
Take a look at this recent study on the use of AI in the Diplomacy board game, which focused on the ability to negotiate and form alliances. The study also emphasized the use of sanctions for any party that breaks a promise. It’s encouraging to see teams focused on developing AI strategies that promote trusted communication, but consider what that means for unsuspecting data scientists.
The more we progress with chatbot technology, the more we need to consider the motivation of those who provide the service. In situations where negotiations are taking place (financial services, trading, salary negotiations), a chatbot can deliberately mislead the user.
Machine learning does not deny bias
The data science community is already well aware of the biases in machine learning. Like their human counterparts, conversational chatbots often display confirmation bias and bias bias. No doubt Google Bard will be responsible for some of these issues, but we should anticipate crashes of the latest third-party apps when they are released.
And while Google employs some of the best data scientists in the world, the tech giant is not without its flaws. Recall the ethics researcher who raised some inconvenient questions? He expressed concern about environmental costs, inscrutable models, misdirected research efforts, and the potential to spread misinformation.
All data sets are faulty
At their core, chatbots are based on Natural Language Processing (NLP) models. But no data set represents the whole truth. Deep learning can help provide more natural responses to listeners, and hopefully alleviate some of the limitations of your data set. But despite what your favorite influencer may say, no chatbot is God.
TO george box quote, “. . . there is no need to ask the question ‘Is the model true?’. If the ‘truth’ is to be ‘the whole truth’, the answer must be ‘No’. The only question of interest is ‘Is the model enlightening and useful?’”.
How to access Google Bard
Google has made Bard available to “trusted testers,” but the company promises a wider release in a few weeks. That means developers should have access to Google’s light version before the snow melts in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
What does that mean for Google Search updates? We’ll have to wait and see. Google already uses AI to improve visual search results. I hope to see many changes this year and next. I look forward to exploring the potential of Bard as a business tool.
How can I get started with data science for Bard?
If you want to get started with data science, we ranked some of our favorite courses. These vary in depth and scope, so be sure to find the option that suits your skill level. Those considering a career change may want to consider learning the industry from scratch, although many people choose to learn a programming language like Python as their entry point into the field.
Learn data science from scratch
All beginners should become familiar with mathematics, specifically statistics for data science. These skills serve the scientist in programming, data evaluation, data storytelling, and most other parts of the job. Determining the relevance of a data trend relies on understanding statistical significance as a starting point.
Learn to Code as a Data Scientist
Data science covers a variety of functions for a business, which is why data scientists learn multiple languages. Popular skills include Python, R, Hadoop, SQL, and Apache Spark. For a deeper dive into the topic, we also discuss how to learn data science.
Implementing AI like a professional
For professionals interested in applying machine learning, natural language processing, and other modern techniques in their own fields, see Stanford Artificial Intelligence Professional Program.
concluding thoughts
If you’re excited about Google Bard, you’re not alone. If you’re nervous, scared, or confused, you’re not alone. Data enthusiasts understand how the chatbot provides its advice, and we can expect similar failures from any technology based on large language models in the future.
Jim Markus He runs Hackr.io and a portfolio of sites at VentureKite. She hosted Frugal Living, a popular finance podcast, and co-created The Ink & Blood Dueling Society, a theater writing event that appeared at conventions across the United States. He is also an award winning game designer.
