Google has updated its AI chatbot, Bard, to assist developers with coding by generating code, debugging existing code, and explaining lines of code. In addition, Bard can now create functions for Google Sheets and supports over 20 programming languages, including C++, Go, Java, Javascript, Python, and Typescript.
Google’s competitors, ChatGPT and Bing AI, already support code generation, but Google reports that code generation has been a top request from users since it opened access to Bard last month. Bard can explain code snippets and debug code from GitHub repositories, similar to how GitHub is implementing an assistant with Copilot.
Paige Bailey, the group product manager for Google Research, notes in a blog post that Bard may sometimes provide inaccurate or misleading information. Therefore, it’s essential to double-check Bard’s responses and carefully review and test the recommended code for errors, bugs, and vulnerabilities before relying on it. Bard will also cite the source of its code recommendations if it quotes them “at length.”
Despite reports that some Google employees have criticized Bard and labeled it “a pathological liar,” Google is pushing ahead with its development to keep up with competitors like OpenAI and Microsoft. However, in tests comparing Bard, Bing, and ChatGPT, Bard was found to be less accurate than its rivals.
