Bing Chat VS. Bard: Which One's Really Better?
As AI chatbots continue to revolutionize work and creativity, the competition between Bing Chat, powered by Microsoft, and Google’s Bard is heating up. Both platforms are designed to provide humanlike answers to user queries, but which one really comes out on top as the better option?
Microsoft Bing and Google Bard are AI-powered chatbots integrated into their respective search engines. Bing’s chatbot is built on ChatGPT, while Bard is powered by LaMDA, a lightweight language model. Both chatbots provide longer, contextual answers to open-ended questions. Microsoft’s Bing and Edge browser now feature AI-powered search, with an expanded search box and a chat option. Google’s integration of Bard into Search appears similar, though the integration into Chrome is not yet clear.
Although Microsoft is winning the PR battle, Google is fighting back with new features and improvements for Bard: it now includes the more advanced PaLM 2 model, adding improved math, reasoning, and coding capabilities. The platform is now available in over 180 countries and will soon support 40 languages. Furthermore, features like image capabilities, better coding precision, and integration with Google Lens, Gmail, and Docs are also in the pipeline.
On the other hand, Microsoft’s Bing Chat benefits from a proprietary system called the “Prometheus Model.” This model combines Bing’s search index with GPT-4, allowing it to provide up-to-date information. Bing Chat has also seen a significant increase in traffic since its inception.
| ChatGPT | Bard | Bing | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ChatGPT’s original version remains free to users. ChatGPT Plus is available for $20/month. | Free for users who joined the waitlist and are accepted. | Free for users who are accepted after joining the waitlist. |
| API | Yes, but on a waitlist. | N/A | N/A |
| Developer | OpenAI | Alphabet/Google | OpenAI |
| Technology | GPT-4 | LaMDA | GPT-4 |
| Information Access | Training data with a cutoff date of 2021. The chatbot does state that it has been trained beyond this year, although it won’t include that information. | Real-time access to the data Google collects from search. | Real-time access to Bing’s search data. |
Source: Search Engine Journal
When compared with ChatGPT, ChatGPT has consistently outperformed both Bing and Bard. However, when comparing Bing Chat and Bard alone, the results are more nuanced. For instance, when it comes to gaming advice, web querying, and inductive reasoning, Bing Chat slightly outperforms Bard, while Bard does a better job at creative writing. When breaking down complex topics for younger audiences, both perform equally well.
It’s important to note that AI language models like Bing Chat and Bard are probabilistic, meaning their answers may vary based on question phrasing and repetition. Additionally, users must be cautious when relying on these AI chatbots for critical information, as they can sometimes provide false or misleading data.
Both Bing Chat and Bard have their strengths and weaknesses. Bing Chat seems more reliable for web-based queries and information retrieval, while Bard is still evolving and may see significant improvements with the switch to the PaLM dataset. It’s yet to be seen which of the two will be triumphant as both continue to develop and refine their capabilities.
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