“Google’s Bard Overcomes Regulatory Challenges, Unveils Enhanced Functions for EU and Brazil Users”
In a significant milestone, Google has successfully launched its chatbot, Bard, in the European Union and Brazil on July 13. Overcoming regulatory hurdles in the EU, the tech giant expanded the reach of Bard while also introducing exciting new features to the artificial intelligence (AI) tool.
According to a recent blog post by Google, Bard can now generate responses in more than 40 languages, including Chinese, Hindi, and Spanish. The company also announced region-specific additions to Bard’s capabilities, such as the ability to process spoken responses, upload images as prompts, and leverage AI technology for photo analysis.
This expansion marks Bard’s most significant growth since its debut in February, putting it in direct competition with ChatGPT, a rival backed by Microsoft.
After delays related to compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Bard has finally arrived in the EU. Google’s senior product director, Jack Krawczyk, highlighted productive discussions with privacy regulators in Europe and emphasized the ongoing commitment to transparency, choice, and user control during the product’s development.
To address privacy concerns, Google plans to provide explicit notifications to users regarding data usage and storage, along with the option to prevent company employees from reviewing conversations. These control measures will be available worldwide, extending beyond EU boundaries.
The European region has posed challenges for chat services built on large language models, with OpenAI’s ChatGPT facing temporary shutdowns in countries like Italy due to data protection issues.
In a separate development, Google is currently facing a class-action lawsuit in the United States, accusing the company of improper use of user data for training its AI system.
Meanwhile, recent web user statistics indicate a decline in monthly traffic and unique visitors to ChatGPT’s website in June, potentially indicating a waning novelty factor for the platform since its initial launch.