Google recently released Bard, its response to ChatGPT. However, things have not gone as planned for the company. A sloppy AI presentation and a demo that cost the business $100 billion in valuation have raised concerns about Google’s readiness for Bard. According to CNBC, many Google employees are already criticizing and mocking how the corporation handled the debut of its chatbot.
Google was hesitant to release its AI tool until it was certain of its capabilities. However, the success of OpenAI’s ChatGPT compelled the corporation to play its hand. More than the success of ChatGPT, Microsoft’s interest in the chatbot concerned Google. As a result, the tech titan proceeded to launch Bard. What was supposed to be the answer to ChatGPT has now produced a slew of questions.
Some staff were completely unaware of the AI occurrence
Google CEO Sundar Pichai revealed some information about Bard a day before Microsoft introduced ChatGPT-powered revamped Bing. This implied that further information would be released during the company’s AI presentation in Paris. However, the word ‘unpreparedness’ was all over the event. Some personnel were allegedly unaware of the event. To make matters worse, one of the presenters failed to bring their phone for the demonstration.
Failure of Bard demo cost Google $100bn in valuation
Meanwhile, Reuters discovered a factual inaccuracy in a Google Bard demo posted on February 7. The chatbot erroneously answered a question concerning the James Webb Space Telescope. This resulted in a flood of satire directed against Bard and Google. It also resulted in the market losing its belief in Google, denting its valuation by $100 billion. Google employees were outraged by the poor demo.
Google employees are criticizing Pichai and the company’s leadership
According to CNBC, many Google employees are calling the Bard launch “rushed” and “botched” on internal discussion boards. There are numerous memes circulating that criticize Pichai and Google’s leadership. One person said in a frequently upvoted image with a somber photo of Pichai, “Dear Sundar, the Bard launch and layoffs were rushed, botched, and myopic.”
Employees rated Pichai and his leadership the lowest
One employee mocked the company’s leadership by using Google’s new performance review system. “Sundar and leadership deserve a Perf NI,” they said, referring to the lowest performance assessment level. “They are being comically short-sighted and un-Googlely in their pursuit of ‘sharpening focus.'” This targeted Pichai’s call upon employees to be more focused last year.
Bard’s failure confirmed the market’s fear about Google’s AI capability
Since the advent of ChatGPT, there have been concerns regarding Google’s AI potential to compete with OpenAI’s chatbot. “Rushing Bard to market in a frenzy justified the market’s mistrust of us,” wrote one employee. During an all-hands meeting in December of last year, Google executives discussed how rushing the AI chat technology, which is far from flawless, would harm the company’s reputation.
