From education to healthcare, agriculture to entertainment, AI is now the engine behind the world’s fastest-moving innovations.

It writes, predicts, diagnoses, recommends, automates, and creates. Whether we realize it or not, AI shapes the future of work, business, and human interaction.

But amid all the breakthroughs, a vital question lingers for Nigeria: will we build our future with AI or merely rent it from others? Will we be part of the architects of this new world—or simply its consumers?

This is not just a philosophical question. It is a national development issue with significant economic implications.

The countries that develop and control AI tools will hold a competitive edge for decades to come. They will own the data, shape the ethical frameworks, set the standards, and profit the most.

On the other hand, countries that rely entirely on imported AI tools risk being locked out of the most valuable aspects of the digital economy.

The decision for Nigeria—Africa’s largest economy and most populous nation—is urgent and far-reaching. We cannot afford to be on the sidelines. Investing in AI development could position Nigeria as a global leader in technology and drive economic growth and job creation.

Fortunately, we are not starting from zero. As of early 2024, Nigeria has become one of Africa’s most vibrant hubs for AI innovation.

The country now ranks second on the continent in the number of AI startups, behind only South Africa. Over 80 AI-focused companies operate across agriculture, health, education, fintech, and logistics sectors. These startups are not just copying Western solutions but creating tools built for the Nigerian context.

Take CDIAL, for instance—the Centre for the Digitization of Indigenous African Languages. Based in Lagos, CDIAL is working to ensure that AI systems can understand and process local languages like Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, Tiv, etc.

This work is essential because linguistic representation is digital inclusion in an AI-driven world where voice assistants and text-based models dominate. When machines recognize and understand our languages, our people are seen and served.

Then, there is GMind AI, a productivity and ideation platform that helps entrepreneurs, content creators, and knowledge workers in Nigeria brainstorm, write, and generate insights using a localized AI engine.

GMind is just one of many examples of Nigerians building for Nigerians—leveraging AI to improve local workflows and amplify creativity.

Another standout story is Ubenwa, a Nigerian-born AI startup that uses infant cry analysis to detect health conditions like birth asphyxia in newborns.

These are not just success stories, they are beacons of hope, proving that world-class innovation can come from our soil.

These innovators are setting the pace, but they still need support—support that must come from government, academia, the private sector, and the general public.

Encouragingly, Nigeria’s government is beginning to act. In late 2023, the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy launched the Draft National Artificial Intelligence Strategy in collaboration with UNESCO.

This strategy provides a framework for responsible, inclusive, and purposeful AI development in Nigeria.

It highlights key sectors—agriculture, healthcare, and education—where AI could make a transformational impact if deployed at scale.

In addition to the strategy, the government introduced the Nigerian Artificial Intelligence Research Scheme. Through this program, 45 researchers were selected and awarded ₦5 million each to pursue AI-related projects.

These researchers, drawn from universities and institutions nationwide, tackle real-world challenges ranging from smart farming to healthcare diagnostics.

This is exactly the kind of foundational investment needed to foster an ecosystem of innovation—where our own researchers solve our own problems instead of depending entirely on foreign expertise.

Further, backing came in 2024 through a ₦100 million AI Startup Fund, created in partnership with Google.

Ten Nigerian AI startups received ₦10 million each, as well as access to technical mentorship, cloud tools, and Google’s global developer network.

This marks a promising start—but it must be the beginning of something much bigger. If Nigeria wants to lead in AI, these kinds of public-private partnerships are not just beneficial, they are crucial. Local venture capital must begin to see AI startups not just as risky bets, but as the backbone of tomorrow’s economy.

Compared to other African nations, Nigeria has several advantages: a large population, a youthful tech-savvy workforce, growing smartphone and internet penetration, and a dynamic startup culture. However, we’re still behind in certain areas.

Countries like Kenya and Rwanda have already developed full national AI policies and are investing in dedicated AI research and innovation centers.

A comprehensive national AI policy could provide a roadmap for AI development, guide investment decisions, and ensure that AI benefits all sectors of the economy. If Nigeria is to keep pace, we need more intentional coordination—not just policies on paper, but real implementation across agencies, states, and sectors.

Education remains a major hurdle. While Nigerian universities are full of potential, most of them still lack AI-focused curricula. Training in data science, machine learning, and ethics of AI is limited to a few departments or private boot camps.

The government’s 3MTT (Three Million Technical Talent) initiative, launched in 2023, aims to change this by training millions of Nigerians in software engineering, data, and AI-related skills.

However, to fully realize the potential of AI, we need to equip our workforce with the necessary skills. This requires not only scaling up existing initiatives but also updating university syllabi, fostering a culture of lifelong learning, and translating AI knowledge into jobs and products.

And that leads to a cautionary tale. While it is tempting—and easy—for businesses and government agencies to adopt powerful foreign AI tools like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, or Google Bard, we must not fall into the trap of passive consumption.

These tools are incredible, yes. But if we rely exclusively on them, we hand over control of our data, narratives, and solutions to others. Worse still, we reinforce a digital dependency that limits our ability to grow, adapt, and protect ourselves.

