Google tests an AI tool that can provide financial and life advice

Google is reportedly working on a generative AI technology that can function as a "life coach." According to internal documents evaluated by The New York Times, the AI tool can perform "at least 21 different types of personal and professional tasks," such as giving life advice, insights, meal planning and mentoring advice, and more. The report adds that the project indicates Google's increasing efforts to rival OpenAI's ChatGPT and Microsoft's Bing Chat. The project also means a change in Google's AI strategy. Before ChatGPT's public release, the search giant was cautiously testing generative AI updates only within its inner circles, following warnings from AI security experts and former staff members.

The report highlights that Google's internal AI research lab, DeepMind, has been testing the AI-powered life coach. The company is also reportedly working with Scale AI, a contractor that works with Google DeepMind. The tool is a chatbot similar to Google Bard and ChatGPT, trained to answer intimate questions.

The AI chatbot is being trained on queries like: "I have a very close friend who is getting married this winter. She was my college roommate and bridesmaid at my wedding. I want to go to her wedding to celebrate, but after months of job hunting, I still haven't found a job. She has a destination wedding, and I can't afford the flight or hotel. How do I tell her I won't be able to go?

The AI chatbot aims to give recommendations to improve well-being, financially or socially. While similar capabilities already exist in Google Bard, the AI chatbot has limitations. For example, the chatbot avoids offering answers about finances, health, and legal advice. The new AI technology aims to solve this shortcoming. The tools are still being evaluated, and the company may decide not to use them.

A DeepMind spokesperson told NYT that Google has worked with various partners to evaluate our research and products across the company. The report adds: "At any time, there are many such evaluations ongoing. Isolated samples of evaluation data are not representative of our product road map."

It is unclear if the new AI life trainer will be incorporated into the Bard. Meanwhile, Google is also working on a new artificial intelligence tool to help journalists. The new Google AI tool can help news publications write news articles. The tool positions itself as a personal assistant for journalists and the media.