ChatGPT: What is it, how does it work and why is Google going after it?

Google has confirmed it is launching its own artificial intelligence-powered chatbot in the wake of the success of rival service ChatGPT. First launched late last year, ChatGPT has become an online sensation because of its ability to hold natural conversations but also to generate speeches, songs and essays. Word of the bot’s ability to create long, detailed answers on often niche subjects quickly spread, sparking debates around the power, usefulness and potential dangers of such technology, while also catching the attention of many people because they were encountering this type of software for the first time. But there are also reports that Microsoft – which has invested heavily in OpenAI – is about to announce it will incorporate ChatGPT into its Bing search engine. A wide range of concerns have been raised over the spread of programmes such as ChatGPT and Bard, including fears that the technology could take human jobs, including in a range of writing professions.