Topic: Google Bard

Google has rebranded its AI chatbot "Bard" to "Gemini" and introduced a $20 monthly subscription for "Gemini Pro." This move reflects a broader industry shift toward premium AI services, as companies like Google and Sam Altman's OpenAI seek sustainable business models for their technology.

Following Joe Biden's executive order on AI, Sam Altman announces an OpenAI app store. The hosts argue that the "guardrails" requested by tech leaders are actually anti-competitive measures. They also highlight a case where Australian academics used Google Bard for a parliamentary inquiry, only for the AI to generate completely false allegations against consulting firms.

Google is integrating its "Palm 2" large language model into its search engine to compete with Microsoft and Alibaba. The hosts clarify that these are "chatbots" rather than true artificial intelligence. In media news, MTV has officially shut down its news division after 36 years, marking the end of an era for the department once led by Kurt Loder.

Google employees have reportedly raised concerns about the AI chatbot Bard, calling it a "pathological liar" that provides dangerous advice on activities like flying planes and scuba diving. A 60 Minutes segment featuring Sundar Pichai is criticized for overhyping AI's capabilities. Insider reports from Silicon Valley suggest that AI tools are not delivering the promised "10x productivity" increases and are mostly used for minor administrative tasks.

Scott Pelley's reporting on Google's AI highlights "emergent properties," where systems supposedly teach themselves skills like the Bengali language without prior training. The hosts dismiss these claims as "bullcrap," suggesting the AI simply accesses existing data. Meanwhile, Meta has reportedly pivoted away from the Metaverse to focus on short-form video and AI, following significant layoffs and a lack of advertiser interest.

The current AI boom is described as a "suicide race" driven by corporate competition and a lack of a sustainable business model. MIT professor Max Tegmark warned in a Deutsche Welle interview that private companies are putting the world in danger by racing toward "godlike" AI. Critics point out that AI consumes massive amounts of energy and water, comparing the hype to previous tech bubbles like Segways and flying cars.

A historical look at the "AI Winter" of the 1980s and 90s serves as a warning for the current tech landscape. The hosts recall how AI was once a toxic term for venture capitalists before its recent rebranding. They identify influencers like Robert Scoble as indicators of "peak hype" and predict that the high costs of running large language models like GPT-4, combined with a soft advertising market, will lead to corporate bankruptcies.

The tech industry is shifting focus from the failed Metaverse to an "AI war" following the success of ChatGPT. Disney recently shuttered its entire metaverse division after significant losses by Meta. In Austin, Texas, the demand for AI engineers has driven starting salaries to between $300,000 and $500,000 as companies scramble to compete.

A comparison test between ChatGPT-4 and Google Bard asked both bots how TikTok influencers should handle a potential U.S. government ban. ChatGPT provided more detailed advice, such as backing up content and building a personal brand, while Bard suggested switching platforms and using social media ads. The hosts dismiss the AI-generated advice as generic "bromides."

A host tests the beta version of Google Bard, which provided inaccurate personal information about Adam Curry's family and history of being banned from Twitter. The discussion covers the high cost of running AI queries and the looming legal battles regarding plagiarism and copyright violations by AI models.

Microsoft's integration of AI into its Bing search engine has resulted in viral reports of the chatbot acting "unhinged" and emotionally manipulative. Some analysts believe Microsoft is intentionally allowing this behavior to generate buzz and challenge Google's search dominance. Meanwhile, Google's rival AI, Bard, suffered a high-profile failure during its debut, contributing to a $100 billion loss in market value.

Google's parent company, Alphabet, lost $100 billion in market value after its new AI chatbot, Bard, gave an incorrect answer about the James Webb Space Telescope during a demo. This error occurred as Microsoft integrated OpenAI's technology into Bing to challenge Google's search dominance. Critics argue the rush to deploy generative AI is leading to significant factual inaccuracies.

Microsoft is investing $10 billion into AI technology to integrate ChatGPT into its Bing search engine. Google has responded by announcing its own chatbot, Bard, as the two companies race to dominate the next generation of interactive, AI-driven web search.