Google to combine generative AI chatbot with virtual assistant

FILE PHOTO: Artificial Intelligence words are seen in this illustration taken March 31, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

(Reuters) - Google on Wednesday announced plans to add generative artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to its virtual assistant, and a company executive told Reuters the AI would allow the assistant to do things like help people plan a trip or catch up on emails and then ask follow-up questions.

The Alphabet subsidiary said during its hardware event in New York that it plans to add generative AI features from its Bard chatbot into Google's version of a virtual assistant, that aims to provide personalized help with reasoning and generative capabilities on mobile devices.