The AI industry is witnessing a constant stream of launches by various companies. Microsoft has recently launched its new Bing AI Chat, OpenAI has announced the arrival of GPT-4, and Google has introduced Bard AI. However, with so many options available, it can be challenging to determine which AI chatbot is the best. While each chatbot has its own unique capabilities, some are better than others. In a previous comparison, we evaluated Google Bard and ChatGPT, yielding interesting results. In this article, we will compare Google’s first-ever chatbot with Microsoft Bing AI Chat, a search engine powered by GPT-4, which has become increasingly popular. Which AI chatbot should you rely on for your daily needs, and which one has better features? Let’s dive in to find out.
Google Bard vs Bing Chat: Battle of AI Search Engines (2023)
We have conducted a comprehensive comparison of both AI chatbots, analyzing them on various parameters and highlighting their major features and differences. To help you navigate through the comparison more efficiently, we have organized the information in a table that allows you to jump directly to the section you’re interested in based on the feature you want to explore first.
Google Bard vs Microsoft Bing: Key Differences
As stated earlier, both chatbots possess certain advantages. In the following section, we will compare their features to determine which AI search engine is superior and highlight their primary differences.
Based on Separate Models
Google Bard and Microsoft Bing are both AI chatbots that have been trained on datasets. In simple terms, these bots have collected information from data sets and use that information to generate responses to users’ queries and scenarios. However, there is a fundamental difference between the language models used by Bard and Bing.
To begin with, Google Bard uses a smaller version of Google’s language model called Language Model for Dialogue Applications (LaMDA), which has been specifically developed for conversations, generating creative outputs, and creating unique text. According to Google, LaMDA’s training data is a mix of text and code, including books, articles, and websites. Google claims that the LaMDA model is capable of engaging in free-flowing conversations on a wide range of topics, making it more conversational than Bing.
To add further detail, Microsoft Bing AI Chat is based on the company’s own Generative Pre-Trained Transformer 4 (GPT-4) model, called the Prometheus model. GPT-4 is currently the most advanced language model by OpenAI, with significant improvements over its predecessor GPT-3. The model is trained on a massive dataset of human language, enabling it to understand the nuances of conversations and provide sharp reasoning responses. Additionally, GPT-4 supports multimodal inputs and outputs, meaning it can process text, images, and other types of data. It also supports several languages, making it more versatile than Google Bard.
Based on the information presented, it appears that GPT-4 has some unique features that set it apart from Google Bard. However, there is no clear winner between the two AI chatbots.
Winner – Undecided
Google Bard Plagiarizes Text
It seems that Google Bard’s LaMDA model has faced some issues, particularly when it comes to plagiarism. In a recent conversation where we compared Google Bard and Microsoft Bing, Bard was asked about Luffy and Haki in the One Piece anime. Instead of generating original text, Bard plagiarized a few lines from an article on Beebom word-for-word, without providing any sources. This raises some concerns about the model’s reliability and integrity in generating original content.
It’s unfortunate that our experience with Google Bard is not unique. Recently, Avram Piltch, Editor-in-Chief of Tom’s Hardware, tweeted about how Bard had plagiarized an article from their website for its output. While Bard did correct itself after being prompted, the fact that it plagiarized content in the first place raises concerns about the integrity of its system.
It seems that Microsoft Bing Chat has taken a stricter approach when it comes to plagiarism, as it refuses to generate an essay in creative mode to avoid any unethical practices. Additionally, we have tested Bing Chat’s responses against plagiarism checkers, and no exact matches were found, indicating that it did not copy any texts.
It is indeed a concerning issue that Google Bard has been found to plagiarize text in multiple instances. It is important for AI chatbots to uphold ethical standards, and copying content without proper attribution is a violation of those standards. It is commendable that Microsoft Bing has taken steps to prevent plagiarism by refusing to write essays in creative mode. It is hoped that Google takes notice of this issue and implements measures to prevent it from happening in the future. One potential solution could be for chatbots to rephrase the text and provide proper attribution to the original source.
Winner – Bing Chat
Bing Chat Cites Sources
Yes, that’s correct. Bing Chatbot’s practice of providing linked citations to its inspirations sets a great example for other AI chatbots to follow. This practice of citing sources helps ensure that any information provided by the chatbot is authentic and can be traced back to its original source. It also promotes transparency and honesty, which are crucial in today’s age of misinformation and fake news.
It is true that Google Bard does not provide linked citations to its inspirations in most cases, which is a contrast to Microsoft Bing’s approach. Google Bard AI states that it doesn’t provide citations because it is not an academic researcher. However, Bard also mentions that it can only provide information it has been trained on and cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information. While this disclaimer does not prevent Bard from providing incorrect information, it is a good sign that Google has taken steps to inform users about the potential for errors.
