Google Bard may not be quite as powerful as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, but new additions, like the ability to code, bring it one step closer to being proper competition. As Bard continues to mature, Google wants to expand its reach by attempting to bring it to Pixel devices through a widget.
While digging into Bard’s code, 9to5Google reports that certain lines hint at the potential implementation of the AI software in Pixel devices. As it stands, current Bard users can only access the tool through its website. The report doesn’t specify if Bard will arrive on Android via a dedicated app or if it’ll be fused into the current Google Search app, but it does point to a home screen widget becoming available. It’s also unclear what this widget will do exactly beyond it being a simple question-answer feature.
Bard isn’t widely available just yet and a potential integration into Pixel phones wouldn’t change that, but it could set the groundwork for including the AI in future versions of Android.
Google has been a few steps behind ChatGPT for a little while now, but the recent updates to Bard prove that the tech giant is heavily invested in improving it — and fast. As of last month, Google began issuing changelogs that would highlight new features and patched bugs.
Its most recent log announced that Bard could now code in over 20 programming languages, while the one before that claimed that Bard was now better at handling math and logic-related questions.
Though Bard may be inching closer to becoming a powerful AI tool, it clearly still needs more work. Last month, a group of researchers found that Bard was susceptible to being steered towards conspiracy theories including but not limited to climate change and anti-Semitism. Google claimed it didn’t want Bard tackling any conspiratorial topics, but given the results, it clearly missed the mark.
With Google I/O happening next week, the company is set to talk about a number of AI-related topics, but it remains to be seen if they’ll announce any major changes to Bard.
