Google BARD

2023

In February 2023, Google unveiled their AI chatbot Bard. It was designed to showcase the company’s advances in conversational search. The launch went wrong during its very first demo. Bard confidently claimed that the James Webb Space Telescope had taken the first photos of a planet outside our solar system. Wrong, it was actually the European Southern Observatory that did this.

The factual blunder was widely reported, sparking ridicule and concern about Google’s rush to compete with ChatGPT. Shares fell by around 7-8 %, erasing more than $100 billion in market value in a single day. When Bard was rolled out, it was with disclaimers warning that it “may give inaccurate or inappropriate information.” Yeah - we have a whole section of AI Hallucinations here at the Museum.

Since then, Google has rebranded Bard as Gemini and further integrated it into other Google Search and other products.

Additional info:

The Vergo - Google’s AI chatbot Bard makes factual error in first demo

CNN Business - Google shares lose $100 billion after company’s AI chatbot makes an error during demo

Time - A Factual Error by Bard AI Chatbot Just Cost Google $100 Billion

The Guardian - Google AI chatbot Bard sends shares plummeting after it gives wrong answer