Google’s re-engagement of its founders to tackle the threat of ChatGPT, a new chatbot from OpenAI, has put the tech giant on a collision course with A.I. competition. For the first time in decades, Google’s search business is facing a rival that could offer a new way to search for information online.

Google is responding to the challenge by cutting 12,000 jobs and releasing more than 20 new products with chatbot features this year. The company is also working to bring A.I. into its products and has launched the Advanced Technology Review Council to review plans for products to be unveiled in May. This includes image-creation technology, tools to help other businesses create their own A.I. prototypes, and a version of its search engine with chatbot features.

Google’s A.I. technology has been in development for the last decade, and the company already has an internal chatbot that could rival ChatGPT. However, the technology is not without its risks. Large language models, which rely on online information, have been known to share false statements and show biased attitudes. Companies have been cautious about offering the technology to the public, but several new companies have already done so, and Microsoft is working on its own version.

Google is trying to accelerate product approval reviews and has established a fast-track review process called the “Green Lane” initiative. It is also looking for ways for teams to conduct their own reviews and “recalibrate” the level of risk it is willing to take when releasing the technology.

The consequences of Google’s approach to A.I. are still unclear, but the company is taking steps to ensure that its technology is fair, ethical, and safe. It is aiming to curb issues relating to hate and toxicity, danger and misinformation rather than preventing them, and it is working to block certain words to avoid hate.

Google’s re-engagement of its founders and its efforts to bring A.I. into its products could have a profound impact on the future of search and artificial intelligence. As the company moves forward, it will be important to keep an eye on the potential risks of the technology and how it is being regulated.