Google's LaMDA AI can have a 'natural' conversation while pretending to be Pluto

Whether it's talking AI or smarter chatbots, Google has spent the last several years teaching AI how to communicate better with humans. Now, the company is showing off its latest research that could take these efforts to the next level. The company previewed LaMDA ("Language Model for Dialogue Applications"), research it says represents a "breakthrough conversation technology" that will one day enable people to have natural, open-ended conversations about any topic with Google's AI. The technology is still in a research phase, but it could have huge implications for existing Google products like search and Assistant. While existing chatbots are often trained on a specific topic or programmed to give canned responses, LaMDA "can engage in a free-flowing way about a seemingly endless number of topics," according to Google.