Google's AI Chatbot, Bard, Can Now Help You Code Software

Google just updated its generative AI chatbot, Bard, with the ability to whip up computer code on the fly. 

This has been a long-time request for the platform, as rival ChatGPT already has coding features, but Bard takes it a bit further. Bard can help with a vast array of programming and software development tasks at nearly every stage of the process. This includes code generation and debugging across 20 programming languages, including C++, Java, Python, and many more.

The system also lets you export code directly to Google Colab for working with other people, and this code-generating system carries over to Google Sheets, where you can use it to write complicated functions in the spreadsheet editor. 

Bard is, at heart, a chatbot, so much of this process is done via natural-seeming conversation. For instance, if you find something is wrong with the output of your code, just tell Bard to fix it. If the code is sluggish, tell Bard to speed things up. If you want things optimized, ask Bard to look for any missed errors. However, not everything will work exactly as planned since Bard is still in its experimental stages. To that end, Google suggests that all code created by Bard be double-checked and carefully reviewed. 

Finally, Bard can help you learn how to code for yourself. Just pull up some code, highlight a bit, and ask Bard exactly what the code does. You’ll get a detailed and easy-to-read explanation about any code snippet pumped into the system. Over time, you’ll learn how the sausage is made and, hopefully, learn to make your own. 

Bard’s code-inspired update rolls out today. Google says more features and updates are coming soon.