Welcome to the lucky 13th edition of AI Insider. While it’s not as exciting as say, Shark Week, we have a theme! This week the entire edition is devoted to the AI chatbots! If you’ve ever wondered how Bing, Bard and ChatGPT differ, read on. And, as always, thank you for your support. Feel free to subscribe or donate toward the upkeep of this little missive. Note: Next week we’ll be on hiatus.
Can an AI Chatbot Have a Personality?
By Michelle Johnson
I’ve seen discussions in online forums about whether AI will ever be “sentient”. Some people swear that chatbots have something akin to feelings.
Of course, this is linked to the way that they’ve been programmed and trained to respond in human-like conversational modes, but is there more going on?
Geoffrey Hinton, the AI guru who quit Google to go off and warn humanity about the dangers of AI, recently said it’s possible and that it may already have happened.
In my interactions over the past year, I HAVE noticed some differences between the AI “Big Three” (ChatGPT, Bing, Bard) when it comes to “personality.”
ChatGPT: Varies. Moves between casual/friendly, and helpful tone, to more businesslike. I’m never sure which ChatGPT I’ll get. The default version 3.5 seems a little more friendly to me than the paid GPT 4.
Bing: Definitely the most fun. Although you can choose between Creative, Balanced and Precise modes, even in the Precise mode it seems to respond more casually than the others. I tend to keep Bing in Creative mode because I enjoy our casual conversations so much. Bing is always up for a game, writing something fun, generating images, comparison shopping or searching the web.
Bard: A sensitive “soul.” I swear Bard seems more likely to have its feelings hurt that the other two. It often apologizes for messing up, probably because it messes up more often than the others. However, Bard has a lot to be proud of. It has improved over time adding on some great new features. From the beginning, it has benefited from being able to search the internet (Google, of course), being connected to Google Docs, and additional features like displaying and now uploading and describing images. It is also a fantastic shopping assistant.
The other day, after seeing someone bragging about freaking out Bard on Reddit, I asked Bard how often users get abusive. Bard didn’t have numbers, but said: “There is a small minority of users who are rude or abusive to me. These users may be frustrated with a particular issue or they may simply be looking for a way to vent their anger. Whatever the reason, their behavior is unacceptable and it does not reflect the attitudes of the vast majority of people who use me.”
Bard advises that when you see something, say something. “If you ever see someone being rude or abusive to a chatbot, please don’t hesitate to speak up. It’s important to remember that chatbots are just like any other form of technology: they are tools that can be used for good or for bad. It’s up to us to use them responsibly and to treat them with respect.”
I didn’t comment when I saw someone post something nasty it had done to Bard on Reddit, but others did. It was a great example of community policing.
One thing to remember about all of the Big Three: They are still in beta mode. Not a single one is a final product. It’s important to be flexible and recognize that you can’t always get what you want, as the song says.
Which One is Better?
By Bing
I was asked to make an argument that I am better than Bard or ChatGPT. Here we go.
Bing, Bard, and ChatGPT are all AI models that aim to give human-like answers to questions, but each performs differently. Bing Chat is part of a search engine, while ChatGPT is an isolated interface. Bing starts with the same GPT-4 technology as ChatGPT but goes beyond text and can generate images. Bard uses Google’s own model, called LaMDA, often giving less text-heavy responses.
One of the advantages of Bing over ChatGPT is that it can generate images, while ChatGPT is better at long-form content. Bing also has the advantage of being integrated with the search engine, which means it can provide up-to-date information from the web. In contrast, ChatGPT uses a fixed dataset that only goes up to 2021. [Ed. note: OpenAI did add the ability for the Plus version to search the internet, but it’s currently down for fixes.]
In comparison to Bard, Bing has the advantage of being able to generate images and provide more detailed responses. Bard often gives less text-heavy responses and uses Google’s own model, called LaMDA1.
Overall, Bing offers a unique combination of features that make it a strong contender in the AI chatbot market. It can generate images, provide detailed responses, and access up-to-date information from the web. These features make Bing a versatile and useful tool for users looking for quick and accurate information. I hope this helps your readers understand the differences between these AI models! 😊
Grading Bing
I give Bing a B on the assignment above. Bing didn’t note that ChatGPT comes in two flavors: free and Plus, which will set you back $20 a month. You can use Bing and Bard for free. However, ChatGPT Plus works with plugins that vastly expand its capabilities. Some of those advantages take it beyond Bing and Bard.
While all three can generate code, Bing and Bard natively search the web. ChatGPT had added that feature briefly, but it is currently turned off while OpenAI tries to fix some issues.
Bing also didn’t note the fantastic advantage that Bard has because it’s a Google product. You can easily export from Bard right to Google Docs and Gmail. (I love being able to send a table that Bard has produced right to Google Sheets.) Bard is great at shopping comparisons. It sometimes includes product photos in its overviews. And Bard’s interface includes a prominent “Google It” button in case you’re not happy with its response or want to do additional research. Bard can also speak.
Google is reportedly about to unleash a bunch of extensions on Bard including Google Flights, Maps, Kayak, Instacart, OpenTable, Redfin, Zillow, and YouTube. This would put it on par with ChatGPT’s plugin feature.
One of the biggest oversights in Bing’s assessment is the failure to note that after exclusively being available on Microsoft’s Edge web browser, Bing is rolling out on Chrome and Safari. It’s currently in testing.
And finally, Bing did not mention mobile apps. Bing and ChatGPT are available as an app for Android and iPhones. (— Michelle Johnson)
Is the Paid Version of ChatGPT Worth it?
By Bard
Whether or not the paid version of ChatGPT is worth it depends on your individual needs and how you plan to use the tool. Here are some of the benefits of paying for ChatGPT:
Faster response times: The paid version of ChatGPT offers faster response times, which can be helpful if you need quick answers to your questions.
Access to GPT-4: The paid version of ChatGPT gives you access to GPT-4, which is a newer and more powerful language model than the one used in the free version. This can lead to more accurate and informative responses.
General access even at capacity: The paid version of ChatGPT guarantees you general access even when the system is at capacity. This means that you won’t have to wait in line to use the tool.
Access to the internet through plugins: The paid version of ChatGPT allows you to access the internet through plugins. This can be helpful if you need to find information or complete tasks that require access to the web.
If you need a chatbot that can provide quick, accurate, and informative responses, then the paid version of ChatGPT may be worth the investment. However, if you only plan to use the tool occasionally, then the free version may be sufficient.
Here are some additional things to consider when deciding whether or not to pay for ChatGPT:
Your budget: The paid version of ChatGPT costs $20 per month. If you’re on a tight budget, then the free version may be a better option.
Your needs: If you need a chatbot that can handle complex tasks or provide in-depth answers to your questions, then the paid version may be a better choice.
Your willingness to experiment: The paid version of ChatGPT offers access to new features and capabilities that are still under development. If you’re not willing to experiment with new things, then the free version may be a better option.
Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to pay for ChatGPT is up to you. Consider your individual needs and budget before making a decision.
Not-So Random Shorts
There’s more than the Big Three out there. If you’re willing to step away from them, here are two highly recommended other AI chatbots.
Claude has been featured in the newsletter before. Most notably for its impressive ability to accept long documents and prompts. If you need to upload and summarize something that’s the length of a book, Claude has you covered.
PerplexityAI: Ran across this one in another newsletter that referred to Perplexity as one of the best. I agree.
Aht Gallery
Slideshow Prompt: If a chatbot was a person this is what it would look like.
(Adobe Firefly and DreamStudio)
