The AI bot has become teen-friendly with the latest update to Google Bard. Were you aware that Bard, Google’s counterpart to ChatGPT, used to be off-limits to teens? If a youngster had a Google account but didn’t meet the age requirement, accessing Bard was not possible.
In a blog post on Wednesday, Google announced a change: appropriately aged teens now have access to Google Bard.
What’s the Reason Behind Google Opening Access to Teens Now?
Google ensured that all safety measures were thoroughly implemented before granting teens access to Bard.
In the blog post, Tulsee Doshi, Google’s Head of Product and Responsible AI, stated, “We worked with experts in child safety and development to influence our content policies and create an experience that prioritizes safety.
The search engine giant contacted organizations like the Family Online Safety Institute for guidance on effectively establishing safeguards for teens, empowering them to explore the ChatGPT alternative with confidence.
Google mentioned that it directly received feedback from teens regarding Bard, and they had inquiries about maximizing their experiences with the AI chatbot. In response, Google introduced resources like the AI Literacy Guide to assist teens in navigating the generative AI space with knowledge.
Doshi added that the onboarding process will provide an overview of how Bard Activity is used and give teens the choice to turn it on or off.
What Alterations Did Google Apply to Bard?
To prepare for the influx of teen users, Google trained Bard to identify inappropriate topics and content for young users. For instance, guardrails were implemented for questions related to illegal substances.
Additionally, Google will automatically activate its “double-check response” feature for teens. So, when a teen asks a fact-based question for the first time, the AI will verify its answer by cross-referencing content across the web before providing the response.
This feature will soon run automatically for everyone, not just teens, especially when a new Bard user asks a factual question for the first time.
Google Bard’s increased access for teens will begin rolling out tomorrow in most countries worldwide.
In addition to enhancing safety measures and implementing the “double-check response” feature, Google also expanded Bard’s access to teens, trained it to detect inappropriate content, and introduced guardrails for certain topics like illegal substances. These changes aim to provide a safer and more controlled environment for young users exploring the AI chatbot.
