If AI can be integrated into social media apps, assistants, and word processors, why not into your messaging app? In keeping with the AI-fication of the tech landscape, Google is working on integrating Bard AI directly into Google Messages, ostensibly to help you “compose messages, translate languages, identify images, and explore interests.” Here’s what you need to know.

Bard AI was first spotted by X user AssembleDebug , but Google is apparently working on making Bard AI a permanent assistant for its default messaging app. It will let you start RCS chats with others, get help composing messages, translate, and identify images, among other AI stuff.

It can be helpful to have an AI partner do the heavy lifting for you, writing messages that get your point across and help you understand what the other side is saying. However, Google’s move may not be without controversy.

While taking assistance from Bard AI will be entirely optional when initiating RCS chats, your conversations with Bard will not be end-to-end encrypted. Furthermore, as noted in one of Bard's descriptions, "By default, Bard chats… and related data are retained for 18 months. If Bard Activity is disabled, chats are only retained for 72 hours."