Google’s Bard AI is now available in Ethiopia without a VPN

By: Yinebeb Bahru 

Google Bard is Google’s new chatbot AI that uses its LaMDA (Language Model for Dialogue Applications) technology. It works like other AI chatbots such as Open AI’s ChatGPT and Microsoft’s the New Bing AI chatbot. But it has an edge: it can access real-time information from the internet. Bard was limited to USA and UK users who joined a waitlist for two months. But not anymore. On Wednesday may, Google announced that Bard will be open to 180 more countries and territories without a waitlist. And it will also run on Google’s newest Large Language Model, PaLM 2, making it smarter than ever. Google released Bard while it is still developing it to keep up with other tech giants like Microsoft and OpenAI in the AI race and to protect its search engine leadership.

Recent news reports indicate that Google’s search dominance is being challenged by ChatGPT, a conversational AI service developed by Open AI and Microsoft’s Bing AI. Unlike Google’s search engine, ChatGPT and Bing AI can provide answers to questions using simple, easy-to-understand language instead of just providing a list of links. Additionally, ChatGPT can generate a variety of content such as song lyrics, poems, texts, computer codes, emails, and articles. In response to this competition, Google has released the Bard chatbot, the chatbot still under development.

It’s important to note that Google Search and Google Network are responsible for 69% of Alphabet’s sales, making any loss of market share or user trust a major concern for the company’s revenue. Bing has already crossed 100 million daily active users a month after the partnership with ChatGPT.

Unfortunately for Google, the release of the Bard chatbot has not gone as smoothly as planned. In its first demo, Bard produced factual errors which led to a 9% drop in Alphabet’s share value and a loss of $100 billion. This has caused investors to become increasingly concerned that Google may have already lost the AI war to Microsoft, highlighting the importance of staying ahead of the competition in the rapidly evolving world of AI.

When it comes to choosing AI powered chatbot for your business or personal use, there are several factors to consider. Two popular options are Google Bard and ChatGPT. In this article, i will compare these two chatbots based on three key perspectives: availability in Ethiopia, cost, and ease of transferring chats into Google Docs.

Firstly, Bard has a significant advantage over ChatGPT in terms of availability in Ethiopia. While ChatGPT requires a VPN to be accessed in Ethiopia, Google Bard is available without the need for a VPN. This makes it easier for users in Ethiopia to access and use Google Bard.

Secondly, Cost, Bard is free of cost, while ChatGPT Plus charges a monthly fee of $20. This means that users can save money by choosing Google Bard over ChatGPT Plus.

Finally, With Bard, it is easy to transfer chat conversations into a Google Doc for further analysis or record-keeping. This feature is not available with ChatGPT.

In conclusion, based on the perspectives of availability in Ethiopia, cost, and ease of transferring chats other file formats, Google Bard has a competitive advantage over ChatGPT. Of course, other factors may also come into play when choosing a chatbot, but these three perspectives provide a strong case for choosing Google Bard.

To test Bard’s capabilities, I ask a few questions about Ethiopia’s socioeconomic realities, and it provided insightful responses.

Here is our unedited conversation;

Me: How can the Ethiopian government create economic opportunities for rural communities and reduce poverty?

Bard: The Ethiopian government can create economic opportunities for rural communities and reduce poverty by taking a number of steps, including:

• Investing in agriculture and rural infrastructure. This includes improving irrigation systems, building roads and bridges, and providing access to electricity and telecommunications.
• Promoting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This can be done by providing training and financial assistance to entrepreneurs, and by creating a business-friendly environment.
• Developing tourism. Ethiopia has a rich history and culture, which can be a major draw for tourists. The government can promote tourism by investing in infrastructure, marketing the country, and regulating the industry.
• Investing in education and health care. This will help to improve the quality of life in rural communities and make people more productive.
• Promoting gender equality. Women play a vital role in the economy, but they often face discrimination and lack access to opportunities. The government can promote gender equality by passing laws that protect women’s rights, providing training and support to women entrepreneurs, and investing in education and health care for women.
• Building strong institutions. This includes strengthening the rule of law, fighting corruption, and improving the efficiency of government services.

These are just some of the steps that the Ethiopian government can take to create economic opportunities for rural communities and reduce poverty. By taking these steps, the government can help to improve the lives of millions of people and build a more prosperous future for Ethiopia.
Me: What are the effects of drought and climate change on small farmers in Ethiopia and how can these challenges be mitigated?

Bard: Drought and climate change have a number of negative effects on small farmers in Ethiopia, including:

• Reduced crop yields. Drought can lead to crop failures, which can have a devastating impact on farmers’ livelihoods.
• Increased livestock deaths. Drought can also lead to the death of livestock, which are a vital source of income and food for many farmers.
• Food insecurity. Drought can lead to food insecurity, as farmers are unable to produce enough food to meet their own needs.
• Migration. Drought can force farmers to migrate to other areas in search of food and water.
• Conflict. Drought can lead to conflict, as people compete for scarce resources.