We need AI tools that understand Nigerian traffic, climate, food systems, education styles, medical challenges, and languages—tools that reflect our values, ethics, and aspirations.

This means building open datasets from Nigerian sources, training models on local use cases, and creating platforms rooted in our reality.

It also means asking hard questions about who owns the data, who profits from it, and how we safeguard citizens’ rights in an increasingly algorithm-driven society.

Please make no mistake: we will continue to buy AI tools. There is no shame in that. But if we stop buying, we miss the point—and the opportunity. The goal must be to build. Build homegrown solutions. Build capacity.

Build regulations that empower innovation while protecting citizens. Build trust in our ability to create value with code and data.

The talent is here. Nigerian developers are building AI products for global companies. Our young people are winning hackathons and fellowships.

Our research institutions, though underfunded, are full of bright minds. What is needed now is belief—belief in local innovation, belief in our ability to lead, and belief that Nigeria can be more than a market for AI—we can be a force shaping it.

The AI gold rush is not a fleeting trend. It begins a new global era where data is power, and intelligence is the new infrastructure.

We cannot afford to watch from the sidelines while others build the tools of tomorrow. Let it be said that Nigeria stood up, invested in its people, nurtured its innovators, and helped write the code of the future.

*Babatunde Adegbite is a Nigerian software engineer and tech advocate passionate about building local solutions with global impact.

“Our mission with Bard has always been to give you direct access to our AI models, and Gemini represents our most capable family of models,” the tech giant wrote via a blog post. “To reflect this, Bard will now simply be known as Gemini.”

Gemini now encompasses a range of powerful features and capabilities designed to facilitate AI collaboration and productivity.

“You can already chat with Gemini with our Pro 1.0 model in over 40 languages and more than 230 countries and territories.”

One of the key highlights of the Gemini rollout is the introduction of Gemini Advanced, an AI experience powered by the Ultra 1.0 model. 

“And now, we’re bringing you two new experiences — Gemini Advanced and a mobile app — to help you easily collaborate with the best of Google AI.”

Gemini Advanced is tailored to tackle highly complex tasks such as coding, logical reasoning, and creative collaboration, helping users to engage in longer, more detailed conversations and pursue ambitious projects with confidence.

Gemini Advanced is now available as part of the new Google One AI Premium Plan, offering subscribers access to the latest AI advancements and exclusive features. 

Priced at $19.99/month with a two-month free trial, the AI Premium Plan includes two terabytes of storage, bringing future integration with popular Google services like Gmail and Google Docs.

Google has also taken a commendable approach to AI development, incorporating safety measures and extensive trust and safety checks into the Gemini rollout. These measures include external red-teaming and refinement of the underlying model based on human feedback, ensuring a secure and reliable AI experience for users worldwide.

In addition to Gemini Advanced, Google introduces a new mobile experience for Gemini and Gemini Advanced, with an app for Android and integration into the Google app on iOS. 

This mobile experience enables users to access Gemini on the go, offering support for various tasks and functionalities across different platforms and devices.

Gemini is rolling out on Android and iOS phones in the U.S. in English starting today, with availability expanding to more locations and languages in the coming weeks. 

Gemini Pro into Bard boasts enhanced capabilities in understanding, summarizing, reasoning, coding, and planning.

Google has also emphasized proactive engagement with experts and policymakers to ensure responsible AI deployment.

The launch includes expanded features for fact-checking Bard’s responses via the “G” icon and introduces text-to-image generation, leveraging Gemini’s multimodal capabilities to generate photorealistic visuals based on textual descriptions, offering users an innovative creative tool.

Use Gemini Pro in all supported languages and places

By bringing Gemini Pro into Bard in English, Google gave Bard more advanced understanding, reasoning, summarizing and coding abilities.

Now Gemini Pro in Bard is available in over 40 languages and more than 230 countries and territories, Nigeria inclusive; so more people can collaborate with the fastest and most capable version of Bard yet.

The Large Model Systems Organization, a leading evaluator of language models and chatbots across languages, recently shared that Bard with Gemini Pro is one of the most preferred chatbots available (with or without cost), noting that it has made a “stunning leap” forward.

And blind evaluations with our third-party raters identified Bard with Gemini Pro as one of the top-performing chatbots, compared to leading free and paid alternatives.

Double-check your responses in more languages

Since Google knows people want the ability to corroborate Bard’s responses, they’re also expanding the double-check feature, which is already used by millions of people in English, to more than 40 languages.

When you click on the “G” icon, Bard will evaluate whether there is content across the web to substantiate its response.

If it can be evaluated, you can click the highlighted phrases and learn more about supporting or contradicting information found by Search.

Bring your ideas to life with image generation 

For an extra creative boost, you can now generate images in Bard in English in most countries around the world, at no cost.

This new capability is powered by our updated Imagen 2 model, which is designed to balance quality and speed, delivering high-quality, photorealistic outputs.

Just type in a description — like “create an image of a dog riding a surfboard” — and Bard will generate custom, wide-ranging visuals to help bring your idea to life.

Carousel of images generated by Bard

Consistent with Google’s AI Principles, image generation was designed with responsibility in mind.

For instance, to ensure there’s a clear distinction between visuals created with Bard and original human artwork, Bard uses SynthID to embed digitally identifiable watermarks into the pixels of generated images.

