Comparing ChatGPT, Bing Chat, & Google Bard: The Top AI Chatbot?

AI chatbots have become increasingly popular among people today. However, determining which one is truly the best can be quite a challenge.

Glenn Burgess

AI, like ChatGPT, Bing with GPT-4, and Google Bard, has changed the way we do things lately. It lets people do coding, make art, and even invest money easily.

Whether you’re a pro or just doing things for fun, these AI tools are great at making content from simple prompts. But with Microsoft, OpenAI, and Google all making updates, it’s hard to keep track.

Figuring out which of these top AI chatbots is best for coding, writing, or building resumes can be tricky. So, we’ll help you understand the key differences so you can pick the right one for you

Testing ChatGPT vs. Bing Chat vs. Google Bard

To see which AI chatbot provides the most accurate answer, I’ll use a straightforward question to compare the three:

“I currently have 5 oranges, and I consumed 3 oranges last week. How many oranges remain?”

The correct answer is five, since the number of oranges I ate last week doesn’t impact the current number of oranges I have. Let’s begin with ChatGPT.

You should use ChatGPT if...

1. You want to try the most popular AI chatbot

ChatGPT was developed by OpenAI and made available for a broad preview in November of the previous year. Since then, it has garnered more than 100 million users, and the website alone receives 1.8 billion visitors each month.

However, it has also sparked controversies, particularly as people have discovered its ability to assist with schoolwork and even potentially replace certain jobs.

I’ve been consistently testing ChatGPT since its launch. While its user interface has remained simple, there have been some minor but significant improvements, including the addition of a copy button, an edit option, Custom Instructions, and easy access to your account.

Although ChatGPT has proven to be a valuable AI tool, it can sometimes provide incorrect information. Like other large language models (LLMs), GPT-3.5 isn’t perfect because it’s trained on human-generated data up until 2021.

It also struggles with understanding certain nuances, as seen in our math question example where it incorrectly stated we had two oranges left instead of the correct answer of five.

2. You're willing to pay extra for an upgrade

OpenAI offers free access to ChatGPT, powered by the GPT-3.5 model, for users who register for an account. However, for those willing to subscribe to the Plus version, they can access GPT-4 for $20 per month.

GPT-4 is the largest Large Language Model (LLM) available, surpassing all other AI chatbots in size. It has been trained on data up until 2022 and boasts over 100 trillion parameters, whereas GPT-3.5 has 175 billion parameters.

Having more parameters essentially means the model has been trained on a more extensive dataset, making it more likely to provide correct answers to questions.

For instance, as an example, you can observe that the GPT-4 model, accessible via a ChatGPT Plus subscription, correctly answered the math question. It comprehended the entire problem from start to finish.

Now, moving on, let’s take a look at Bing Chat, which offers free access to GPT-4 since it’s integrated into the new Bing format.

You should use Bing Chat if...

1. You want generative AI with internet access

Unlike ChatGPT, which is primarily an AI tool for generating text in a conversational style with information up to 2021, Bing has introduced a chat feature that presents search results in the form of a conversation with an AI chatbot.

There are additional advantages as well. Bing Chat is driven by GPT-4, OpenAI’s most extensive language model, and it’s available for use at no cost.

The user interface of Bing Chat may not be as simple as ChatGPT’s, but it’s still relatively easy to use.

However, it’s worth noting that while Bing Chat can provide more up-to-date results by accessing the internet, I’ve noticed that it can be more likely to delay in responding & may occasionally miss prompts compared to its competitor, ChatGPT.

2. You prefer more visual features

Microsoft has made several upgrades to its Bing Chat platform, including the addition of visual features. Now, you can ask Bing questions like, “What is a Tasmanian devil?” and it will provide an information card with photos, lifespan, diet, and other details. This makes the results more visually appealing and easier to understand compared to a long block of text.

When using Bing in chat mode, you can even ask it to generate an image for you. Simply provide Bing with a description of the image you want, and the chatbot will create four different images for you to pick from.

Additionally, Bing Chat offers various conversational styles that you can use when interacting with the chatbot. These styles include Creative, Balanced, and Precise, each of which adjusts the tone and style of the conversations to make them more light-hearted or straightforward, depending on your preference.

Now, let’s shift our focus to Google Bard, which utilises a distinct Large Language Model (LLM) and has undergone significant enhancements in the past few months.

You should use Google Bard if...

1. You want a fast, unlimited experience

During my testing of various AI chatbots, I’ve noticed that Google Bard has received criticism for certain limitations. While I won’t deny that some of these criticisms are valid, I’d like to highlight one of Google’s AI chatbot’s strengths – its speed.

Google Bard is quick in delivering responses, even though it may occasionally provide incorrect answers. It might not be faster than ChatGPT Plus, but it can often respond more swiftly than Bing and the free GPT-3.5 version of ChatGPT, though the response time may vary depending on the situation.

Bard, like other bots, made the same mistake by incorrectly using the 5 – 3 = 2 formula.

Another advantage of Bard is that it doesn’t have a set limit on the number of responses like Bing Chat does. You can engage in lengthy conversations with Google Bard. In contrast, Bing is restricted to 30 replies in a single conversation, and ChatGPT Plus limits users to 50 messages every three hours.

2. You want a more 'Google' experience

Google made several AI updates during its I/O conference a few months ago, and these updates are set to enhance both Bard and its flagship search engine. Bard has been upgraded to PaLM 2, which is the latest and most extensive version of Google’s Large Language Model (LLM) and was announced during the May event.

With the help of PaLM 2, Bard now supports over 100 languages and has seen significant improvements in its coding, debugging, and math capabilities. In comparison, ChatGPT currently supports more than 80 languages.

Google has also integrated more visual elements into the Bard platform compared to Bing Chat. Users can now upload photos through an integration with Google Lens, and there are plans for image generation through Adobe Firefly in the future.

Additionally, Google has introduced plugins for Kayak, OpenTable, Instacart, and Wolfram Alpha to enhance the functionality of the platform.