Google, the tech giant, recently launched its AI chatbot Bard, with the aim of simplifying complex topics and serving as a “launchpad for curiosity.” However, hours before the launch event in Paris, an inaccurate answer was spotted, causing a significant drop in Google’s shares and market value. In this article, we will discuss the details of the inaccurate answer, the impact on Google’s shares, and the company’s response to the situation.
The Inaccurate Answer from Bard
In the ad for Bard, the chatbot was given the prompt, “What new discoveries from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) can I tell my 9-year old about?” Bard responded with several answers, including one suggesting that the JWST took the first pictures of exoplanets outside the Earth’s solar system. However, this information was incorrect, as the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) captured the first images of exoplanets in 2004, as confirmed by NASA.
Impact on Google’s Shares
The inaccurate answer from Bard caused a significant drop in the value of Google’s shares, with shares of its parent company, Alphabet, falling 8% or $8.59 a share to $99.05. The error was seen as a major hiccup for Google, especially given that Microsoft had just announced plans to integrate its rival AI chatbot ChatGPT into its Bing search engine and other products, posing a major challenge to Google.
Google’s Response to the Situation
A Google spokesperson told Reuters that the situation highlights the importance of a rigorous testing process, and that the company is kicking off its Trusted Tester program this week. The spokesperson stated that the company would combine external feedback with its own internal testing to make sure Bard’s responses meet high standards for quality, safety, and accuracy.
Despite the error, senior executive Prabhakar Raghavan presented Bard as the future of the company at the Paris launch event, stating that by using generative AI, “the only limit to search will be your imagination.” However, some analysts have stated that Google may have rushed the announcement of Bard due to its recent efforts to catch up on search technology, leading to the embarrassing situation.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the inaccurate answer from Google’s AI chatbot Bard caused a significant drop in the company’s shares and market value. The situation highlights the importance of thorough testing and quality assurance in the development of AI technology. Despite the error, Google remains confident in the future of Bard and its potential to revolutionize the way people interact with information.
FAQs
What was the prompt given to Bard in the ad?
The prompt given to Bard in the ad was, “What new discoveries from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) can I tell my 9-year old about?”
What was the inaccurate answer from Bard?
Bard responded that the JWST took the first pictures of exoplanets outside the Earth’s solar system, which was incorrect as the first pictures were taken by the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) in 2004.
How did the inaccurate answer impact Google’s shares?
The inaccurate answer caused a significant drop in the value of Google’s shares, with shares of its parent company, Alphabet, falling 8% or $8.59 a share to $99.05.
What was Google’s response to the situation?
Google stated that the situation highlights the importance of a rigorous testing process and that the company is launching its Trusted Tester program to ensure the quality
