Teens now have the opportunity to utilize Google’s conversational AI assistant, Bard, in the majority of countries globally, as per the recent announcement by the company in a blog post. To create and maintain their personal Google accounts in these regions, users must meet the minimum age requirement, typically ranging between 14 and 16 years old. Initially, Bard will only be accessible in English, with plans to incorporate additional languages in the future.
This announcement follows Google’s recent introduction of access to its AI-powered search intelligence, known as SGE, for teens participating in the company’s Search Labs program.
Google, in its blog posts regarding both Bard and SGE, emphasizes its commitment to reliability as it expands the availability of these advanced AI tools to a wider audience. Despite the numerous benefits promised by generative AI in various fields such as travel planning, event organization, business research, and education, there are potential pitfalls associated with this technology.
One notable concern highlighted in the Bard article is the tendency of conceptual AI to generate hallucinations, where AI chatbots utilizing large language models may produce inaccurate or nonsensical responses. To address this, the platform will employ a double-check response feature to verify the accuracy of Bard’s answers when users pose factual queries. Additionally, teenagers will be encouraged to utilize this feature regularly, with the system activating it upon the user’s second factual inquiry.
The landscape of AI chatbots and generative AI has rapidly evolved since the public release of OpenAI’s ChatGPT services a year ago. In response to the growing significance of AI safety practices, Google, alongside Microsoft and other top AI companies, established the Frontier Model Forum in July, aimed at promoting responsible AI use and identifying best safety procedures.
Google’s commitment to protecting teenagers is evident in the implementation of quality safeguards within the SGE platform, as outlined in a September post. These safeguards are designed to prevent the surfacing of inappropriate or harmful content, particularly content involving age-restricted substances or abuse. Google continues to collaborate with researchers to enhance the platform’s responsiveness and further safeguard teenage users.
Users can manage the Search Generative Experience within Google Search Labs, enabling or disabling SGE in both research and browsing modes. Google recently enhanced its Search Generative Experience by updating the Google App and Chrome web browser, introducing features like word definitions and webpage summaries.
Moreover, Google expanded Bard’s capabilities by integrating them into the Google Assistant service in October, further enhancing the user experience with AI-powered assistance.
