The launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT kicked off the generative AI craze and the device has remained the most well-liked AI chatbot. Nevertheless, mendacity in wait is Microsoft Copilot, which, regardless of missing ChatGPT’s notoriety, boasts options that make it, dare I say, higher than ChatGPT.
After utilizing ChatGPT and Copilot for over a yr, I hold coming to the identical conclusion — Microsoft’s Copilot is the higher choice and does not get the credit score it deserves. Do not consider me? I rounded up all the perfect options that make Copilot a staple in my each day life and may convert you, too.
Fast be aware: Earlier than we get began, it’s value noting that each one the options I speak about under can be found on the free model of Copilot, despite the fact that lots of the identical options are restricted to the premium model of ChatGPT, ChatGPT Plus, which prices customers $20 a month.
1. No information cutoff
If I needed to choose the most important motive to change to Copilot, it could be the chatbot’s lack of know-how cutoff. As Microsoft’s Bing search engine powers Copilot, the device has entry to probably the most up-to-date data on the web. Due to this fact, Copilot can reply questions with probably the most correct and up to date data.
The free model of ChatGPT shouldn’t be related to the web and, consequently, solely has entry to the knowledge it was skilled on, limiting its information base to data as much as January 2022. Should you ask the chatbot any questions on occasions after January 2022, it is not going to know the reply.
For comparability, I requested each chatbots who received the New York Knicks vs. Philadephia 76ers playoff sport this week. As a result of solely Copilot has entry to the most recent data, it was the one chatbot that gave me a solution, as seen under:
Even in the event you ask ChatGPT for data on occasions earlier than the information cutoff, there is no such thing as a assure it can have probably the most correct response because it does not learn about latest occasions that might have impacted the scenario. With ChatGPT Plus, you do have entry to internet shopping.
2. Footnotes
Whether or not you’re using an AI chatbot as a supply of data for a analysis paper, a piece challenge, or to fit your curiosity, seeing the supply of the reply is nice. Cited sources make it simpler to additional your analysis and ensure the accuracy of the chatbot’s response — and that’s the place Copilot continues to shine over ChatGPT.
Copilot contains little footnotes with each response that cites the web site the chatbot pulled its reply from. The device additionally contains hyperlinks throughout the footnotes that it may not have used however could be helpful that can assist you study extra in regards to the query. Copilot even contains associated information when related, as seen under:
Once you ask ChatGPT a query, it merely solutions with the textual content response and doesn’t embrace any sources or footnotes. You possibly can ask ChatGPT to offer sources after you get the reply by typing one thing like: “Please present sources for the earlier reply.” Nevertheless, this strategy does not at all times work.
3. A extra superior mannequin
The free model of ChatGPT makes use of GPT-3.5, whereas the free model of Copilot makes use of a extra superior model of OpenAI’s giant language mannequin (LLM), GPT-4 Turbo. When describing GPT-4 and GPT-4 Turbo, OpenAI refers back to the LLMs as: “A set of fashions that enhance on GPT-3.5 and might perceive in addition to generate pure language or code.”
Copilot’s use of the extra superior LLM ensures higher efficiency throughout totally different areas, together with writing, coding, reasoning, and extra, producing better-quality responses.
Should you develop into a ChatGPT subscriber, you may also entry GPT-4 Turbo.
4. Voice inputs
Similar to you utilize your cellphone’s voice assistant or Amazon Alexa, you possibly can ask Microsoft Copilot a verbal query and obtain a spoken response. I take advantage of this function on my smartphone by way of the Bing app as a substitute for Apple’s Siri as a result of the responses are higher. This strategy additionally feels a bit much less intrusive than utilizing Siri. To make use of the voice function on Copilot, you solely need to faucet on the microphone to activate it as a substitute of claiming its identify.
You possibly can ask easy questions like, “What’s the climate in NYC for the week?” or “Who’s the CEO of Google?” Nevertheless, since Copilot is a generative AI mannequin, you could possibly use it to do extra advanced duties, equivalent to writing and studying a poem or bedtime story on any subject you want.
The opposite day, my accomplice and I could not consider a film to look at, so we verbally requested Copilot, “What are some motion pictures which can be much like Everlasting Sunshine of the Spotless Thoughts and can be found on streaming platforms?” Then, inside seconds, Copilot produced a bodily listing of flicks, hyperlinks, and photographs, and it verbally learn out the listing to us, too. You need to use voice prompts with ChatGPT Plus, not the free model.
5. Picture inputs
Along with voice inputs, Copilot may settle for picture inputs. For instance, in case you are a plant lover, you possibly can enter an image in Copilot and conversationally ask it to determine the plant. You are able to do the identical factor with any object you need to study extra about, together with buildings, canine, bugs, and extra.
For instance, I requested Copilot what breed my pet was by dropping in a photograph of him. Copilot listed doable solutions, together with Yorkshire Terrier, which is his breed.
Including a photograph may present helpful context in your immediate. For instance, in the event you ask for a recipe concept for dinner, you possibly can add a photograph of the within of your fridge and Copilot can whip up a recipe that makes use of the contents. You possibly can enter photos in prompts with ChatGPT Plus, however not the free model.
6. Picture era
With Copilot, you possibly can generate photos throughout the chatbot, leveraging Picture Creator from Microsoft Designer. All it’s a must to do is ask Copilot to ‘draw’ an image of no matter you want, and inside seconds it can come up throughout the dialog.
Microsoft’s text-to-image generator is powered by DALL-E 3, OpenAI’s newest AI mannequin. To generate photos with ChatGPT, you guessed it, it’s essential have a ChatGPT Plus membership.
The standard of photos generated by each instruments needs to be pretty comparable as they use the identical mannequin. It’s value noting that if you ask Copilot to generate a picture, it produces 4 photos, whereas ChatGPT produces one.
Under, you possibly can see a side-by-side comparability of the picture generations from each instruments utilizing the identical immediate: “Are you able to generate a picture of a Yorkie that’s smiling with huge huge eyes?”
7. Purchasing help
As a result of Copilot is related to the web, it might probably entry product listings from throughout the net. This functionality signifies that in the event you need assistance discovering a selected product, you should use a conversational immediate to explain it to Copilot and have the device act like a private shopper, dropping particular merchandise suggestions and hyperlinks, as seen under:
Sure, a standard search engine like Google may accomplish the same aim. Nevertheless, the perk right here is that Copilot narrows the outcomes down for you. I used Copilot to help me to find furnishings for my condo and located that it was extra useful in some cases. Nevertheless, I would not say it’s a substitute for Google. As a substitute, consider the device as a complement. ChatGPT does not have entry to the web, so it might probably’t present this help.