Google is working on a paid "advanced" version of Bard

Google is reportedly developing an enhanced version of Bard known as “Bard Advanced,” which is expected to be accessible through a subscription service offered by Google One. Developer Dylan Roussel, formerly of Twitter, shared insights into Bard Advanced, indicating that it utilizes Gemini Ultra, the highest tier of Google’s recently introduced large language model (LLM). This represents an advancement over the current iteration of Bard, which is powered by the midtier Gemini Pro.

Bard Advanced is described as a more sophisticated large language model with enhanced mathematical and reasoning capabilities. Notably, Roussel uncovered a string of code hinting at Google’s development of an “advanced” tier. Moreover, he revealed additional updates, including a feature codenamed Motoko that could potentially enable users to create personalized bots. However, it remains unclear whether users will be able to share these bots or if access to this feature will require a subscription. OpenAI, in a similar vein, previously announced that GPT Plus subscribers could create and share custom bots.

Additionally, there are indications that Google might introduce a new “power up” feature utilizing AI to enhance user prompts provided to Bard. The presence of a “Gallery” section is also suggested, speculated to allow users to explore various topics and experiment with Bard’s capabilities. Other minor adjustments, as per the shared screenshots, include a new “tasks” tab for monitoring lengthier tasks Bard is engaged in, such as image generation, and the ability to add a personalized background to shared Bard prompts.

The timeline for the official release of these features remains uncertain, and as of now, Google has not responded to inquiries from The Verge regarding these developments. Over the past few months, Google has implemented several upgrades to Bard, enabling real-time responses to queries and the ability to answer questions about YouTube videos. These enhancements are seen as efforts to stay competitive with platforms like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot.