Bard vs. ChatGPT: What’s the difference?
ChatGPT took the spotlight for AI-generated content, and Google answered with Bard. While Bard and ChatGPT may perform similar tasks, there are differences between the two.
OpenAI's ChatGPT launched in November 2022, and it quickly became an internet sensation. Now Google has announced its own AI-powered chatbot.
Generative AI creates content after a user queries it, using data from its machine learning model. The content is generated automatically to answer questions.
When OpenAI launched ChatGPT, people began looking for ways to use AI-generated content for business, education and personal purposes. However, AI experts warned that the information can mix up content when pulled from incorrect data sources. Generative content has its pros and cons.
Microsoft also recently announced a multiple-year partnership with OpenAI to increase AI capabilities.
Google's answer to ChatGPT is a chatbot named Bard. As of this writing, Bard is in the final testing phases and should be released by the end of February 2023.
Even with similar functions, there are key differences between the two.
What is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is an AI-powered chatbot that uses machine learning to answer queries in a conversational dialogue. OpenAI released ChatGPT on Nov. 30, 2022. Within five days, ChatGPT reached 1 million users, according to OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman.
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What is generative AI? Everything you need to know
ChatGPT uses the GPT-3 language model, which is trained from human-created text on the internet. ChatGPT uses this language model to formulate responses to user queries.
Popular AI-generated content for ChatGPT includes the following:
- written code;
- product descriptions;
- blog posts;
- email drafts;
- summaries of transcripts, meetings and podcasts;
- simple explanations of complex topics;
- law briefs;
- translations;
- jokes or memes; and
- social media posts.
Teachers and professors were concerned about ChatGPT producing convincing essays, questioning how to prevent students from cheating. In response, OpenAI announced a new AI text classifier in January 2023.
What is Bard?
Bard draws responses from the internet and uses Google's Language Model for Dialogue Applications (LaMDA). Bard will provide more details to questions asked than the typical Google search through this language model. The lighter and second version of LaMDA uses less computing power, so it can scale for more people to use and provide feedback.
Bard is currently in beta testing.
Bard's main goal is to retrieve information in a simple answer versus a search engine results page, like digital assistants such as Alexa and Siri, but with links for users to gather more information. Bard will also work as a personal assistant and help with tasks such as booking vacations, finding existing reservations and helping with meal planning.
Main differences between ChatGPT and Bard
The services of ChatGPT and Bard will be similar, with users typing in a query to receive a human-like response.
In February 2023, Microsoft announced it will release technology for large companies to create and customize their own chatbots using ChatGPT technology. Microsoft will also embed AI-powered search functions to Bing and Edge with chat experience to aid a user's search. These browsers will feature a newer version of ChatGPT using GPT-4, providing more relevant information from the internet.
Google has not announced when it plans to add AI chatbot functionality to its search engines.
The main difference between ChatGPT and Bard is the data source. Bard will continually draw information from the internet, so it will have the latest information. ChatGPT's sources end with 2021 data, so it is limited to newer research and information. Bard will have more data to gather information in real-time by accessing the latest research.
Bard uses its LaMDA for dialogue applications, while ChatGPT uses GPT 3.5. LaMDA was built on an open-source network to understand natural language. It's trained to find patterns in sentences and between words to create dialogue versus individual words.
Bard will create more chunks of information, while ChatGPT creates content in a single text prompt.
Generative AI alternatives
There are other AI-content generators available. There are also several startups working on their own projects, including ChatSonic, Jasper AI, OpenAssistant and Wordtune. China's search engine, Baidu, will also use AI with an application called Ernie Bot.
The future of AI in marketing continues to change and adapt as quickly as it started by finding additional uses beyond content generation, such as customer service, email optimization, product recommendations and social media posts.
