Google’s Bard overcomes EU hurdles, expands territories and capabilities

The new features include hearing spoken responses, uploading images for prompts and utilizing the AI tool to analyze photos.

On July 13, Google said it had launched its Bard chatbot to users in the European Union and Brazil. This launch comes after the tech company overcame regulatory hurdles faced in the EU. The territory expansion also came with the unveiling of new features for the artificial intelligence (AI) tool.

In the company’s blog post, Google stated that this AI tool can now generate responses in over 40 languages, including Chinese, Hindi and Spanish. Additionally, new features would be introduced to Bard in specific regions, including the capability to hear spoken responses, upload images for prompts and utilize the AI tool to analyze photos.

Bard’s expansion marks its most significant growth since its launch in February. As a result, it now competes directly with ChatGPT, a rival supported by Microsoft.

Bard, which launched earlier this year in approximately 180 countries, has finally reached the EU after delays regarding compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation, according to the company.

Google’s senior product director, Jack Krawczyk, said the tech company engaged in highly productive discussions with privacy regulators in Europe. He emphasized that ongoing dialogue is anticipated to ensure the incorporation of transparency, choice and control as the development of the product progresses.

According to Krawczyk, Google will now provide users with explicit notifications regarding the usage and storage of their data and grant them the option to prevent the company’s employees from reviewing conversations. Importantly, these control options will be accessible worldwide, extending beyond the boundaries of the EU.

Related: Report: Meta to release commercial AI tools to rival Google, OpenAI

Chat services built on large language models have hit roadblocks in Europe due to existing data protection laws. OpenAI’s ChatGPT, for example, was temporarily shut down in Italy over related issues.

Google is facing a new class-action lawsuit in the United States, accusing the company of using users’ personal information inappropriately to train its artificial intelligence system.

However, the novelty may be diminishing as recent web user statistics indicate a decline in monthly traffic and unique visitors to ChatGPT’s website in June, marking the first decrease since its launch.

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