Bard will be able to code in 20 programming languages, including Java, C++ and Python. It can also help correct errors and explain the code to users.

Last year, the release of ChatGPT, a chatbot from Microsoft-backed startup OpenAI, sparked a race in the tech sector to put AI in the hands of more users. At this stage, a small group of users can access Bared, chat with the bot and ask questions, instead of running Google's traditional search tool.