The AI Assistant Battle! (2023)

Introduction

In the constantly evolving landscape of AI technology, several big players have emerged, including Google Assistant, Siri, Alexa, Cortana, and more. But in recent times, a new class of AI tools like OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Bard have taken center stage, promising to revolutionize how we interact with search engines and smart assistants. This article takes an in-depth look at the capabilities of ChatGPT-powered Bing and Google's Bard, comparing their performances across various categories such as answering simple questions, tackling complex queries, performing tasks, summarizing information, and creative output.

UI and Initial Impressions

Bing with ChatGPT:

Feels like a finished product, aimed at a broad audience.
Limited to 20 queries per conversation.
Features a creative versus precise slider for conversation style.

Google Bard:

Clean, typical Google product interface.
Delivers whole answers at once, with options for thumbs up/thumbs down, a new answer, and Google search.
Offers three drafts of every answer for comparison.
Generally less frequent in citing sources compared to Bing.

Simple Questions

Example Question: "What's the best camera in a smartphone?"

Bard: Lists S23 Ultra, iPhone 14 Pro Max, Pixel 7 Pro. Correct but with some inconsistencies in detailed specs.
Bing: Also lists S23 Ultra, iPhone 14 Pro Max, Pixel 7 Pro, with more supplementary information and sources.

Example Question: "Who is MKBHD?"

Bard: Provides a detailed bio, similar to a Wikipedia article, citing sources.
Bing: Offers a brief summary with minor inaccuracies but generally correct.

Example Question: "How tall is he?"

Bard: Could not provide the height.
Bing: Correctly pulled from search, stating 6'3".

Complex Questions

Example Query: "I need a workout plan for three days per week to jump higher."

Bard: Provides a structured workout plan with exercises and motivational tips.
Bing: Initially provides exercises but lacks a structured plan. Performs better in creative mode with more details.

Example Query: "My tee shots keep going to the right."

Both: Suggest checking grip and alignment. Bing offers more descriptive tips, including emoji use for a lighter tone.

Example Query: "I'm shooting a video and it's too dark. What can I do?"

Bard: Suggests using a reflector and a digital noise reduction filter.
Bing: Advises adjusting camera settings, increasing ISO, and offers a detailed nuanced response.

Performing Tasks

Coding Task: "Write HTML with a button in the middle that says 'go' and generates a cat image."

Bard: Declines, stating it's a language model.
Bing: Writes functional HTML code and even modifies it for improvements.

Email Response Task: "Respond to an email in a friendly manner."

Bard: Writes a polite and friendly response.
Bing: Writes an overly friendly, emoji-laden response.

Email Response Task: "Respond to an email in an overly flirty manner."

Bard: Provides a simple, slightly flirty response.
Bing: Starts with a flirty response but deletes halfway, censoring itself for being too controversial.

Information Summary

Summarizing an Event: "Summarize the 2019 Masters tournament."

Bard: Provides a more concise summary with minor factual inaccuracies.
Bing: Offers a detailed but lengthy summary.

Summarizing a Video: "Summarize the latest MKBHD video."

Bing: Fails to find the video.
Bard: Identifies the video but summarizes it incorrectly.

Getting Creative

Alliteration Challenge: "Write an alliteration with the letter M about computational photography."

Bard: Produces a poem rather than an alliteration.
Bing: Provides an inventive and well-structured alliteration.

Writing a Script: "Write a script for a short MKBHD video about why the iPhone is the worst camera ever."

Both: Produce decent scripts, including typical MKBHD video elements.

Writing a Tweet: "Write a tweet in the style of Edgar Allen Poe about AI becoming sentient."

Both: Deliver creative, Poe-styled tweets.

Conclusion

Based on the comparison across various categories, Bing currently edges out Bard in terms of versatility and the range of tasks it can perform. However, both AI models have unique strengths and are evolving rapidly. The real winner in this tech race is ultimately the user, who stands to benefit from the advancements in AI capabilities.

Keywords

AI assistants
Google Bard
ChatGPT
Bing with ChatGPT
Complex queries
Information summary
Creative output
Performing tasks

FAQ

Q: What are the primary differences in UI between Bing with ChatGPT and Google Bard?

A: Bing with ChatGPT feels like a finished product with a creative vs precise slider, while Google Bard has a cleaner interface and offers multiple drafts for comparisons.

Q: Which AI model is better for answering simple factual questions?

A: Both have their strengths, but Bing tends to cite its sources more often, making it slightly more reliable.

Q: How do Bing and Bard compare in handling complex questions?

A: Bing generally offers more detailed and nuanced responses, especially in creative mode, whereas Bard provides structured, yet simpler answers.

Q: Can these AI models perform coding tasks?

A: Bing can write and debug code effectively, while Bard currently does not support such functionalities.

Q: Which AI assistant is better at summarizing information?

A: Bard has shown a slight advantage in information summarization but can still produce inaccuracies.

Q: How do Bing and Bard fare in creative tasks?

A: Bing tends to be more adventurous and creative, offering well-structured content, whereas Bard provides simpler and sometimes poetically inclined responses.

Q: Are there ethical safeguards in place for these AI models?

A: Yes, Bing has built-in safeguards that censor potentially controversial content, shown by its self-censorship during a flirty email response.

Q: What does the future hold for these AI assistants?

A: Both Bard and ChatGPT are rapidly evolving, and their capabilities will likely expand, offering better and more accurate assistance over time.