Google May Introduce a Paid Version of Bard Advanced, Enabling Users to Create Custom Chatbots

When Google introduced Bard in February of last year, it faced initial criticism for being hastily launched. The AI chatbot, designed to rival ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Bing, exhibited factual errors in its demo video, leading to scrutiny. However, Bard has since improved its response quality and introduced several new features over the past few months.

Recent reports suggest that Google is now working on an enhanced version of Bard, running on its latest model, Gemini. Notably, this advanced iteration, named ‘Bard Advanced,’ is expected to come with a subscription fee as part of Google One, the company’s paid subscription service. Competing with ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot, Bard Advanced will leverage Google’s new large language model, Gemini Ultra.

According to developer Dylan Roussel, who identified the new version, Bard Advanced will be accessible through Google One as a part of a paid subscription, with a potential free trial period of three months. Although the feature is still in development, users can anticipate exploring various topics and tapping into Bard’s advanced capabilities, including enhanced mathematics and reasoning skills.

Roussel also uncovered additional updates, sharing screenshots revealing a feature codenamed Motoko. This feature could empower users to create their custom bots, although it remains uncertain whether there will be a cost associated with accessing this feature or if users can share their bots. In a similar move last year, OpenAI announced that GPT Plus subscribers would have the ability to create and share custom bots.

Developer Bedros Pamboukian suggested that Google is working on an ‘advanced’ tier, emphasizing the company’s commitment to providing a more sophisticated AI experience.

Previously, Google introduced its large language model, Gemini Pro, catering to developers and enterprises. As part of the development tools, Google AI Studio provides free access to Gemini Pro and Gemini Pro Vision for app development needs, offering up to 60 requests per minute.

In the upcoming months, Google plans to launch Gemini Ultra, its most capable model designed for highly complex tasks. The company aims to refine and safety test the model further, incorporating feedback from partners.

Recent Updates to Bard

In November last year, Bard made headlines for gaining a feature enhancing its ability to understand and analyze YouTube videos. The improvement allows users to inquire about specific details of YouTube videos, offering expanded functionality.

Google has also introduced various updates to Bard in recent months, such as making it available to teenagers, enabling it to assist with math equations, generating charts from user-provided data prompts, summarizing multiple emails simultaneously, and more.

Also Read: Google Introduces 3-Month Trial of Bard Advanced: Here’s What You Need to Know