5 things about AI you may have missed today: Google Bard gets update, Elon Musk on AI consciousness, more

tech.hindustantimes.com:

While the whole world is debating the merits and demerits of Artificial intelligence (AI), advancements in the field continue at a rapid pace. Google recently announced several new features for its generative AI program Google Bard including the ability to speak its answers. Moreover, the AI chatbot is finally available in the EU. In other news, Elon Musk provided his thoughts on AI consciousness.

All this, and more in our roundup of the 5 big things in AI that you may have missed today.

In a blog post, Google announced new additions to its generative AI chatbot Bard. Starting today, users will be able to collaborate with Bard in over 40 languages, including Arabic, Chinese, German, Hindi, and Spanish. Moreover, it is now accessible in more places, including Brazil and Europe. Apart from this, you can now also listen to Bard's responses, with the feature being made available in over 40 languages.

Researchers at the University of Auckland have developed AI-powered companion robots that could help alleviate loneliness. In a recently published study, researchers revealed that AI companion robots could help reduce stress and loneliness by providing companionship, which currently plagues about one-third of the global population. This could be particularly useful for elderly people as these robots could help them remain active in their homes.

Professor Elizabeth Broadbent, of the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland said, “AI presents exciting opportunities to give companion robots greater skills to build social connection. But we need to be careful to build in rules to ensure they are moral and trustworthy.”

After announcing the formation of his xAI, Elon Musk was asked if AI could