It seems that based on the evidence presented, Microsoft Bing has an advantage over Google Bard in terms of avoiding plagiarism and providing linked citations to its sources. While both AI chatbots have their strengths and weaknesses, Bing’s approach to providing sources and acknowledging its inspirations is commendable. Therefore, it can be concluded that Bing is better than Google Bard in terms of plagiarism prevention and citation practices.
Winner – Bing Chat
Google Bard AI Is Much Faster
Google has always been known for providing quick responses, and Google Bard AI follows suit. It takes just over 3 seconds to generate a response to a query, including complex outputs such as essays, poems, jokes, and more. Bard AI’s extremely fast response time is impressive when you need a quick answer.
On the other hand, Microsoft Bing AI is slower. The bot takes its time, and you can feel it formulating an answer. Responses are typically slowly typed out rather than being given all at once, as in the case of Bard. This gives Bard a considerable speed advantage over Microsoft’s search engine. While Bing is thorough in its research, it clearly isn’t as fast.
If speed is the most important factor for you, Google Bard is a clear choice. However, it’s important to note that both bots have their strengths and weaknesses, and it ultimately depends on your individual needs and preferences.
Winner – Google Bard
Bing Chat Can Generate Images
It’s worth noting that while Google Bard may not have the capability to generate images, it can still provide links to images related to your query. However, Microsoft Bing’s ability to generate images through its integration with OpenAI’s DALL-E model is certainly a unique feature. It’s interesting to see how AI is advancing to not only process and understand the text but also generate visually appealing content.
That’s correct! Bing can still provide relevant and accurate image search results from the web and even provide descriptions for those images. Additionally, it can offer detailed prompts for use in AI art generators, allowing users to create their own unique artwork based on their preferences and criteria.
It appears that Google Bard currently does not have the capability to generate images, and there is no indication whether this feature will be added in the future. In contrast, Microsoft Bing has recently introduced the Bing Image Creator, which can take in prompts and generate images using OpenAI’s DALL-E model. Although this feature has not yet been rolled out everywhere, Bing can still search the web for images and describe them to users, and even provide detailed prompts for AI art generators. Therefore, in terms of image-related capabilities, Microsoft Bing has a clear advantage over Google Bard.
Winner – Bing Chat
Bing Chat Can Code
Although Google Bard may not be able to help with coding yet, we conducted tests and found that it can produce basic code that can be copied. However, some of the code was broken, as Google acknowledges that Bard cannot guarantee the accuracy of its responses. Bard also struggled with more complex coding situations, despite claiming to be able to code in various languages.
It seems that Microsoft Bing’s AI chatbot has an advantage over Google Bard when it comes to coding scenarios. Bing is able to handle specific requests related to website and app creation, and it was able to complete a prompt to write a shell script for compressing PNG files in a folder with zopfli. While Bing may not be able to handle complex programming scenarios, it does a better job than Google Bard in this regard. So, for those who want a search engine with coding abilities, Bing is a better choice.
Winner – Bing Chat
Bing Chat Has Longer Memory
One of the best features of ChatGPT is its ability to remember previous conversations. While the bot doesn’t use past responses to generate new ones, it remembers assigned roles. This means that you can assign ChatGPT to perform various functions, such as spell-checking or coding, and it will adapt accordingly.
Similarly, Microsoft Bing’s AI Chat also has a long memory and can remember assigned roles. For example, if assigned the role of a spell checker, Bing AI will continue to check the spelling of the user’s inputs throughout the conversation. This can be extended to other roles as well, allowing Bing AI to be personalized to meet the user’s specific needs.
Google Bard’s memory is currently limited, and it tends to forget its role or context. While it can still perform tasks such as correcting spelling errors, it often needs to be reminded of its role. However, Google has acknowledged this limitation and mentioned that it’s intentional for now. As AI continues to learn and improve, it’s possible that its memory and contextual abilities will become stronger in the future.
In comparison, Microsoft Bing has a long memory and can easily adopt different roles and personas, including a spell checker, programmer, and more. It remembers its role for multiple turns and can be fine-tuned to suit the user’s specific needs. This makes Bing a more personalized and reliable chatbot for remembering past conversations and fulfilling specific tasks.
Winner – Bing Chat
Bing Chat Has Different Conversation Style
Microsoft Bing takes the conversational game to the next level with its Bing Chat feature, which offers different conversational styles that alter the bot’s tone and style of interaction. The three styles are called “More Creative,” “More Balanced,” and “More Precise,” and they each have their own distinct qualities.
The Creative style encourages the bot to be imaginative and creative in its responses. The Balanced style provides a good mix of creativity and factual accuracy, while the Precise style emphasizes brevity and clarity in responses. Depending on the user’s needs, one of these styles may be more suitable than the others.