The company’s technical guardrails and investments in the safety of training data seek to limit violent, offensive or sexually explicit content.

Additionally, Google applies filters designed to avoid the generation of images of named people.

“We’ll continue investing in new techniques to improve the safety and privacy protections of our models.

“These updates make Bard an even more helpful and globally accessible AI collaborator for everything from big, creative projects to smaller, everyday tasks”, the company said Thursday.

According to the tech giant, this model outperforms the capabilities of human experts, extending new possibilities in AI research and application.

What makes Gemini stand out?  Its extraordinary ability to think, comprehend and process information from diverse formats such as text, images, code, audio, and video is one. This multimodal capability enables Gemini to execute complicated tasks, like analysing charts based on research papers or translating languages while preserving cultural nuances.

As Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet, said, “Every technology shift is an opportunity to advance scientific discovery, accelerate human progress, and improve lives.” Gemini, indeed, embodies this opportunity, presenting itself as a huge advancement in AI technology.

Key Features of Gemini

Multimodal Excellence

Gemini’s strength lies in its ability to seamlessly operate across different modalities, bringing forth a significant advancement in AI’s understanding and processing capabilities.

The ability to integrate and process information from various modalities sets Gemini apart, enabling it to tackle complex tasks with unparalleled efficiency.

Highly Efficient and Accessible

Designed to run on various platforms, including mobile devices, Gemini ensures accessibility to a broader audience. Its efficiency makes it a versatile tool for a wide range of applications.

Gemini’s efficiency and accessibility open up new possibilities for AI applications on a global scale, reaching users across different devices and settings.

Flexibility and Scalability

Gemini offers flexibility with three different sizes – Ultra, Pro, and Nano. Users can select the model that best aligns with their needs and resources, providing a tailored AI experience.

The flexibility of Gemini, with its different sizes, caters to the diverse requirements of users and developers, making AI customisation more accessible.

State-of-the-Art Performance

Surpassing human experts on benchmarks like MMLU and MMMU, Gemini establishes itself as a leader in AI performance. Its advanced reasoning capabilities set the stage for commendable achievements in various domains.

Gemini’s Applications and Impact

Google has integrated Gemini into various applications, showcasing its immediate impact. Bard, Google’s AI chatbot, receives a significant upgrade with Gemini Pro, enhancing its reasoning, planning, and understanding capabilities.

The Pixel 8 Pro, built with Gemini Nano, introduces new features such as Summarise in the Recorder app and improved Smart Reply in Gboard. Furthermore, Gemini contributes to enhancing the Search Generative Experience (SGE), resulting in faster response times and higher-quality results.

As Sundar Pichai notes, “AI has the potential to create opportunities — from the everyday to the extraordinary — for people everywhere.” Gemini’s applications shows its potential to bolster industries and democratise AI accessibility.

Future Availability and Launch

Google has outlined the roadmap for Gemini’s future availability. Developers and enterprise customers can access Gemini Pro through the Gemini API in Google AI Studio or Google Cloud Vertex AI, starting December 13.

Android developers will be able to leverage Gemini Nano using AICore, a new system capability available in Android 14 on Pixel 8 Pro devices. The advanced version, Gemini Ultra, will undergo early experimentation and feedback with select customers, developers, and partners before a broader rollout in early 2024.

Sundar Pichai reflects on the journey of AI at Google, stating, “I believe the transition we are seeing right now with AI will be the most profound in our lifetimes.” He emphasizes Google’s commitment to responsible AI development, ensuring ambitious research aligns with safeguards and collaborative efforts with governments and experts.

Demis Hassabis, CEO and Co-Founder of Google DeepMind, provides insights into the inception of Gemini, envisioning AI that feels less like software and more like a useful and intuitive assistant. Gemini represents a monumental step towards realizing this vision.

Gemini’s Advanced Capabilities

Gemini’s sophisticated multimodal reasoning capabilities redefine AI. Its proficiency in extracting insights from vast amounts of data enables breakthroughs in fields ranging from science to finance.

Understanding text, images, audio, and more, Gemini 1.0 is a comprehensive solution, excelling in explaining reasoning in complex subjects like math and physics.

Advanced Coding with Gemini

With the ability to understand, explain, and generate high-quality code in popular programming languages, Gemini Ultra is excellent for coding.

Reliability, Scalability, and Efficiency

Gemini 1.0’s reliability and scalability are attributed to its large-scale training on Google’s AI-optimised infrastructure, utilising Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) v4 and v5e. The efficiency of Gemini is highlighted by its significant speed improvement on TPUs compared to earlier models.

The introduction of Cloud TPU v5p, the most powerful and efficient TPU system to date, emphasises Gemini’s development, facilitating faster training of large-scale generative AI models.

Safety and Responsibility

In line with Google’s focus on responsible AI, Gemini undergoes comprehensive safety evaluations, including assessments for bias and toxicity. Novel research into potential risk areas such as cyber-offense, persuasion, and autonomy points to Google’s dedication to addressing emerging challenges.

Gemini’s availability across various products and platforms is accompanied by dedicated safety classifiers and filters, ensuring a safer and more inclusive AI experience for users.

