Google’s AI Bard has some new tools that are actually useful

ChatGPT launched last November, and it didn’t take long for the alarm bells to start ringing at Google. “Uh oh, AI is here and it works — what do we have?” (That’s the convo I imagine, anyway.)

Google brought co-founder and billionaire Sergey Brin back from his island paradise to get working on a solution. And now, finally, something exciting enough you’ll actually want to use it — Google Bard integrates with Gmail, Google Calendar, Drive, Docs, you name it.

Let’s start with email

If you haven’t played around with other AI tools like ChatGPT, Bard’s integration makes it easier to experiment with AI than ever before. Say you receive an email in Gmail, you can ask Bard to:

• Summarize it: “Bard, summarize the following email and tell me the key points.”
• Research the company or individual that sent it to you: “Look up the sender and tell me what kind of business they’re in and who they are.”
• Write a response: “Draft a reply to the email above that says I can’t make it to the conference.”

Your free travel agent

Imagine planning a family trip to Denver and the Rocky Mountains. Anyone who’s planned a vacation for their family knows that stress can make you lose your hair. I know — I’ve been there before. Let Bard do the work for you.

• Check when everyone is open: “Bard, check the Google Calendar schedules of Barry and Ian to see when they have seven days free for a vacation.”
• Hunt down the best tours and activities: “Research the best things to do while in Denver or visiting the Rockies.” 
• Save on flights: “See when the cheapest flights from Los Angeles to Denver are during the first week of December.” 

Getting a new job

I know it’s a slog to go through postings, change your resume and write a cover letter. Yep, you guessed it. Digital buddy Bard to the rescue.

• Find and update your resume: “Bard, look through my Gmail for my most recent resume and tell me three ways I can improve it.”
• Summarize your experience and draft an email: “Based on my resume, write a 100-word career summary and introductory email to a hiring manager.”
• Prepare for an interview: “Look up this hiring manager and the company and tell me the most important things about them” or “Give me a job interview based on this posting.”

Learning to play guitar

All work and no play makes you grumpy. Bard can’t learn chords for you, but it can help you:

• Get the basics: “Tell me the top things to know about learning to play guitar.”
• Shopping help: “Where’s the cheapest place to buy a guitar?”
• Look the part: “What should I wear to look like a rockstar?”

👨‍🎤 The last one might just be of interest to me, but to each their own!

Playing with AI

Ask any AI junkie (me included), and tools like Bard and ChatGPT aren’t just helpful — they’re fun. You can ask it about anything, and you’ll be surprised what it comes up with. 

Like this. I asked Bard to write a dialogue between Frank Sinatra and Santa Claus about the importance of having fresh produce:

🤖 I’ve spent more time using ChatGPT than any other AI tool, but I gotta say, I’m actually impressed with what Google has added to Bard. Will I switch? No, but maybe it’s time to start using both.