News

Google Launches Arabic Version Of AI Chat Tool Bard

The generative AI platform can understand 16 dialects, including Saudi, Egyptian, and Emirati.

Published

2 years ago

July 13, 2023

google launches arabic version of ai chat tool bard

Alphabet, the company in charge of Google’s extensive suite of products, has launched an Arabic version of its artificial intelligence platform, Bard. The tool now contains updates to address Arabic speakers’ unique needs amid the search giant’s increasing rivalry with Microsoft and its infamous ChatGPT platform.

The conversational AI tool can understand questions in 16 colloquial Arabic dialects, including Egyptian, Emirati, and Saudi. However, the AI chatbot will provide answers in classical Arabic, Google execs explained at a Dubai press briefing.

“Bard will be available in the Arabic language across all corners of the Arab world as part of its global launch in 40 other languages,” announced Najeeb Jarrar, regional director of marketing for Google MENA.

google bard ai arabic language

Bard in Arabic now features a user interface supporting the language’s right-to-left script. At the same time, users can also input questions in several languages simultaneously, helping both bilingual speakers and novice language students.

“A big team of Google’s engineers and linguist experts worked together over the last months so that the product, Bard, will not just be a translation […] but a product that matches our use in the Arabic language,” said Marwa Khost, Google’s communications manager for MENA.

Also Read: Dubai’s Sheikh Hamdan Launches New Digital Cloud Project

When asked whether the relatively limited volume of Arabic online content would affect the depth of Bard’s responses, Google explained that the AI platform could source material from the wider online landscape and translate it into a user’s preferred language. The search company’s execs also noted that the amount of Arabic content had grown and diversified exponentially in recent years.

The launch of Bard in Arabic comes as the AI tool is rolled out across 59 new regions and countries, including Brazil and most of Europe. The latest expansion means Bard is available in 46 languages and 239 countries and territories.

Related Topics:Artificial Intelligence Bard Google

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News

Will Upcoming Changes Turn Instagram Into A TikTok Clone?

Updates are rolling out for the grid layout and Reels length, while new editing tools clearly imitate those of the rival Chinese platform.

Published

2 days ago

January 24, 2025

Nour Nasir

Instagram

Instagram recently faced backlash for swapping its iconic square grid for rectangles, disrupting the aesthetic of thousands of carefully curated profiles. However, the Meta-owned platform isn’t stopping there, after announcing more incoming TikTok-like changes designed to give users greater control over their profiles.

“We launched a new tall grid on profiles this week and I got a lot of feedback, both positive and quite negative,” Instagram head Adam Mosseri shared in an Instagram caption on Monday. “The goal is a simpler, cleaner place that maintains, and even increases, creator control”.

Here are some of the details about further changes we can expect:

Customizable Grids: Users will soon be able to tweak how their posts appear on the grid, including adjusting image crops and reordering posts entirely.
Direct-To-Grid Posts: A new option will allow users to post directly to their profile grid without automatically adding it to their main feed.
Highlights Relocation: Instagram’s Highlights feature will move from above the grid into a dedicated tab, while also becoming part of the profile grid itself.
Longer Reels: Reels are getting a significant upgrade, with the maximum video length jumping from 90 seconds to 3 minutes.

The updates are part of Instagram’s ongoing effort to compete with TikTok, which narrowly avoided a US ban following a 75-day delay granted by President Donald Trump. With the Chinese video platform’s future remaining uncertain, Instagram seems eager to capture disillusioned users by offering features that feel increasingly similar to those of its rival.

Also Read: How To Find & Cancel Pending Instagram Requests

In fact, Instagram’s recent changes go beyond just the app’s layout: On Sunday, parent company Meta launched the standalone Edits app, a clear imitation of TikTok’s popular video-editing tool, CapCut. Additionally, Meta has been enticing creators with cash bonuses to encourage them to post their videos on Instagram and Facebook.

It’s clear Instagram is shifting its strategy to appeal to the short-form video crowd. Whether these changes will win over users or continue to spark discontent remains to be seen.