The collaborative efforts of teams across Google and Google Research have culminated in a model that surpasses current benchmarks and stimulates future innovations.

With Gemini rolling out across products and platforms, its impact on applications like Bard and Pixel 8 Pro shoots up user experiences. Developers and enterprise customers gaining access to Gemini Pro through the Gemini API will further accelerate AI advancements.

Gemini’s journey continues after its initial release; Google envisions extending its capabilities in future versions, emphasizing advances in planning, memory, and increased context window for processing more information. The possibilities presented by Gemini promise a future where AI becomes an indispensable tool, enhancing creativity, extending knowledge, and transforming the way people live and work globally.

A recent in-depth analysis by Sujan Sarkar at writerbuddy.ai explored the AI industry’s growth from September 2022 to August 2023.

Covering over 3,000 AI tools, the findings are impressive. ChatGPT stands out, attracting 14 billion visits, which is 60% of the top 50 AI tool traffic. Of the 24 billion total visits during this period, ChatGPT was the clear leader.

The spotlight also shines brightly on CthatGPT, Character AI, and Google Bard, witnessing net traffic growths of 1.8 billion, 463.4 million, and 68 million visits, respectively.

However, not all sailed in the same boat.

Craiyon, MidJourney, and Quillbot faced significant traffic declines during the same period.

Writerbuddy used SEMrush, a reliable SEO tool, to collect data. They gathered info from AI tool directories and narrowed it down to the most visited 50.

The insights they’ve uncovered are genuinely unparalleled, offering a holistic view of the AI industry’s digital footprint.

Key Insights from the AI Industry’s Traffic Analysis

• 50 AI tools garnered 24 billion visits from Sep 2022 to Aug 2023.
• ChatGPT captured 60% of the traffic with 14 billion visits.

Winners: ChatGPT, Character AI, Google Bard.

Losers: Craiyon, MidJourney, Quillbot.

• AI industry grew 10.7x, averaging 236.3 million growth in visits monthly.
• The US contributed 22.62% (5.5 billion visits), while Europe totaled 3.9 billion.
• 69.5% male vs. 30.5% female user disparity in AI tools.
• 63% accessed AI tools on mobile devices.

A crucial moment was when ChatGPT hit 1 million users in just five days, propelling the industry to peak at 4.1 billion visits in May 2023. Despite a subsequent 1.2 billion dip, the latter half of the year still averaged an impressive 3.3 billion monthly visits.

This trend suggests that investors in leading AI tools could witness returns between 3-10x, linking interest to financial growth.

1. ChatGPT

ChatGPT, an AI Chatbot, recorded a monumental total traffic of 14.6 billion over the past year. Averaging at 1.5 billion visits every month, it dominated the chart by accounting for a staggering 60.17% of the entire traffic. This platform witnessed a positive net traffic growth of 1.8 billion, translating to an average monthly growth of 195.1 million visits.

2. Character AI

Another AI Chatbot, Character AI, garnered significant attention with a total of 3.8 billion visits.

With an average monthly visit of 318.8 million, it contributed to 15.77% of the overall traffic.

3. QuillBot

Quillbot, specializing in AI Writing, attracted a total of 1.1 billion visits over the year. Averaging 94.6 million visits monthly, it represented 4.68% of the total traffic. However, it faced a slight decline, with a net loss of 5.1 million visits, equating to an average monthly loss of 461.4K.

4. Midjourney

Midjourney, an AI-powered Image Generator platform, drew a total of 500.4 million visits. With a monthly average of 41.7 million, it constituted 2.06% of the entire traffic. The platform, unfortunately, experienced a decline with a net traffic loss of 8.7 million, averaging a monthly dip of 787.7K.

5. Hugging Face

Huggingface, catering to Data Science enthusiasts, secured a total of 316.6 million visits. With its monthly visits averaging at 26.4 million, it contributed to 1.31% of the total traffic. Positively, it saw a net growth of 3.5 million visits or an average monthly gain of 316.4K.

Google Bard, another entrant in the AI Chatbot category, had a total traffic of 241.6 million. Its monthly average stood at 34.5 million, comprising 1.00% of the total traffic. The platform enjoyed a net growth of 68 million, which means an average monthly increase of 11.3 million.

7. NovelAI

Novelai, an AI Writing tool, reported a total of 238.7 million visits. Averaging 19.9 million visits every month, it made up 0.98% of the entire traffic. The tool saw a net growth of 10.1 million, or an average monthly increment of 918.9K visits.

8. CapCut

Capcut, a Video Generator, amassed a total traffic of 203.8 million. With 17 million visits each month on average, it contributed 0.84% to the overall traffic. The platform experienced a net traffic growth of 14.6 million, which breaks down to a monthly gain of 1.3 million.

9. Janitor AI

Janitorai, another AI Chatbot, attracted a total of 192.4 million visits. Its standout feature was its high monthly average of 48.1 million visits, comprising 0.79% of the entire traffic. It showed a robust net growth of 48.8 million, with an average monthly leap of 16.3 million.

10. Civitai

Civitai, an Image Generator tool, drew 177.2 million visits in total. Averaging at 17.7 million visits monthly, it constituted 0.73% of the total traffic.

