Tech

Google plans to demo a version of its search engine with AI chatbot features and launch 20 new products, following ChatGPT 'code red,' report says

Sundar Pichai speaks onstage Vox Media's 2022 Code Conference on September 06, 2022
Google CEO Sundar Pichai. Google is increasingly focused on AI, reports say. Jerod Harris/Getty Images
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Google appears to be renewing its focus on AI after issuing a "code red" over the rise of ChatGPT in December. 

The New York Times reported that Google had been shaken out of its routine, following the launch of OpenAI's chatbot.

Google plans to unveil more than 20 new products and demo a version of Google Search with AI chatbot features this year, The Times reported, citing a presentation it had seen and two people familiar with the plans.

Lily Lin, a Google spokesperson, told Insider: "We continue to test our AI technology internally to make sure it's helpful and safe, and we look forward to sharing more experiences externally soon."

She added that Google was considering the broader societal effects of the technology.

The launch of ChatGPT has sparked concerns about the future of traditional search engines. Microsoft, an investor in OpenAI, is reportedly planning to launch a Bing feature that incorporates the tech behind ChatGPT. It could surface by the end of March, The Information reported.

The aim is to provide users with answers to some searches, rather than just displaying relevant links, per The Information.

AI experts, search experts, and current and former Google employees told Insider's Tom Dotan that ChatGPT was unlikely to be a replacement for Google search just yet because of concerns about its inaccurate responses.

The Times reported that safety, tackling misinformation, and ensuring factual accuracy were some of Google's key priorities for the chatbot search demo.

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Beatrice Nolan was a tech reporter on the business news team in the UK. She joined Insider in January 2022 as a fellow on Business Insider's careers desk. Beatrice covered tech and the future of work, with a focus on artificial intelligence. Some of her stories and early experiments with ChatGPT are widely cited. Beatrice has also discussed her work covering AI trends on panels and radio shows, including NPR.She was based in Business Insider's London office and graduated from the University of  York with a bachelor's degree in English.Featured Articles:Artists say AI image generators are copying their style to make thousands of new images — and it's completely out of their control.ChatGPT was a black swan eventFinland is the world's happiest country, but Finns say we're confusing happiness for something elseThe world is splitting between those who use ChatGPT to get better, smarter, richer — and everyone elseThis man used AI to write and illustrate a children's book in one weekend. He wasn't prepared for the backlash.ChatGPT has only been around for 2 months and is causing untold chaosTwo professors who say they caught students cheating on essays with ChatGPT explain why AI plagiarism can be hard to proveChatGPT wrote college application essays. Admissions professionals said they passed for essays written by students but wouldn't have a chance at any top colleges.College professors are considering creative ways to stop students from using AI to cheatChatGPT wrote my cover letters. Here's how recruiters responded.