Google introduces new update on Bard to enhance creativity

Google on Thursday introduced a new update, an advanced Artificial intelligence (AI) model Gemini Pro, to enhance creativity, capabilities, productivity among others.

The Head of Communications, Google, West Africa, Mr Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, in a statement on Thursday said that Google was bringing Bard’s latest capabilities — including Gemini Pro in Bard— to more languages and places.

According to him, they are also introducing image generation to bring more ideas to life.

The reports gathered that Google Bard is a free, experimental AI chatbot that uses natural language processing and machine learning to simulate human conversations.

Bard can generate text, translate languages, and write creative content. It can also respond to user questions and prompts with a human-like understanding.

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According to Kola-Ogunlade, Gemini Pro in Bard is available in over 40 languages and more than 230 countries and territories, so more people could collaborate with the fastest and most capable version of Bard.

“ Gemini Pro helps to double-check responses in more languages, brings ideas to life with image generation and one of the most preferred chatbix with or without cost.

“Consistent with our AI Principles, image generation was designed with responsibility in mind.

“For instance, to ensure there’s a clear distinction between visuals created with Bard and original human artwork, Bard uses SynthID to embed digitally identifiable watermarks into the pixels of generated images.

“Our technical guardrails and investments in the safety of training data, seek to limit violent, offensive or sexually explicit content.

“Additionally, we apply filters designed to avoid the generation of images of named people,’’ he said.

Kola-Ogunlade said that Google will continue investing in new techniques to improve the safety and privacy protections of its models.

According to him, these updates make Bard an even more helpful and globally accessible AI collaborator for everything from big, creative projects to smaller, everyday tasks.

“Try it out today at bard.google.com ,” he said.

Google introduces new update on Bard to enhance creativity

South Korea to stop consumption of dog meat

In a landmark decision, South Korea is planning to ban the controversial consumption of dog meat.

The parliament in Seoul approved a special law on Tuesday aimed at prohibiting the breeding, slaughter and sale of dogs for human consumption, with violations subject to punishment.

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There is a three-year transitional grace period until the new law came into effect.

The contents of the law that had become known so far,  did not explicitly prohibit the consumption of dog meat.

Eating dog meat had been a long tradition in the Asian country.

In recent years, a growing wave of protests, notably led by animal rights activists, had urged the government to address the issue.

Members of the Korean Dog Meat Association had staged protests against the impending legal ban. 

South Korea to stop consumption of dog meat

UNDP, Japan deliver equipment to secure power in Ukraine

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine and Japan have jointly announced the provision of three gas turbines and assistance in transporting seven autotransformers to Ukraine.

The autotransformers were previously purchased by the National Power Company, Ukrenergo, with funds from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

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“This collaborative effort, implemented in coordination with the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine, aims to meet urgent needs of Ukraine’s energy sector for the winter of 2024, while also supporting long-term national goals,” the UNDP said in a statement on Monday.

It added that approximately 93 per cent of Ukrainians faced disruptions in essential services like electricity, heating, and water supplies.

“Installing the new gas turbines and the autotransformers will help to avoid disruptions this winter, maintaining critical services for over 5.5 million Ukrainians in affected areas,” said the statement.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Ukraine, Christophoros Politis, said: “For the second consecutive year, in collaboration with our partners, we’ve been diligently working to assist Ukraine.

“We have been working to assist Ukraine in preparing for potential energy threats, ensuring that everyone has light and warmth during the winter.”

Working with Japan, UNDP has supplied essential emergency equipment to communities across Ukraine, including 1,000 power banks and 1,200 generators.

In October 2023, two high-power autotransformers were delivered to enhance the country’s power transmission capacity.

“The challenge the country faces in the energy sector is immense,” said Politis.

According to the UNDP in Ukraine report, “Towards a Green Transition of the Energy Sector in Ukraine,” generation capacity has been reduced to nearly 50 per cent of its pre-2022 levels.

It said since the invasion of February 2022, out of nearly 37 gigawatts of production capacity, over 19 gigawatts had been destroyed, damaged, or seized by Russian forces. 

UNDP, Japan deliver equipment to secure power in Ukraine