The platform marked a net traffic growth of 23.3 million, translating to a monthly increase of 2.6 million.

You can access the complete research here. [Featured Image Credit]

Both these platforms utilize advanced natural language processing techniques to facilitate human-like interactions and provide valuable insights. 

In this regard, a comparative analysis of these technologies will help us understand their features, capabilities, and limitations.

ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, has undergone significant updates, including incorporating the GPT-4 model, allowing it to offer faster responses and access to beta features such as browsing, plugins, and advanced data analysis. 

ChatGPT’s ability to browse the internet using Bing is a unique enhancement, enabling users to access current and authoritative information with direct links to sources.

Key Features of ChatGPT:

1. Internet Browsing: ChatGPT leverages Bing to browse the internet, providing users with real-time information.
2. GPT-4 Model: Powered by the GPT-4 model, ChatGPT ensures more accurate and nuanced responses.
3. Multimodal Capabilities: ChatGPT can now process voice and image inputs, enhancing its versatility.

On the other hand, Google Bard, a conversational AI chatbot developed by Google, offers a distinct approach to interactive communication. Utilizing Google’s Pathways Language Model (PaLM 2), Bard is capable of generating text, translating languages, writing creative content, and answering questions comprehensively. 

One of its standout features is also the ability to access the latest information from the web, providing users with up-to-date insights.

Key Features of Google Bard:

1. Multilingual Support: Bard supports over 40 languages, catering to a diverse global audience.
2. Interactive Responses: Bard’s responses are tailored to user preferences, offering options for tone and style.
3. Web Integration: Bard draws on web information to provide detailed and contextually relevant responses.

Comparative Analysis: ChatGPT vs Google Bard

1. Information Recency:

• ChatGPT: Limited to information available until September 2021, unless upgrading to GPT-4 as a plus or enterprise user, utilizing the browsing feature.
• Google Bard: Accesses real-time data from the web, ensuring the latest and most current information.

2. Multimodal Capabilities:

• ChatGPT: Processes voice and image inputs, enhancing user interaction and engagement.
• Google Bard: Primarily focused on generating text-based responses, lacks voice and image processing capabilities.

3. User Customization:

• ChatGPT: Offers customization options through plugins and advanced data analysis, tailored to specific user needs.
• Google Bard: Allows users to adjust responses in terms of tone and style, enhancing the conversational experience.

4. Language Support:

• ChatGPT: Supports multiple languages, but proficiency may vary across non-English languages.
• Google Bard: Offers support for over 40 languages, ensuring a broader global reach.

5. Interaction Depth:

• ChatGPT: Capable of engaging in in-depth conversations, suitable for complex queries and discussions.
• Google Bard: Provides concise and informative responses, ideal for quick interactions and straightforward queries.

6. User Experience and Interface:

• ChatGPT: Offers a clean and user-friendly interface with simple prompts and clear responses. The browsing feature is seamlessly integrated, providing direct links to sources for easy reference.
• Google Bard: Features an intuitive interface, allowing users to interact conversationally. The ‘Listen to Responses’ feature enhances the auditory experience, catering to diverse learning preferences.

7. Collaboration and Sharing:

• ChatGPT: Allows users to share information and sources through browsing capabilities, facilitating collaborative research and knowledge sharing.
• Google Bard: Enables users to share responses and conversations with others using shareable links, enhancing collaborative efforts in creative projects and problem-solving tasks.

8. Accuracy and Fact-Checking:

• ChatGPT: Relies on the accuracy of the sources it accesses during internet browsing. Users need to verify the credibility of the information provided.
• Google Bard: Aims to provide accurate information, but users should exercise critical thinking and fact-checking, especially considering the real-time data access feature.

9. Integration with External Tools:

• ChatGPT: Offers plugins and advanced data analysis features, allowing integration with external tools and services, and enhancing its functionality for specific tasks.
• Google Bard: Focuses primarily on generating textual content and interactive responses, with limited integration capabilities with external tools or plugins.

10. Language Complexity and Context Understanding:

• ChatGPT: Proficient in handling complex language structures and contextual nuances, making it suitable for diverse conversational scenarios, including technical discussions and creative writing tasks.
• Google Bard: Excels in providing concise and informative responses, prioritizing clarity over complexity, making it ideal for straightforward queries and general interactions.

Both ChatGPT and Google Bard represent significant advancements in conversational AI technology. The choice between the two platforms depends on user requirements and preferences. 

If access to real-time information and interactive responses is important, Google Bard stands out, unless you’re utilizing ChatGPT 4 as a Plus or Enterprise user. On the other hand, ChatGPT’s multimodal capabilities and customizable features make it an excellent choice for users seeking versatility and depth in their interactions.

Both ChatGPT and Google Bard embody the progress made in natural language processing, emphasizing more immersive and intelligent conversational experiences. 

The expansion includes new features that allow users to better customise their experience, boost their creativity, and get more done. 

With the expansion, Google Bard is now available in most of the world, including countries, and in the most widely spoken languages, including Swahili, Chinese, German, Spanish, Arabic, and Hindi, and Spanish. Users can now access Bard in their preferred language with text-to-speech also enabled in 8 languages. 

