The competition between Google and Microsoft has intensified with the release of Bard, Google’s new AI chatbot tool, which poses a challenge to ChatGPT. However, the two chatbots have notable distinctions, such as their capacity to retain previous conversations and their limitations in terms of the knowledge base.

Read More: From Text To Talk: How Will ChatGPT Change The World?

Major Distinctions

Although both Google and OpenAI admit that their chatbots are not perfect and may sometimes say incorrect or offensive things, there are significant differences between the two:

Coding

ChatGPT became well-known for its ability to generate intricate code, including debugging code. Researchers from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and University College London tested the chatbot against standard automated program repair techniques and two prevalent deep learning methods. They discovered that ChatGPT is “competitive with the common deep learning approaches” and produces “noticeably superior” outcomes than the standard program repair methods, as outlined in their arXiv paper. However, Google stated that Bard is “still learning code,” so this feature is not yet available.

Conversation Retention

OpenAI claims that ChatGPT has the ability to recall past conversations. However, there are two limitations to this feature: ChatGPT can only remember up to 3,000 words, and it does not use past conversations to generate responses. On the other hand, Google states that Bard’s context retention ability is currently limited, but it will improve over time.

Responses

A significant distinction between the two chatbots is that Bard’s LaMDA can retrieve internet responses, ensuring it always has the most up-to-date information. Moreover, Google has connected Bard to its search engine, enabling it to provide website links instantly upon request. In contrast, ChatGPT relies on Generative Pre-training Transformer-4 (GPT-4) and can only produce responses from the knowledge base it has been trained on. This is limited to information up to September 2021, resulting in its reduced capability to offer the latest information and research.

Language

ChatGPT is multilingual and can understand and respond in several languages, including Spanish, French, Arabic, Mandarin, Italian, Japanese, and Korean. However, its proficiency in each language varies, and English is its primary language. On the other hand, Bard is only available in English and cannot communicate in any different language.

Drafts

According to MIT Technology Review, Google’s Bard feature offers multiple drafts of responses for each prompt, providing users with options to choose from. Jack Krawczyk, a senior product director at Google, explained that they adopted this approach because relying on a single response can create a perception of authority. In contrast, ChatGPT generates a single response to queries.

Surprising Fact

In February, reports surfaced that Bard, an AI chatbot created by Google, had provided an erroneous response to a query during a promotional video, resulting in Alphabet, Google’s parent company, losing $100 billion in market value.

Key Facts

• Only select markets in the U.S. and U.K. currently have access to Bard, and interested users can join a waitlist to gain access. Chatbot offers assistance in various areas, such as party planning, understanding complex topics, and decision-making.
• Google has created a dedicated website for Bard to differentiate it from its search engine. The chatbot operates on Google’s Language Model for Dialogue Applications (LaMDA), which is expected to receive regular updates.
• OpenAI, backed by Microsoft, introduced ChatGPT, another AI-powered chatbot, in November 2022, capable of addressing unique problems such as writing a college-level essay or drafting a contract between an artist and a producer. Google has been working on competing with OpenAI since December 2022 and has reportedly declared a “code red” in response to ChatGPT’s launch.

Google Bard vs ChatGPT: The Latter Wins for Now

It is evident that ChatGPT currently holds the advantage, while Google offers the benefit of internet connectivity. Google is expected to enhance its model with more data and features, which could change the dynamic. In the meantime, ChatGPT is readily available through Siri and Apple Watch, and several alternatives exist. Therefore, we invite you to share your views in the comments section on which AI chatbot ultimately prevails in this battle.