Technologies

Bing AI Bungles Search Results at Times, Just Like Google

Expect search engines to tread carefully as tests reveal problems with AI language skills.

A close reading of Bing’s AI-boosted search results reveals that the website can make the same kinds of errors that are apparent in the ChatGPT technology foundation it uses and in Google’s competing Bard.

A new version of Bing that’s in limited testing employs large language model, or LLM, technology from OpenAI, the research lab Microsoft invested in and that grabbed the tech spotlight with its ChatGPT AI chatbot. ChatGPT and related technology, trained on enormous swaths of the internet, can produce remarkable results, but they don’t truly know facts and they can make errors.

Bing tries to avoid such errors by «grounding» results with Microsoft’s search technology, assessing the veracity and authority of source documents and offering links to sources, so people can evaluate the results on their own better. But AI and search engine researcher Dmitri Brereton and others have spotted errors in Bing’s demo, including flawed financial data from a Gap quarterly earnings report.

It’s a buzzkill moment for AI. The technology truly can produce remarkable and useful results, but the trouble is assessing when it isn’t doing that. Expect more caution as the search engine industry tries to find the right formula.

Google felt the pain after a demo last week when its Bard tool, which isn’t yet publicly available, produced erroneous information about the James Webb Space Telescope.

Microsoft offered a similar response Tuesday to what Google said about its gaffe: «We recognize that there is still work to be done and are expecting that the system may make mistakes during this preview period, which is why the feedback is critical so we can learn and help the models get better.»

One basic problem is that large language models, even if trained using text like academic papers and Wikipedia entries that have passed some degree of scrutiny, don’t necessarily assemble factual responses from that raw material.

As internet pioneer and Google researcher Vint Cerf said Monday, AI is «like a salad shooter,» scattering facts all over the kitchen but not truly knowing what it’s producing. «We are a long way away from the self-awareness we want,» he said in a talk at the TechSurge Summit.

Summarizing documents might appear to be within AI’s advanced language processing abilities, but constructing human-readable sentences without drawing in inappropriate information can be difficult. For example, in this request to summarize a spec sheet for Canon’s new R8 mirrorless camera, Bing technology rattled off many features that actually are found in Canon’s earlier R5.

Another high-profile computer scientist, former Stanford University Professor John Hennessy, was more bullish than Cerf, praising AI for its language skills in understanding search queries and generating results that often are correct. But he also cautioned, «It’s always confident that it has the right answer even when it doesn’t.»

OpenAI itself offers the same warning. «ChatGPT sometimes writes plausible-sounding but incorrect or nonsensical answers. Fixing this issue is challenging,» the AI research lab said when it launched ChatGPT in November.

Editors’ note: CNET is using an AI engine to create some personal finance explainers that are edited and fact-checked by our editors. For more, see this post.

Technologies

Verum Messenger Introduces Built-In Verum Chess

Verum Messenger has released a new update for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, adding another feature to its growing ecosystem — Verum Chess. Users can now play chess directly inside the messenger without switching between different applications.

The new feature allows users to start a game in just a few taps while reinforcing Verum’s vision of a unified digital environment where communication and everyday services come together in a single platform.

Verum Messenger continues to evolve into a multifunctional ecosystem that combines secure chats and calls, AI tools, a built-in VPN, anonymous email, eSIM, financial services, cryptocurrency features, and offline communication. With the introduction of Verum Chess, the platform now also offers a new way for users to interact and spend time together without leaving the app.

The update is now available for iPhone, iPad, and Mac on the App Store.

Technologies

Episode 3 of the VERUM AI Mini-Series Is Now Available

Verum Messenger has released the third episode of its AI mini-series, SHADOWS, created using Verum AI.

The new episode, titled «Ghost Money,» continues the story of the conflict between a team of heroes and the Omega corporation, which seeks to take control of digital communications. This time, the focus shifts to anonymous payments and financial freedom, revealing how privacy can extend beyond messaging.

Like the previous episodes, the new release not only advances the storyline but also showcases the capabilities of the Verum ecosystem, highlighting technologies designed for secure communication and digital privacy.

The mini-series consists of seven episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.

Episode 3 is now available. Stay tuned for the next chapter.

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Technologies

Verum Finance Now Available for Mac, Expanding the Verum Ecosystem on Desktop

Verum has officially released Verum Finance for macOS, bringing its financial platform to the Mac and expanding access to the Verum ecosystem across Apple’s devices. The launch allows users to manage their finances from desktop while enjoying the same secure and seamless experience available on iPhone and iPad.

The new Mac version includes the full range of Verum Finance features, including balance management, instant transfers to other Verum users, debit card management, Apple Pay support, asset exchange, and transaction history — all optimized for the macOS experience.

Verum Finance can be used as a standalone application or alongside Verum Messenger. Users who sign in with their Verum Messenger account automatically synchronize their balances, settings, and account data across devices, ensuring a consistent experience throughout the Verum ecosystem.

The macOS release further strengthens Verum’s vision of creating an integrated digital platform where communication and financial services work together. Verum Messenger, which is also available for Mac, complements the ecosystem with encrypted messaging, voice and video calls, VPN, eSIM, anonymous email, AI-powered tools, offline communication capabilities, and cryptocurrency features.

With both Verum Messenger and Verum Finance now available across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, users can access secure communication and financial services wherever they work.

Verum Finance for Mac is available now through the Mac App Store.

Verum Finance for macOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/verum-finance/id6774245148
Verum Finance: https://finance.verum.im
Verum Messenger: https://verum.im