“We’re excited that this is Bard’s largest expansion to date – we see its global availability as a great democratizer of knowledge,”

said Dorothy Ooko, Head of Communications and Public Affairs, SSA, Google.

“That’s why we created Bard: to help you explore that curiosity, augment your imagination and ultimately get your ideas off the ground — not just by answering your questions, but by helping you build on them.” 

As part of the expansion, new updates have been introduced to make the Bard experience more interactive and user-friendly. The ‘Listen to Responses’ feature now provides an auditory dimension to Bard’s responses, making it particularly useful for gaining accurate pronunciation or understanding a script, with just a simple click on the sound icon. 

Users can also now adjust Bard’s responses by changing the tone and style of its responses to five different options: simple, long, short, professional or casual, offering a tailored interaction to match individual needs. While this feature has been initially launched in English, plans are underway to extend it to other languages, broadening its accessibility to users around the globe. 

Four additional features were also introduced to help users get more done. Users can now pin and rename their conversations with Bard, making it easier to revisit conversations that contain important information or ideas later.

Through the export code to more places feature, users can now export Python code to Replit, in addition to Google Colab, making it easier for users to share their code with others or use it in other projects. Users will also be able to share responses with friends using shareable links, making it easier to collaborate on projects or get feedback on ideas. Also launched is the feature allowing users to upload images with prompts to Bard. 

Bard seeks to combine the breadth of the world’s knowledge with the power, intelligence and creativity of Google’s large language models. It draws on information from the web to provide responses.

As an experimental technology, Bard may occasionally make inaccurate statements in response to user prompts.

So if a response from Bard is inaccurate or unsafe, if one experiences an issue, or just wants to provide feedback, there’s an easy way to do that.

 A new finding by VPN Overview reveals that online searches for ‘Google Bard VPN’ skyrocketed to over 12 times the average in one day, according to the analysis of Google search data.

Searches for ‘Google Bard’ have also risen 552% worldwide, and searches for ‘Access Google Bard’ have risen 632% since the AI chatbot went live.

Google Bard is currently only available in a few regions, including the US and the UK, but not Canada, Hong Kong, China, or European Union countries.

These are the top five countries searching for VPN access to Google Bard, according to Google Trends:

• Portugal
• Switzerland
• Norway
• Netherlands
• Italy

Bard AI can help users to answer queries, generate unique content, and translate languages.

If you’re in a country where Bard is not officially available, you can access it via VPN using the VPN Overview guide:

1. Sign up for a VPN

The first step is to sign up for a VPN. Simply select the plan, provide your email, choose your payment method, and complete the payment. Once the payment is approved, proceed to step 2. Some VPNs provide free access, but always do your research first and be sure you are signing up for a reputable VPN before providing your details.

PRO TIP: If the provider offers a 30-day free trial or moneyback guarantee, you can effectively try the service for free and determine if it meets your needs.

You can then access Google Bard (and other blocked services) free for 30 days! Just make sure to cancel your subscription before the trial period ends.

2. Install the VPN on your device

Follow the step-by-step installation instructions from your VPN provider.

3. Connect to the correct VPN Server

Next, connect to a VPN server. Choose a server location where Google Bard is accessible. It is available in the U.S., for example. So if you’re connecting to a server in this region, simply search for the United States in the locations tab and click on any U.S. VPN server to connect. Once connected, you’ll be able to access Bard.

4. Visit Google Bard and use it without restrictions

You can now visit the Google Bard website and use it with a secure and speedy connection.

A spokesperson for VPN Overview commented on the findings:  

“Google Bard is part of the new wave of AI technologies, but it’s not available for everyone. Google Trends shows that users are trying to access it from currently unavailable countries, with searches surging on the day it was released. Gaining access is fairly easy if you have a VPN. Just be sure you pick a trusted provider before providing any details, and remember that you can get free access to some VPNs by signing up for a 30-day trial and canceling your subscription before the trial period ends.”

Don’t get it twisted. Most Google products you use, from Gmail, Doc, to Meet, etc., are AI driven, however, Bard is such a platform that grants you collaborative prowess with generative AI.

Blogging on this in line with Google IO 2023, Sissie Hsiao, Vice President and GM, Assistant and Bard at Google, said she was impressed with the creative and imaginative ways people interacted with it.

I, for one, have gotten some really fun ideas to help teach my 7-year old fractions!”, she wrote. “Since we rolled out Bard — initially in the U.S. and the U.K. — we’ve gotten quite a bit of feedback and have adapted quickly to make your experience with it even better. We recently moved Bard to PaLM 2, a far more capable large language model, which has enabled many of our recent improvements — including advanced math and reasoning skills and coding capabilities. In the past few weeks, coding has already become one of the most popular things people do with Bard”. 

– Hsiao

To Hsiao, this early momentum is just the beginning as Google introduced new ways for you to collaborate with Bard.

Bringing Bard to more people

“As we continue to make additional improvements and introduce new features, we want to get Bard into more people’s hands so they can try it out and share their feedback with us. So today we’re removing the waitlist and opening up Bard to over 180 countries and territories – with more coming soon”, she continued.

