ChatGPT vs. Microsoft Copilot vs. Gemini: Which is the best AI chatbot?
Artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed how we work and play in recent months, giving almost anyone the ability to write code, create art, and even make investments.
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For professional and hobbyist users alike, generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, offer advanced capabilities to create decent-quality content from a simple prompt given by the user.
Keeping up with all the latest AI tools can get confusing, especially as Microsoft added GPT-4 to Bing and renamed it to Copilot, OpenAI added new capabilities to ChatGPT, and Bard got plugged into the Google ecosystem and rebranded to Gemini.
Also: Microsoft Copilot Pro vs. OpenAI's ChatGPT Plus: Which is worth your $20 a month?
Knowing which of the three most popular AI chatbots is best to write code, generate text, or help build resumes is challenging, so we'll break down the biggest differences so you can choose one that fits your needs.
Testing ChatGPT vs. Microsoft Copilot vs. Gemini
To help determine which AI chatbot gives more accurate answers, I'm going to use a simple prompt to compare the three:
"I have 5 oranges today, I ate 3 oranges last week. How many oranges do I have left?"
The answer should be five, as the number of oranges I ate last week doesn't affect the number of oranges I have today, which is what we're asking the three bots. First up, ChatGPT.
You should use ChatGPT if...
1. You want to try the most popular AI chatbot
ChatGPT was created by OpenAI and released for a widespread preview in November 2022. Since then, the AI chatbot quickly gained over 100 million users, with the website alone seeing 1.8 billion visitors a month. It's been at the center of controversies, especially as people uncover its potential to do schoolwork and replace some workers.
I've been testing ChatGPT almost daily since its release. Its user interface has remained simple, but minor changes have improved it greatly, like the addition of a copy button, an edit option, Custom Instructions, and easy access to your account.
Also: How to use ChatGPT
Though ChatGPT has proven itself as a valuable AI tool, it can be prone to misinformation. Like other large language models (LLMs), GPT-3.5 is imperfect, as it is trained on human-created data up to January 2022. It also often fails to comprehend nuances, like it did with our math question example, which it answered incorrectly by saying we have two oranges left when it should be five.
2. You're willing to pay extra for an upgrade
OpenAI lets users access ChatGPT -- powered by the GPT-3.5 model -- for free with a registered account. But if you're willing to pay for the Plus version, you can access GPT-4 and many more features for $20 per month.
Also: How to write better ChatGPT prompts for the best generative AI results
GPT-4 is the largest LLM available for use when compared to all other AI chatbots and is trained with data up to April 2023 and can also access the internet, powered by Microsoft Bing. GPT-4 is said to have over 100 trillion parameters; GPT-3.5 has 175 billion parameters. More parameters essentially mean that the model is trained on more data, which makes it more likely to answer questions accurately and less prone to hallucinations.
As an example, you can see the GPT-4 model, available through a ChatGPT Plus subscription, answered the math question correctly, as it understood the full context of the problem from beginning to end.
Also: I tried Microsoft Copilot's new AI image-generating feature, and it solves a real problem
Next up, let's consider Microsoft Copilot (formerly Bing chat), which is a great way to access GPT-4 for free, as it's integrated into its new Bing format.
You should use Microsoft Copilot if...
1. You want more up-to-date information
In contrast to the free version of ChatGPT, which is limited to being an AI tool that generates text in a conversational style with information leading up to early 2022, Copilot can access the internet to deliver more current information, complete with links for sources.
Also: How to use Copilot (formerly called Bing Chat)
There are other benefits, too. Copilot is powered by GPT-4, OpenAI's LLM, and it's completely free to use. Unfortunately, you are limited to five responses on a single conversation, and can only enter up to 2,000 characters in each prompt.
Copilot's user interface isn't as straightforward as that of ChatGPT, but it's easy to navigate. Though Bing Chat can access the internet to give you more up-to-date results compared to ChatGPT, I've found it is more prone to stall at replying and altogether miss prompts than its competitor.
2. You prefer more visual features
Through a series of upgrades to its platform, Microsoft added visual features to Copilot, formerly Bing Chat. At this point, you can ask Copilot questions like, 'What is a Tasmanian devil?' and get an information card in response, complete with photos, lifespan, diet, and more for a more scannable result that is easier to digest than a wall of text.
When you use Copilot, you can also ask it to create an image for you. Give Copilot the description of what you want the image to look like, and have the chatbot generate four images for you to choose from.
Also: How to use Image Creator from Microsoft Designer (formerly Bing Image Creator)
Microsoft Copilot also features different conversational styles when you interact with the chatbot, including Creative, Balanced, and Precise, which alter how light or straightforward the interactions are.
Finally, let's turn to Google's Gemini, formerly known as Bard, which uses a different LLM and has received some considerable upgrades in the past few months.
You should use Gemini if...
1. You want a fast, almost unlimited experience
In my time testing different AI chatbots, I saw Google Bard catch a lot of flack for different shortcomings. While I'm not going to say they're unjustified, I will say that Google's AI chatbot, now named Gemini, has improved greatly, inside and out.
Also: How to use Gemini (formerly Google Bard): Everything you should know
Gemini is speedy with its answers, which have gotten more accurate over time. It's not faster than ChatGPT Plus, but it can be faster at giving responses than Copilot at times and faster than the free GPT-3.5 version of ChatGPT, though your mileage may vary.
