Google Is Preparing a Paid Version of Bard

As spotted by X user bedros_p, Google appears to be preparing to introduce a paid upgrade for Bard Advanced, a "new, cutting-edge AI experience" announced in December that gives users access to Google's best models and capabilities. Android Police reports: According to the strings, you will be able to "Try Bard Advanced for 3 months, on us." After that test period, you will likely have to pay up for the service. A defunct link within the code suggests that it may be part of Google One, but it's not clear if Bard Advanced will be added to all tiers or only more expensive ones with more Google Drive storage. It's also possible that it will be an extra new tier in Google One.

As a refresher, Google launched its most capable AI model yet in December 2023, called Gemini. The LLM is available in three tiers, including a Nano version capable of running on devices like phones and a Pro version currently powering Bard in the US. There is also a Gemini Ultra which isn't public just yet, but supposedly outperforms other LLMs in almost all metrics. Google says that this is the one that will power Bard Advanced.

Will they prepare a good version of Bard, first?

[ffkom]

Announcing a "paid version" of something that has yet to demonstrate payment-worthy abilities is not really interesting news. Tell us when "Bard" provides services of competitive quality.

Re:

[Tony Isaac]

Precisely. I often try Bard, and sometimes I even get good results. But never as good as ChatGPT or Copilot. Very often Bard's results are completely useless.

Re:

[rogoshen1]

In 2024 you can't even count on google operating a useful search engine, let alone anything new and novel (okay okay, chat bots are like 40 years old at this point)
So with bard they'll make a half assed attempt, make it worse with each 'update', then finally dump it unceremoniously once they realize that
a) it'll never turn a profit
b) no one really wants it

Then they'll move on to their next tremendous fuckup, and the cycle repeats itself.

Re:

[elcor]

True that, Bard is 97.3% unusable with an hallucination rate reaching 87.5% in 73% of cases. How do I get these number? Pulled them out of my Bard ass.

Re:

[nightflameauto]

Announcing a "paid version" of something that has yet to demonstrate payment-worthy abilities is not really interesting news. Tell us when "Bard" provides services of competitive quality.

The interesting part of this story will come when we start seeing how many suckers bought in just so they didn't "get left behind." There's a TREMENDOUS amount of hype around AI right now, and Google wants to make some money on that hype train before the bottom falls out. And I have no doubt there are salivating morons thinking they'll change the world with a paid version of a shitty chatbot because $random_rationalizations.

Re:

[thtrgremlin]

I've yet to see it worth donating my time to test. I keep thinking Google is could do something interesting, but 'free' is too expensive for what it can do right now. Credit where due though, it isn't bad at referencing GAS REST API. GPT4 rather consistently suggests using fully deprecated methods.

Awesome.

[MachineShedFred]

I'm totally prepared to not pay for it, and completely ignore it.

So, I'm kinda retarded...

[SneedFeedAndSeed]

...but how/where does this Bard Advanced place itself among Bard Nano/Pro/Ultra, quality/performance-wise? Is it a rebranding of one of those tiers? A brand new tier? I'm very confused, but that's nothing new when Google does its things I guess.

Orly?

[CEC-P]

"Microsoft discovers that their half-complete beta service is really expensive to operate and decides they want money now" - more correct headline.