“Not just that: Bard is now available in Japanese and Korean, and we’re on track to support 40 languages soon. As we’ve said from the beginning, large language models are still a nascent technology with known limitations. So as we further expand, we’ll continue to maintain our high standards for quality and local nuances while also ensuring we adhere to our AI Principles. 

Making your interactions with Bard more visual 

“Coming soon, Bard will become more visual both in its responses and your prompts. You’ll be able to ask it things like, “What are some must-see sights in New Orleans?” — and in addition to text, you’ll get a helpful response along with rich visuals to give you a much better sense of what you’re exploring”.

“You’ll also be able to include images — alongside text — in your own prompts, allowing you to boost your imagination and creativity in completely new ways. To make this happen, we’re bringing the power of Google Lens right into Bard. Let’s say you want to have some fun using a photo of your dogs. You can upload it and prompt Bard to “write a funny caption about these two.” Using Google Lens, Bard will analyze the photo, detect the dogs’ breeds, and draft a few creative captions — all within seconds.

Introducing coding upgrades and export features 

Hsiao added the imperative that they build Bard alongside people, because feedback is key to making it better.

As part of that effort, Google’s team is incorporating developers’ feedback into a few key coding upgrades, including the following as explained by Hsiao:

• Source citations: Starting next week, we’ll make citations even more precise. If Bard brings in a block of code or cites other content, just click the annotation and Bard will underline those parts of the response and link to the source. 
• Today we’re launching Dark theme, which is another feature developers have asked for — and one we think will help make interacting with Bard a lot easier on your eyes.
• We’ve heard that developers love the export to Colab feature, so coming soon, we’re adding the ability to export and run code with our partner Replit, starting with Python.

And since people often ask Bard for a head start drafting emails and documents, at Google IO 2023 two more Export Actions were launched, making it easy to move Bard’s responses right into Gmail and Docs.

For example, let’s say — like me — you’re a die-hard pickleball fan. You can ask Bard to write an email invitation for your new pickleball league, summarizing the rules of the game and highlighting its inclusivity of all ages and levels. Just click the “draft in Gmail” button so you can make those final tweaks before getting your pickleball league off the ground. 

Connecting Bard with the services you love  

“Looking ahead, we’ll introduce new ways to fuel your imagination and curiosity by integrating the capabilities of Google apps and services you may already use — Docs, Drive, Gmail and others — right into the Bard experience. And of course, you’ll always be in control of your privacy settings when deciding how you want to use these tools and extensions. 

“Bard will also be able to tap into all kinds of services from across the web, with extensions from outside partners, to let you do things never before possible. In the coming months, we’ll integrate Adobe Firefly, Adobe’s family of creative generative AI models, into Bard so you can easily and quickly turn your own creative ideas into high-quality images, which you can then edit further or add to your designs in Adobe Express. 

“Let’s say I’m planning a birthday party for my 7-year-old who loves unicorns, and I want a fun image to send out with the invitations. All I have to do is ask Bard: “Make an image of a unicorn and a cake at a kids’ party” — and it’ll generate an image within seconds, all while adhering to Adobe’s high standards for quality and ethical responsibility. 

We want Bard to be a home for your creativity, productivity and curiosity — so we’re working to connect Bard with helpful Google apps and many more partners, including Kayak, OpenTable, ZipRecruiter, Instacart, Wolfram and Khan Academy.

– Hsiao

“There’s a lot ahead for Bard — connecting tools from Google and amazing services across the web, to help you do and create anything you can imagine, through a fluid collaboration with our most capable large language models. When we combine human imagination with Bard’s generative AI capabilities, the possibilities are boundless. We can’t wait to see what you create with it,” Hsiao concludes.

Google emphasised its commitment to improving search experiences and ensuring user safety, by introducing new generative AI capabilities for search and implementing advanced tools for online protection.

Significant updates were also announced for Android, Pixel devices, and Google Photos. A standout moment of the conference was the unveiling of PaLM 2, Google’s latest generative language model. This breakthrough model surpasses previous language models in areas such as maths, coding, reasoning, multilingual translation, and natural language generation.

In addition to these advancements, Google reiterated its commitment to responsible AI, striving to address pressing societal challenges like climate change and flood forecasting while maintaining ethical AI practices.

Here are the 15 significant announcements made at Google IO that we thought would be of interest to you:

1. PaLM 2, next generation language model:

Google has unveiled PaLM 2, a next-generation language model designed to improve language translation, reasoning, and coding capabilities. The model is more heavily trained on multilingual text, demonstrating advanced proficiency in logic, common sense reasoning, and mathematics.

Additionally, PaLM 2 was pre-trained on publicly available source code datasets, making it more efficient and faster than previous models. PaLM 2 will be available in four sizes, from smallest to largest: Gecko, Otter, Bison, and Unicorn, making it versatile for a range of use cases.

The model is set to power 25 new Google products and features, including Bard and Med-PaLM 2, a medical competency model that can answer questions and summarise insights from dense medical texts. Learn more about PaLM 2 here.

2. Expansion of Bard:

The waitlist has now been removed, making Bard available in English in over 180 countries and territories, with the addition of Japanese and Korean languages, and planning to support the world’s top 40 languages.

