Since the initial development of the Transformer architecture in 2017, and the subsequent inception of GPT-1 in 2018, the race of the Large Language Models (LLM’s) has been on. Now, more than ever, there exists a clash of titans, each in a bid to build the next powerful AI.
On each new update or release, tech enthusiasts rush to their screens, pitting these digital forces against one another. The quest to uncover their underlying mechanisms, possibilities and frailties goes on from there. The release of Bing Chat in March 2023 was no different, it caused a remarkable ripple in the landscape of generative AI tools. In this article we explore some of the key differences between Bing Chat and ChatGPT, highlighting the potential different use cases and how they’re likely to develop in the future.
The Development of the World’s Most Powerful LLMs
ChatGPT is the original LLM, launched by OpenAI in 2018. It’s now in it’s fourth evolution, GPT-4 (although free users of ChatGPT use version 3.5). Open AI possesses a strong commitment to open-source principles. This means that the underlying architecture of ChatGPT is available to be used and built upon by others, provided they’re licenced to do so.
This is exactly how Bing Chat has been able to develop into such a powerful tool overnight. Microsoft commenced its journey towards Bing Chat’s creation in March 2022. The tool was published less than a year later to an exclusive subset of users, and finally unveiling it to the general public in May 2023.
Similarities and Differences
There are vast swathes of similarities, since both tools have been built on the same architecture, have free versions readily accessible in a wide range of countries and provide multi-lingual support. However, while both tools share substantial similarities, they are also distinguished by key differences.
- The ethos behind the companies developing the tools is slightly different. ChatGPT is owned by Open AI, an independent organisation, while Bing Chat is developed by Microsoft. This has a knock on effect to development philosophies and revenue models.
- ChatGPT boasts a rich ecosystem of over 80 third-party plugins, augmenting its functionality. Bing Chat integrates with Microsoft’s suite of services but is relatively more restricted in terms of extensions and add-ons. The focus on Bing Chat will always be more predicated towards integration with Microsoft services and tools. These include the likes of Skype, Teams, and Microsoft Office.
- ChatGPT offers a subscription plan, complemented by a free version. Bing Chat, in contrast, is entirely free to use. However, Microsoft relies on ad revenue. Ads have been appearing in Bing Chat since March 2023. These ads are clearly labelled as such, and they’re typically displayed at the bottom of a Bing Chat response.
- ChatGPT boasts a rich ecosystem of over 80 third-party plugins, augmenting its functionality. Bing Chat integrates with Microsoft’s suite of services but is relatively more restricted in terms of extensions and add-ons. The focus on Bing Chat will always be more predicated towards integration with Microsoft services and tools. These include the likes of Skype, Teams, and Microsoft Office.
- Bing Chat is a slightly different tool in principal to that of GPT, which is engineered for a wide array of conversations and tasks. Bing is primarily a web-search tool, embedded within the Microsoft Edge browser. As a result, the functionality is focused on research, information retrieval, and search-related tasks. It utilises Prometheus, an AI model developed by Microsoft, to combine Bing search engine information (such as indexing, ranking, and other data) and the technology behind ChatGPT to generate relevant and accurate answers using teal time data from the web. Interestingly, as of recently, GPT-4 is also connected to the web, via it’s ‘Browse with Bing’ feature. However, since this is a recent development, it remains to be seen whether the functionality is on par with Bing Chat.
- There are some key conversational differences between Bing Chat and ChatGPT:
- Bing Chat has imposed conversational limits; Microsoft found that Bing Chat was more at risk of generating nonsensical responses in longer conversations. GPT however, has unlimited messages per conversation.
- GPT, unlike Bing Chat, saves previous conversations for easy access. This is a feature that will likely be brought into Bing Chat in the future, in a bid to personalise the tool Bing Chat offers different conversational styles, whereas GPT only has one.
Use Cases and Examples
ChatGPT has found applications in content creation, code generation, language translation, and more. ChatGPT is adept at assisting with drafting articles, writing code snippets, and even generating creative content like poems and stories.
Bing Chat excels in research-related tasks, making it valuable for students, professionals, and academics. It can quickly retrieve information from the web and cite sources, making it a powerful research assistant.
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Conclusion
ChatGPT and Bing Chat are both rapidly evolving technologies, and it is difficult to predict their exact future trajectories. They may converge in areas, leveraging insights from one another’s advancements, but owing to their differing operating models and development philosophies, it’s likely that these differences will play a role in how their features develop over time.
ChatGPT is likely to become even better at generating creative text formats, such as poems, code, and scripts. It may also become better at answering questions in a way that is relevant to the real world. This is most likely to happen with its renewed integration with Bing. Bing Chat is likely to continue to focus on features which personalise the user experience, and integrate with Microsoft’s other products and services.
In conclusion, the battle between ChatGPT and Bing Chat is not just a clash of algorithms. It is a reflection of the diverse approaches to AI development. As they continue to evolve, these LLMs will undoubtedly shape the future of generative AI, offering users a wide range of capabilities and experiences, each with its unique strengths and potential. The future promises an exciting journey filled with innovation and possibilities in the realm of artificial intelligence.
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