Google’s AI chatbot Bard is now also available in Germany and the European Union – and comes with functions that the competitor ChatGPT does not have.
Google has launched its AI text robot Bard in Germany and the EU. “Bard is now available in most countries around the world, including all European Union states and Brazil,” said Google executive Jack Krawczyk, who oversees Bard at the internet giant.
Bard’s biggest update to date also includes support for the most commonly spoken languages, including German, Arabic, Chinese, Hindi and Spanish. Previously, Bard was only available in English, Japanese, and Korean.
Google’s answer to ChatGPT
With Bard, Google is countering the success of the text robot ChatGPT from the start-up OpenAI. The competition in this segment is particularly relevant for Google, since OpenAI is supported by Microsoft. The tech giant is trying to break into areas like internet search and online advertising using ChatGPT. In addition, the AI functions are intended to secure Microsoft’s supremacy in the software market.
Originally, the AI service Bard was still blocked in Germany and the other EU member states when it started in mid-May. The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC), responsible for Google in Europe, has raised concerns about Bard’s compliance with the provisions of the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Krawczyk said Google was “proactive” in reaching out to experts, politicians and regulators during the expansion of the service. The company will take user criticism and ensure that their data is protected, he assured.
Bard with reading function and photo analysis
At the same time as the regional expansion, Google is also introducing new functions at Bard, Krawczyk said. The system can now read out the answers: “This is particularly helpful when you want to hear the correct pronunciation of a word or have a poem or script read out to you.”
This function is now available in German and in more than 40 other languages. In addition, you can also customize Bard’s responses to your own needs and set the tonality and style to various options. For example, you could ask Bard to help write an ad for an old chair. This function is only available in English for the time being, but will soon be expanded to other languages.
Photos can also be uploaded, which Bard can then analyze. This can provide inspiration for a text related to the image, for example, if you want to thank someone for a gift and let Bard help you formulate the thanks. This feature is currently available in English, but will be available in other languages soon.
Google’s Bard remains free for the time being
Google manager Krawczyk said in an interview with the dpa news agency that all Bard functions would continue to be offered free of charge. “Right now our focus is on making Bard as useful as possible for users, so we’re not focused on monetization at the moment.”
In contrast, the Google competitor OpenAI offers a paid subscription option called ChatGPT Plus for its service. For $20 a month, OpenAI offers improved availability during high demand, faster response time, and priority access to new features like the latest language models.