Google has finally opened early access to Bard AI starting today. The company took to its Keyword blog post and mentioned that access to generative AI is going to start today. However, it is currently limited, which means this is not full-fledged access to the public. For those interested, there is a signup available that you can use and enter into a waitlist.

Google Says Bard is not built with the intention to replace Google Search but will serve as a 'complementary' tool

As for what is available now with Bard, users can write down prompts and get responses from the AI. Google has said that users can get answers to questions, get ideas, have some things outlined to them, get a simplified answer to otherwise complex topics, and more. Yes, much like ChatGPT and other generative AI tools.

To avoid any mishaps or controversies, Google has talked about how Bard will not always have the correct answer for you. However, the company has built some 'guardrails' to prevent such errors from being widespread. For instance, users can see different versions of the same response from the AI by clicking "view other drafts." The AI will generate a new response if asked the same question, but the difference here is that users will get to see three of those responses without having to ask the question all over again.

Google was also quick to mention that Bard will not replace Google Search as it views the new AI as a complement to an existing service. That is why the replies will also come with a "Google it" button that will allow the user to just go for a traditional search if they want a proper answer.

Last but not least, Google has also mentioned how Bard will not be able to engage in a lot of dialogue, and users will be able to rate the responses and report in case the AI ends up saying something unsafe or offensive. Bard is only available in the United States and the United Kingdom in English. Google plans to expand access to other regions, but no timeline is given. If you want to sign up for it, you can get started here

Generative AI has taken the world by storm, and Bard is another player in a machine that is much bigger. With Bing, ChatGPT, and now Google's AI, I am looking forward to seeing how things pan out and how helpful and complementary this service is to the already excellent Google Search. Let us know what your thoughts are in the comments below.