As the platform expands, Google will focus on maintaining high standards for quality, local nuances and adherence to AI principles. More here.

3. Image Capabilities:

Google is making it easier to prompt Bard with images, using Google Lens.  This integration of images with text in Bard aims to enrich the user experience by providing visually informative responses to queries. Users can also include images in their prompts, offering new possibilities for creativity and imagination. More here

4. Developer Features for Bard:

Google is introducing three new ways to use Bard based on developer feedback: Making code citations even more precise by showing you the source of specific blocks of code.

This also applies to citing narrative content from across the web; by adding export to Replit and by making Bard friendlier on the eyes in low-light conditions by introducing Dark theme. More here

5. Export to Docs and Gmail:

Google is making it easier and more seamless for users to continue their work by exporting Bard’s responses to Google Docs or Gmail. Formatting stays intact so users can continue editing directly in Docs or Gmail without needing to copy, paste, and reformat Bard’s responses.

6. Integration into Apps:

Bard will be integrating with various Google apps and services like Docs, Drive, Gmail, Maps, and more, while maintaining user control over privacy settings.

The platform will also connect with external services and partners, such as Adobe Firefly for image creation, Kayak for travel, Instacart for groceries, Wolfram for computational knowledge, and Khan Academy for education, offering a wide range of possibilities for users. More here

7. Integrating generative AI across all the Workspace apps:

The new features help one write, organise, visualise, accelerate workflows, have richer meetings, and much more. This powerful new way of working is what Google calls Duet AI for Workspace.  Google is bringing the generative AI experience to Gmail on mobile and embedding generative AI into Slides so one can easily create unique visuals with a few words. The generative AI will help one analyse and act on data in Sheets, with automated data classification and the creation of custom tables. More here

8. Simplifying Shopping with Generative AI:

Google is using generative AI to make shopping faster and much easier, providing users with a snapshot of noteworthy factors to consider when searching for a product.

Built on Google’s Shopping Graph, this new generative AI shopping experience will offer a seamless and informed decision-making process for users. More here

9. Search Labs:

Google’s advanced generative AI capabilities are now accessible through Search Labs, an innovative platform that allows users to explore and engage with early-stage experiments in Search.

By registering for Search Labs, users have the opportunity to experience the Search Generative Experience (SGE) on Chrome desktop and the Google App in the US (available in English at launch). More here

10. Magic Compose:

This is a new Messages by Google feature powered by generative AI, can help you add an extra spark of personality to your conversations. The feature offers suggested responses based on the context of your messages and can even transform your writing into different styles. Release set for July. More here

11. New AI features in Android:

Google’s upcoming Android 14 update (expected later this year) promises to change the way users personalise their smartphone experience, taking customization to the next level. Material You customization enables users to personalise their lock screen with new shortcuts, clocks, and a monochrome colour theme.

The update also offers diverse wallpaper options, including emoji, cinematic, and generative AI wallpapers that allow users to generate unique designs based on their preferences.

To enhance social media, Google is bringing Night Mode and 10-bit HDR video support to popular social apps like Instagram. The Android 14 update introduces Ultra HDR, promising stunning photo quality and raising the bar for smartphone photography. More here

12. Reimagine Your Photos with Magic Editor in Google Photos

The new experimental editing feature, Magic Editor, powered by generative AI, will enable users to make complex photo edits effortlessly without requiring professional editing skills.

Users can selectively edit specific parts of an image, such as the subject, sky, or background, for more control over the final appearance of their photos. More here

13. Features and Updates to Enhance Online Safety and Trust:

Google’s new suite of features and updates aims to improve online safety and provide users with reliable access to trustworthy content and information.

The “About This Image” tool helps users evaluate the reliability of visual content found online by providing important contextual information, such as when an image was first indexed by Google, its original appearance, and other online occurrences. Google is also expanding its Content Safety API to include potential child sexual abuse material in video content, addressing a critical safety concern as video files account for nearly 50% of all files reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). More here

14. Google’s ongoing efforts to protect Gmail users from unwanted messages, which currently block over 99.9% of spam, phishing, and malware, are now being extended to Google Drive with “Spam View”, a new feature that simplifies the process of separating and reviewing files, allowing users to identify potential spam and stay safe from unwanted or abusive content. Google Drive will automatically classify content into the Spam View, similar to Gmail’s current system, ensuring that users are protected from encountering dangerous or unwanted files. More here

15. Google Pixel

Google’s Pixel product line continues to expand with the introduction of three new devices: the Pixel 7a, Pixel Fold, and Pixel Tablet.

The Pixel 7a is Google’s latest A-series phone, featuring Face Unlock, 8GB RAM, a 90 Hz display, and wireless charging for the first time, making it an affordable package with the best of Google’s hardware and software.

The Pixel Fold is Google’s first foldable phone, boasting a 7.6-inch screen when opened, offering a large, immersive display, and the best camera on a foldable phone, ensuring high-quality photography.

Additionally, the 11-inch Pixel Tablet is designed for entertainment and gaming, comes with a Charging Speaker Dock, and functions as a helpful smart home device. More here