My Review of Google Bard
Google Bard is an AI experiment by Google that lets you collaborate with a generative AI. It is powered by a large language model (LLM) called LaMDA, which can generate responses to any prompt you give it. You can use Bard to boost your productivity, accelerate your ideas and fuel your curiosity. In this essay, I will share my experience of using Bard and what I learned from it.
I signed up to try Bard at bard.google.com and got access to the service after a few days. I was curious to see what Bard could do and how it would interact with me. I decided to ask Bard some questions that I had in mind, such as:
-How can I improve my writing skills?
-What are some interesting facts about Indonesia?
-How does nuclear fusion work?
Bard gave me multiple drafts of responses for each question, and I could pick the one that I liked the most. Some of the responses were informative, some were creative and some were humorous. For example, when I asked Bard how to improve my writing skills, one of the drafts was:
One way to improve your writing skills is to read a lot of books and articles on topics that interest you. Reading can help you expand your vocabulary, learn new styles and techniques, and get inspired by different perspectives and ideas. Another way to improve your writing skills is to practice writing every day. You can write about anything you want, such as your thoughts, feelings, experiences, opinions, or goals. Writing can help you express yourself clearly, organize your thoughts, and develop your voice and tone. A third way to improve your writing skills is to get feedback from others. You can ask your friends, family, teachers, or online communities to read your writing and give you constructive criticism. Feedback can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, learn from your mistakes, and improve your confidence and skills.
I found this response helpful and practical, so I picked it as my favorite. I also learned some interesting facts about Indonesia from Bard, such as:
1. Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world, with more than 17,000 islands.
2. Indonesia is home to the Komodo dragon, the largest living lizard species.
3. Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world, with about 87% of its people following Islam.
Bard also explained nuclear fusion to me in simple terms:
Nuclear fusion is a process where two or more atomic nuclei are joined together to form a larger nucleus. This releases a lot of energy because the mass of the larger nucleus is less than the sum of the masses of the smaller nuclei. Nuclear fusion is how stars produce energy, by fusing hydrogen atoms into helium atoms. Nuclear fusion can also be used for generating electricity on Earth, but it is very difficult and expensive to achieve. Scientists are working on developing fusion reactors that can create and sustain the high temperatures and pressures needed for fusion.
I was impressed by Bard’s ability to generate responses that were relevant, coherent and engaging. I also liked that Bard gave me multiple options to choose from, so I could explore different angles and perspectives. However, Bard was not perfect. Sometimes Bard gave me inaccurate or misleading information, or repeated itself. For example, when I asked Bard what are some benefits of meditation for mental health, one of the drafts was:
Meditation can help you reduce stress, anxiety and depression by calming your mind and body. Meditation can also help you improve your focus, memory and creativity by enhancing your brain function and structure. Meditation can also help you increase your happiness and well-being by boosting your mood and self-esteem.
This response sounded good, but when I checked the source that Bard cited, I found out that it was not a scientific article but a blog post by Google itself. The blog post did not provide any evidence or references for its claims about meditation. Therefore, I decided not to trust this response and picked another one that was more reliable.
Overall, I enjoyed using Bard and found it fun and insightful. I learned a lot of new things from Bard and also got some inspiration for my own projects. I think Bard is a great tool for anyone who wants to collaborate with generative AI and discover new possibilities. However, I also think that Bard is not a substitute for human intelligence or research. Bard can make mistakes or give biased or false information sometimes, so it is important to verify its sources and use critical thinking when using it.
