Google has rolled out a major update to its ChatGPT rival Bard, allowing the AI chatbot to respond to queries by talking. The latest features, unveiled on Thursday, also allow the artificial intelligence bot to understand and reply to visual prompts. As part of the update, Google has opened up Bard to more countries – including the whole of Europe – as well as introducing over 40 languages to the artificial intelligence tool. Similar to OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Bard is a large language model that uses generative AI to predict which word will come next when producing text. The tools draw on vast amounts of training data in order to come up with human-like responses to a wide range of queries, ranging from summarising texts, to generating computer code to create games or programs. The latest update aims to make the chatbot more customisable and allow users to “get more done” with Bard. The ability to understand visual prompts is a feature that was first demonstrated at Google’s annual I/O conference in May. During the demo, Bard was asked to describe what was in an image, as well as come up with a funny caption for a picture of two dogs. The audio response feature is aimed at users who want to hear how a word is pronounced. “Sometimes hearing something out loud can help you approach your idea in a different way,” Jack Krawczyk, a product lead at Google Bard, wrote in a blog post detailing the upgrade. “This is especially helpful if you want to hear the correct pronunciation of a word or listen to a poem or script.” The release of Bard in Europe had been delayed due to privacy concerns, with some campaigners accusing the tech giant of taking people’s data without their knowledge or consent. Google has called such claims “baseless”. Read More Elon Musk reveals plan to use AI to reveal mysteries of the universe

By Kevin Buckland and Ankur Banerjee TOKYO/SINGAPORE For Japan's long term bond investors, an end to the Bank

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola will miss his side’s next two matches after undergoing “emergency” back surgery on Tuesday. City said the operation was a “success” but his convalescence in Barcelona means assistant Juanma Lillo will take charge for their games against Sheffield United on Sunday and Fulham on September 2. Here, the PA news agency takes a closer look at the 57-year-old Spaniard. Started his coaching career early While Lillo has no playing experience to draw upon, his coaching career started when he was only 16 years old after joining his local side Amaroz KE in the Basque region of northern Spain. He remained there for four years before taking charge of hometown club Tolosa CF in the Spanish fourth tier. Called up to the big leagues After several years in the lower reaches of the Spanish pyramid, Lillo got his big break at Salamanca in 1992, guiding them from the third division all the way to LaLiga in three years. As a result he became the Spanish top-flight’s youngest-ever coach at the time, aged just 29. He was sacked with Salamanca languishing in the relegation zone, prompting an outcry among fans. The club were unable to avoid an immediate return to the Segunda Division but Lillo’s profile was raised significantly. Spreading his wings After nearly two-and-a-half decades of exclusively working in his native Spain, Lillo headed for Mexican side Dorados de Sinaloa in the mid-2000s. One of the players under his command was Guardiola, who was at the back end of his glittering playing career. Lillo has had the travelling bug ever since, having taken charge of sides in Colombia, Japan, China and Qatar, while he was understudy to Jorge Sampaoli with the Chile national team and is now into his second stint under Guardiola at City. Kindred spirits with Guardiola Lillo first moved to the Etihad Stadium in the summer of 2020, replacing the outgoing Mikel Arteta, after guiding Qingdao Huanghai to promotion to the top-tier Chinese Super League. He left ahead of City’s treble-winning campaign last season to take up a head coach role with Al Sadd but came back to City earlier this month. Director of football Txiki Begiristain said: “His vision is totally aligned with Pep’s. They both love this game and want their teams to produce high-quality, attacking football.” Details, details, details How highly Lillo is valued came to light before he was given a temporary promotion by City, with Guardiola expected to be back in the dugout in the middle of next month following the international break. Guardiola was effusive in his praise when Lillo returned to the north-west, drawing attention to his assiduous nature, saying: “Juanma sees things no-one else in the game sees. He understands football on an incredible level, so he is the perfect person for me to work alongside. His preparation for matches is absolutely amazing. I know he will raise standards because he works so hard every single day.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Max Whitlock named in five-man GB team for World Gymnastics Championships ‘Instrumental’ Dan Sheehan would be ‘big loss’ for Ireland – Mike Catt I’ll really miss it – World Cup winner Alex Hartley to retire after The Hundred

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Japan continued their impressive form at the Women’s World Cup to advance to the quarter-finals as they knocked out Norway with a 3-1 win in Wellington. Hinata Miyazawa sealed a clinical victory on the counter-attack with her fifth strike of the World Cup after Norway had given Japan a helping hand with both of their first two goals, with Ingrid Syrstad Engen diverting a cross into her own net for the opener and Vilde Boe Risa’s back-pass setting up Risa Shimizu’s second. Guro Reiten had equalised in the first half, the first goal Japan had conceded at the tournament, but Norway’s star forwards Caroline Graham Hansen and Ada Hegerberg, who came on as a late substitute, were largely kept quiet. In the earlier game, Aitana Bonmati scored a stunning brace as Spain reached the Women’s World Cup quarter-finals for the first time with a commanding 5-1 win over Switzerland. Spain were under pressure after their 4-0 defeat to Japan in the group stages but responded in style and will now face either Netherlands or South Africa in the last eight. Follow live updates from Japan vs Norway in the Women’s World Cup last-16 Read More Women’s World Cup TV schedule: How to watch every match today When do England play next? Women’s World Cup fixtures and route to the final Women’s World Cup golden boot: Who’s leading the top-scorer standings?

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