Sundar Pichai, chief executive of Alphabet, pitched Google’s new “AI Mode” in search at a media event last month. This is an important step toward bringing the power of artificial intelligence into users’ daily lives. You can find this shiny new feature in the Gemini chatbot. It’s designed to provide users a simple, engaging experience that comes close to the feel of talking to an expert.
Google started introducing this “AI Mode” into search earlier this year in May. That use of the Gemini chatbot is an example of what Pichai called a “new era of the AI platform shift.” The Bing Chatbot’s goal is to help users find what they need by providing the right information and improving their search experience.
In that testimony, Pichai highlighted the importance of promoting privacy while facilitating innovation. He added that tension is what AI development needs, and to navigate it you have to be both brave and stupid. In recent months, Alphabet has accelerated its investment into AI security. The step makes sense given the company’s financial investments in the race to create AI technologies.
Addressing recent concerns raised by Elon Musk regarding Google-owned DeepMind’s potential to create an AI “dictatorship,” Pichai reiterated that “no one company should own a technology as powerful as AI.” He understood the need for an open, diverse ecosystem of information, public domain, and technologies. This diversity is important for ensuring AI is developed and deployed ethically.
Pichai said that generative AI is especially helpful in the arts and creative writing. But at the same time, he warned, AI models are “prone to errors,” and we must all use these tools responsibly. He advised that individuals must “learn to use these tools for what they’re good at, and not blindly trust everything they say.”
In his testimony, Pichai underscored Google’s commitment to being transparent in AI. He focused on new Administration initiatives such as open-sourcing technology. Our AI-generated content detection technology is specifically designed to help you identify whether an image has been created by AI. This voluntary commitment is intended to promote transparency and accountability in the use of AI across all major platforms.
In light of these developments, Pichai stated, “So we are moving fast through this moment. I think our consumers are demanding it.” Given just how quickly the world of artificial intelligence is changing, Google has obvious incentive to rush to keep up. We continue to keep users safe and accurate as we make these changes.