Google, one of the world’s most well-known tech companies, was recently dealt a setback when its AI chatbot Bard faltered during an advertising. The incident prompted concerns about AI’s dependability and accuracy, as well as its impact on a company’s reputation.
The advertisement was intended to highlight Bard’s capacity to resolve inquiries in real time. A user asks Bard in the demo (which Google uploaded on Twitter) – “What new discoveries from the James Webb Space Telescope can I tell my 9 year old about?”.
The chatbot failed to provide a correct answer. Bard responds with a list of bullet points, one of which says: “JWST took the very first pictures of a planet outside of our own solar system.” According to NASA, the first photograph of an exoplanet – or any planet beyond our solar system – was acquired nearly two decades ago, in 2004, by the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope. This situation raises concerns about Bard’s ability to manage complex requests and provide solid service.
The video rapidly went viral on social media, sparking a stir among many who have expressed reservations about AI technology. This resulted in a dramatic drop in Google’s parent company stock price, with the business losing more than $100 billion in market worth.
Google has since posted a statement apologizing for the error and promising to work on improving Bard. The company has pledged to investing more in training and development in the future to ensure that the chatbot provides dependable and accurate client support.
Author: Agata Konieczna
Credits: Image by rawpixel.com on Freepik
