Bard vs. ChatGPT: Which is Better for Your Work Demands?
Unless you have been hiding under a rock for the past few years, you would have heard the term “Artificial intelligence” or AI. It has gotten to the point where almost everyone slaps the moniker on every new product or device just to make it seem like it has some sort of never-before-seen ability or even superpower.
Even more so with the advent of Large Language Models or LLMs, this term might be less commonly known, as far as the label goes. A large language model is a trained deep-learning model that understands and generates text in a human-readable manner. If you want a simplified version, we can call it a solution that understands and responds as humans.
We just used another somewhat familiar term, “Deep-Learning,” which is how we train computers to process data the same way a human would. It uses a concept called neural networks, which imitates how we, as humans learn.
Our focus today, however, will be ChatGPT and its rival, Google Bard. We are taking a closer look at each to examine which would be the right choice for your workload.
The Backstories of ChatGPT and Bard
Starting with ChatGPT's official launch on November 20, 2022. It became an instant internet sensation gaining over 1 million users within its first five days—an impressive feat for a company with little fame up to that point.
The GPT in the name refers to Generative Pre-trained Transformer and doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, but its meaning is not hard to see. Its current iteration is GPT 4, available through a subscription, while GPT 3.5 is publicly available.
Bard is Alphabet’s response to ChatGPT; it debuted in March 2023. Its coding wasn’t revealed until April during Google’s I/O event. One of its main breakaways from ChatGPT is its ability to integrate with Google’s ecosystem, such as Docs, Maps, and Excel. Bard is more focused on being a personal assistant and search companion, providing more detailed responses to your typical Google searches.
Comparing Bard and ChatGPT
ChatGPT | Google Bard | |
---|---|---|
Language Model | The current versions include OpenAI's Generative Pre-training Transformer 3 [GPT3.5] with some limitations. Generative Pre-training Transformer 4 [GPT-4] has internet access through Bing search. | Initially used LaMDA for dialogue applications but upgraded to Google’s next-generation language model PaLM 2 (Pathways Language Model). |
Training Data | The AI model was trained on a large dataset of internet content until 2021. For access to more recent data, upgrading to GPT4, which uses Bing search, is necessary. | Bard's initial dataset was trained with LaMDA using the following mix: 12.5% C4-based data; 12.5% English language Wikipedia; 12.5% code documents from programming Q&A websites; 6.25% English web documents; 6.25% Non-English web documents; 50% of dialogs data from public forums. |
Plugins | Plugins from Expedia, FiscalNote, Instacart, KAYAK, Klarna, Milo, OpenTable, Shopify, Slack, Speak, Wolfram, Zapier, and more are available, with additional third-party plugins in development. | Google unveiled a generative AI tool from Adobe Firefly, akin to the Bing image generator, with upcoming plans for more tools from various platforms like Spotify, Instacart, Walmart, YouTube, Google Calendar, Tripadvisor, Redfin, and others. |
User Experience | A prompt-based interface that is text-based with little to no UI elements. | It offers a fluid user experience, appealing interface, easy scanning, and the ability to edit the initial question. |
Data Accuracy | ChatGPT is prone to hallucinations, but excels in creative works. | Bard's access to Google's search engine and PaLM 2 data model ensures significantly higher accuracy. |
Visual Support | Microsoft introduces Visual ChatGPT, an upgraded chatbot that generates images from text and interprets user-uploaded image inputs. | Bard's new enhancement to the AI tool will provide visuals in search responses that will help give users a better idea of what they're looking for. |
Pricing | Two versions available: GPT3.5 is free with datasets up to 2021, while ChatGPT Plus costs $20/month, offering current events search and Bing web access. | Free for all who have access. |
Bard
When you get right down to it, Bard is an excellent tool for researchers to get accurate and detailed results concerning various topics. It's geared towards data accuracy and providing credible results. But this is also largely dependent on the query provided. Its integration with other Google services makes it an ideal productivity tool and a competent virtual assistant to a certain degree.
ChatGPT
ChatGPT, on the other hand, suffers from hallucinations or tends to struggle with facts and accurate data. However, looking at it from another angle, the chatbot leans to the more creative side. Being a better writer of non-factual content. This is not to say that it cannot produce accurate results, but it is better suited for creative works.
Hence, if you are creating a fantasy novel of far-flung galaxies and need a bit of help, ChatGPT would be a better AI tool to use for the job, but for research into something as complex as cell biology, Bard would be a better fit.
This, however, isn’t the end of the story. If you recall, we mentioned that ChatGPT can use APIs. This is a significant boost to the AIs ecosystem as it allows third-party to extend the functionality of ChatGPT and even goes as far as to address some of its shortcomings.
Privacy Concerns
Between the choice of ChatGPT and Google Bard, both have some privacy concerns with far-reaching implications. While Bard allows you to delete conversations, this doesn’t get deleted but is stored by Google.
Reading the fine print of the terms and services, you realize your conversation can be stored for up to 3 years. Even if it states that no personal details are attached, you still need a Google account to access Bard, which is hard to believe.
If you agree to the terms of service for Google’s Bard AI, you also agree to the general Google terms of service. This means your generated results are shared across all of Google's ecosystem, not just the Bard AI.
ChatGPT isn’t much better; we have already seen comprehensive public cases of data breaches and leaks from companies that feed sensitive data to the chatbot. There’s a good chance that if someone asks a similar question, it could use your content as a response, plus the system could repurpose your proprietary information.
Which Is The Better Tool
This boils down to what your specific needs and preferences are. If you are looking for a chatbot with real-time internet access and high accuracy of results with a clean, modern interface, then Bard is the way to go. However, you are limited by the lack of APIs and need a way to use Bard outside its interface.
On the other hand, if you are looking for something that is accessible and immediately usable in production code and you are leaning more toward the creative side of things, then ChatGPT is the better of the two options. If you are worried about your privacy, you can use tools such as Privacy AI’s Private GPT to ensure you remain safe and scrub all personal identifying information before reaching ChatGPT.
But this is not to say that these are your only two options. The AI chatbot floodgates, so to speak, have been open with the introduction of ChatGPT and Bard with an ever-growing momentum. While we can expect vast improvements in the above, other projects out there are making waves and might be a better fit for you and your needs.
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