With Bard Extensions going online, you can now use the Google services you personally use to interact and collaborate with Bard, Google’s AI-powered language model. With Extensions, Bard can find and show you relevant information from the common Google services you use daily — like Gmail, Docs, Drive, Google Maps, YouTube, and Google Flights and hotels — even when the information you need is across multiple apps and services.
On September 2023, Google introduced new features and updates to Bard. The most significant update is the integration of Bard with Google apps and services, allowing for more helpful and customized responses. Bard Extensions, which currently is only launched in English, enables Bard to find and show relevant information from Google tools like Docs, Drive, Gmail, and Maps. The “Google it” feature has also been improved to double-check Bard’s answers.
The double-check feature in Bard allows users to verify the accuracy of the AI-generated responses. When you click on the “Google it” button or the “G” icon next to Bard’s response, the system evaluates the answer against information available on the web. If the statement can be substantiated, you can click on the highlighted phrases to learn more about supporting or contradicting information found by Google Search. This feature aims to provide users with a safety net in case you have doubts about the answers generated by Bard.
These updates follow previous enhancements announced at Google I/O 2023, which included image capabilities, coding features, and app integration. Google has been working to connect Bard with helpful apps and partners like Kayak, OpenTable, ZipRecruiter, Instacart, Wolfram, and Khan Academy to create a more comprehensive and versatile experience.