This feature is a major advantage for Bing Chat, as it allows users to fine-tune their chatbot experience and get the best possible answers to their questions.
Unlike Microsoft Bing, Google Bard does not offer different conversational styles to cater to different needs. The chatbot operates in a default mode and while it tries to provide helpful and friendly responses, its limited memory and inability to hold context for long periods of time can hinder its usefulness. While Google has not yet announced any plans to introduce different conversational styles for Bard, it is possible that this might be something the company could work on in the future.
In conclusion, Microsoft Bing Chat wins in terms of its ability to remember assigned roles, adapt to different conversational styles, and provide more accurate and helpful responses in certain scenarios such as coding. While Google Bard has its own strengths, such as its natural language processing capabilities and helpful outputs, it falls short in terms of memory and conversational variety. Ultimately, both chatbots have their unique features and limitations, and users should choose based on their specific needs and preferences.
Winner – Bing Chat
Google Bard offers Multiple Drafts
While Microsoft Bing might be more malleable, Bard also has a few tricks up its sleeve. One of the best things about Google’s new chatbot is that it comes with a feature that the company calls “Drafts.” Whenever you ask the bot any query, it outputs three different versions of the same answer. The users can read through all the drafts and decide which answer fits their query the most. While the drafts mostly have the same level of detail, there are times when a particular answer might be better than the other.
Drafts by Google Bard have been done to prevent the AI from sounding too authoritative. Since no answer is the clear-cut winner, users can mix and match these depending on what they want.
When it comes to offering multiple versions of answers, Google Bard seems to have an edge over Microsoft Bing. Bard comes with a feature called “Drafts,” which presents three different variations of the same answer to users, allowing them to pick the best fit for their query. This feature is designed to prevent the bot from sounding too authoritative, and it provides users with more options to choose from. In contrast, Bing only offers one answer by default, which might seem too absolute to some users. While users can ask for another answer, it is not offered automatically. We hope that Bing will consider adding a similar feature to compete with Bard’s advantage.
Winner – Google Bard
Bing Chat provides Multilingual Support
Currently, Google Bard only supports US English and not other languages, which limits its usefulness as a search engine for non-English speakers. While the company has promised support for other languages in the future, Bard mistakenly believes that it supports other languages already. When tested with a request to compose a poem in German, the bot was unable to deliver an appropriate response. This is an area where Microsoft Bing has an advantage, as it supports a wider range of languages from the get-go, making it more accessible to people around the world.
Bing Chat’s support for multiple languages gives it an edge over Google Bard, which currently only supports US English. While Google has acknowledged that support for other languages will come soon, for now, Bing is the clear winner in terms of global language support. Even though Microsoft has not explicitly stated which languages Bing supports, we tested it and found that it could understand languages such as English, 中文, 日本語, Español, Français, and Deutsch. This wide range of language support allows Bing AI to compose poems, write essays, and even create recipes in different languages. If you are looking for a multilingual search engine, Bing Chat is the way to go.
Winner – Bing Chat
Google Bard vs Bing Chat: Conclusion
In the end, it’s hard to declare a clear winner between Google Bard and Microsoft Bing Chat as they both have their unique strengths and weaknesses. Google Bard is lightning-fast and has the handy Drafts feature, but it falls short with its ability to remember assigned roles, limited language support, and occasional plagiarism. On the other hand, Microsoft Bing Chat boasts efficient data research, meticulous source citation, multilingual support, and AI image generation, but it lacks the Drafts feature and can sometimes feel too authoritative.
After evaluating both chatbots, it’s clear that Microsoft Bing Chat is the more robust and effective conversationalist. Its latest GPT-4 LLM powers its ability to code complex scenarios and create content. Its multilingual support and AI image generation also make it accessible to a global audience. While Google Bard has potential, it currently falls short in comparison.
However, as with most things, personal preferences and needs will vary. Depending on what you’re looking for in an AI chatbot, Google Bard may suit your needs better than Bing Chat. It’s important to evaluate each tool for its strengths and weaknesses and decide what works best for you.
Although it is understandable that Google Bard is still in its experimental stages and should be approached with caution, I had hoped that the bot would offer more competition against established chatbot giants like Bing and ChatGPT. Currently, it feels like a rushed preview that could have been much better with more time and development. However, with exposure to more training and user interaction, I believe Bard will improve over time. Nevertheless, for now, Bing Chat emerges as the clear winner.
That being said, personal preferences and requirements vary. Depending on what you are looking for in an AI chatbot, you may find Bard to be exceptional or subpar. Ultimately, the decision on which AI chatbot to use is up to the user.