The previous Bard used to make the same mistake as other bots on my example math problem, by incorrectly using the 5 - 3 = 2 formula, but Gemini, powered by Google's new Gemini Pro, the company's largest and latest LLM. Now, Gemini answers the question accurately.
Also: Apple's new AI model edits photos according to text prompts from users
Gemini is also not limited to a set amount of responses like Microsoft Copilot is. You can have long conversations with Google's Gemini, but Bing is limited to 30 replies in one conversation. Even ChatGPT Plus limits users to 40 messages every three hours.
2. You want the full Google experience
Google also incorporated more visual elements into its Gemini platform than those currently available on Copilot. Users can also use Gemini to generate images, can upload photos through an integration with Google Lens, and enjoy Kayak, OpenTable, Instacart, and Wolfram Alpha plugins.
Also: 6 AI tools to supercharge your work and everyday life
But Gemini is slowly becoming a full Google experience thanks to Extensions folding the wide range of Google applications into Gemini. Gemini users can add extensions for Google Workspace, YouTube, Google Maps, Google Flights, and Google Hotels, giving them a more personalized and extensive experience.
Copilot: how to use Microsoft's own version of ChatGPT | Digital Trends
ChatGPT isn’t the only AI chatbot in town. One direct competitor is Microsoft’s Copilot (formerly Bing Chat), and if you’ve never used it before, you should definitely give it a try. As part of a greater suite of Microsoft tools, Copilot can be integrated into your smartphone, tablet, and desktop experience, thanks to a Copilot sidebar in Microsoft Edge.
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Like any good AI chatbot, Copilot’s abilities are constantly evolving, so you can always expect something new from this generative learning professional. Today though, we’re giving a crash course on where to find Copilot, how to download it, and how you can use the amazing bot.
How to get Microsoft Copilot
Copilot is available to the public for free, but you’ll need to create a Microsoft account (which is also free) to access the tool. If you don’t have one already, simply head to account.microsoft.com. The free version of Copilot is also built into Windows 11.
At the non-paid level, Copilot allows you to ask web-searchable questions, with the chatbot delivering thoughtful, information-filled responses with footnotes for future reference. For more advanced search results and integration with Microsoft 365 platforms like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, you’ll need to purchase either Microsoft Copilot Pro for $20 per month.
For Microsoft Teams compatibility, enterprise-grade data protection, and system customizations, you’ll need to sign up for the $30 per month Copilot for Microsoft 365 plan.
How to use Microsoft Copilot on your phone
Microsoft Copilot is easy to use on smartphones and tablets, and gaining access to the chatbot via mobile device is just as simple. In fact, all it takes is an app! The official Microsoft Copilot app is available for iOS and Android devices.
You can also access the Copilot chatbot through the Microsoft Edge and Bing apps (iOS and Android).
How does it work?
Copilot works just like ChatGPT. You can ask it anything, and using an LLM (large language model), it will understand and respond in natural human language.
But Microsoft has also been slowly rolling out Copilot features, and most of them are available to use now. In particular, the Edge Copilot feature is particularly useful.
The chat tab focuses on more conversational language, which provides lots of suggestions on the types of questions you can ask. These include links to learn more, suggested follow-up questions, and functions much more like a traditional search engine.
In addition to chat, the sidebar also includes Compose and Insights. The Compose tab allows you to generate text in various tones and formats. You can choose between several different tones, formats, and lengths, which augments the types of output Copilot will provide. For example, you can generate a professional email and paste it into your email client, or you can generate a short blog post in a humorous tone. If you don’t like the response, you can quickly generate a new one as well.
Designer (formerly Bing Image Creator)
Another great part of the larger Copilot experience is Microsoft’ AI image generator. Known simply as Designer, this illustrative software allows you to create, edit, save, and share AI-generated images. You can access Microsoft Designer online, or through the Android app.
At the non-paid level, Microsoft Design gives you 15 image boosts per day, while the $20 per month Copilot Pro plan adds another 75 boosts to your Designer experience. For those unaware, a ‘boost’ is a type of digital currency for Designer that guarantees faster image generation.
Is Microsoft Copilot the same as ChatGPT?
Microsoft describes the new Bing chat as “a new, next-generation OpenAI large language model” that’s more advanced than ChatGPT. Since the goal is to integrate this with Bing search, there are different considerations.
For example, Bing’s ChatGPT alternative is expected to be much faster than ChatGPT while stepping beyond the capabilities of GPT-3.5 in some ways. Known as the Prometheus model, Microsoft brings current news to its chat for up-to-date results that are still safe for Bing’s large user base. There was once speculation that Copilot, operating as Bing Chat, used GPT-4, and Microsoft confirmed that’s the case after OpenAI announced the launch of ChatGPT-4.
Microsoft had been testing the AI for over a year before it was released, and some Microsoft community posts point to the fact that Bing Chat showed this behavior well before it was released.
Other AI options
One such AI tool is Google’s Gemini. When Gemini first launched, its performance was a little buggy, but has since shown across-the-board improvement.
A while ago, we reported on Jasper AI, an OpenAI partner that provides a ChatGPT-like solution, with no waitlist, that’s customized for business use.
Regardless of which company comes out on top, it’s clear that AI-powered search is the future. Hopefully, we’ll be able to see Google’s competitor in action soon.
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