In September, Google expanded its AI-powered search experience to teens in the US, providing them with access to enriched search results and additional information and links. This move aimed to enhance the search experience for young users and provide them with valuable resources for their academic and personal development. Now, the company has extended this access to teens in most countries around the world, who have their language set to English and meet the minimum age requirement to manage their own Google account, which varies from 13 to 16 years old across different countries.
By granting access to its Bard AI chatbot, Google is enabling teens to seek assistance in various areas, including writing tips for assignments or speeches, university application suggestions, and science fair project ideas. This allows young users to seek guidance on topics that are relevant to their academic and personal growth. Additionally, Google has introduced a math learning experience through the chatbot, allowing teens to receive step-by-step solutions to math problems by typing or uploading a photo of the question.
To ensure a safe and appropriate experience for young users, Google has implemented safeguards within the Bard AI chatbot. These include training the chatbot to recognize and filter out inappropriate content for younger users, preventing the return of illegal or age-inappropriate responses.
Moreover, Google has integrated a “double-check response” feature within Bard, particularly aimed at teen users. When a teen asks their first fact-based question, the chatbot will automatically run a double-check to ensure the accuracy of the response. This feature helps mitigate the possibility of the chatbot providing nonsensical or inaccurate responses, thus promoting a more reliable and trustworthy experience for young users. Google plans to extend this feature to all new Bard users in the future, emphasizing the importance of information literacy and critical thinking skills.
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In order to facilitate the onboarding process for younger teens, Google has developed a tailored approach, including the use of instructional videos. These videos serve as a resource to guide young users through the features and capabilities of the Bard AI chatbot, ensuring that they can make the most of this enhanced search experience.
With the expansion of its AI-powered search and chatbot features to teens worldwide, Google is demonstrating its commitment to providing a safe, enriching, and educational online environment for young users. By offering valuable resources and tools for academic and personal development, Google aims to empower teens to explore and learn in a secure and controlled digital space. This expansion also reinforces Google’s dedication to promoting information literacy and critical thinking skills among young users, encouraging them to engage with technology in a responsible and mindful manner. As technology continues to play a significant role in the lives of young people, initiatives like these highlight the importance of creating a positive and supportive digital ecosystem for the next generation.