There are a number of things that can be done to mitigate the challenges of drought and climate change for small farmers in Ethiopia, including:

• Investing in drought-tolerant crops. Drought-tolerant crops are crops that are able to withstand periods of drought. Investing in these crops can help to ensure that farmers have a source of food even during droughts.
• Providing access to irrigation. Irrigation can help to farmers to grow crops even during periods of drought.
• Providing training on climate-smart agriculture. Climate-smart agriculture is a type of agriculture that is adapted to the challenges of climate change. Providing training on climate-smart agriculture can help farmers to adopt practices that will help them to cope with drought and climate change.
• Building resilience. Building resilience is the ability to withstand shocks and stresses. Building resilience can help farmers to cope with the challenges of drought and climate change.
• Providing social safety nets. Social safety nets are programs that provide financial assistance to people who are struggling. Providing social safety nets can help farmers to cope with the financial losses that they may experience due to drought and climate change.

These are just some of the things that can be done to mitigate the challenges of drought and climate change for small farmers in Ethiopia. By taking these steps, we can help to ensure that farmers have the resources and support they need to cope with these challenges and build a more sustainable future.

Me: What is the impact of foreign investment on Ethiopian industries and how can the government regulate these investments to ensure that they benefit Ethiopian communities?

Bard: Foreign investment can have a positive impact on Ethiopian industries by providing capital, technology, and expertise. However, it is important to ensure that these investments benefit Ethiopian communities.
The government can regulate foreign investment in a number of ways, including:

• Requiring foreign investors to create jobs for Ethiopians.
• Requiring foreign investors to use local suppliers.
• Requiring foreign investors to transfer technology to Ethiopian companies.
• Requiring foreign investors to pay taxes in Ethiopia.

The government can also work to promote partnerships between foreign and Ethiopian companies. This can help to ensure that foreign investment benefits Ethiopian communities and helps to build a more sustainable economy. 

In addition, the government can provide support to Ethiopian companies so that they can compete with foreign companies. This can include providing training, financial assistance, and access to markets. By taking these steps, the government can help to ensure that foreign investment benefits Ethiopian communities and helps to build a more prosperous future for Ethiopia.

Me: How can Ethiopia address gender inequality in the workplace, particularly in the technology and finance sectors?

Bard: Gender inequality in the workplace is a global issue, and Ethiopia is no exception. Women in Ethiopia are underrepresented in the technology and finance sectors, and they often face discrimination and harassment. There are a number of things that can be done to address gender inequality in the workplace in Ethiopia, including:

• Raising awareness of the issue. Many people are not aware of the extent of gender inequality in the workplace. By raising awareness of the issue, we can start to change attitudes and behaviors.
• Promoting gender equality policies. Companies and organizations should promote gender equality policies and practices. This includes providing equal opportunities for women and men, and creating a workplace that is free from discrimination and harassment.
• Supporting women’s entrepreneurship. Women should be supported in starting and running their own businesses. This can be done by providing training, financial assistance, and access to markets.
• Empowering girls and young women. Girls and young women should be empowered to pursue careers in technology and finance. This can be done by providing them with access to education and training, and by role models who can show them that they can succeed in these fields.

By taking these steps, we can help to address gender inequality in the workplace in Ethiopia and create a more equitable and prosperous future for all.

Me: What policies can the Ethiopian government implement to encourage small businesses to grow and create jobs for youth?

Bard: The Ethiopian government can implement a number of policies to encourage small businesses to grow and create jobs for youth, including:

• Providing access to finance. One of the biggest challenges facing small businesses is access to finance. The Ethiopian government can help to address this challenge by providing loans, grants, and other forms of financial assistance to small businesses.
• Providing training and support. Small businesses often lack the skills and resources they need to succeed. The Ethiopian government can help to address this challenge by providing training and support to small businesses, such as business development training, marketing assistance, and technical support.
• Reducing regulations. The Ethiopian government can also help to encourage small businesses by reducing regulations. This can include simplifying the process of starting a business, reducing the number of permits and licenses required, and making it easier to comply with tax laws.
• Promoting entrepreneurship. The Ethiopian government can also promote entrepreneurship by raising awareness of the benefits of starting a business, providing role models for entrepreneurs, and creating a culture that supports entrepreneurship.

By taking these steps, the Ethiopian government can help to create a more favorable environment for small businesses to grow and create jobs for youth. This can help to boost the economy, reduce poverty, and create a more prosperous future for Ethiopia.

Yinebeb Bahru is a Training Associate for Dutch based consulting firm R&D Group Ethiopia office, and he’s passionate about technology, startups, innovation, Finance, writing analysis, research & development. The writer can be reached at: Yinebeb251@gmail.com. The views expressed in this article don’t necessarily reflect the views of addisinsight.net.