Bing Chat vs ChatGPT: First Impressions
Microsoft just launched Bing Chat, powered by GPT-4. It’s free. It has internet access.
Should you switch from ChatGPT?
What’s Different
Internet Access
Bing Chat: Searches the web, cites sources ChatGPT: Knowledge cutoff, no browsing
This is huge. Ask Bing about yesterday’s news and it knows. ChatGPT doesn’t.
Price
Bing Chat: Free (with Microsoft account) ChatGPT Plus: $20/month for GPT-4
Getting GPT-4 free is compelling.
Interface
Bing Chat: Built into Bing, Edge browser ChatGPT: Dedicated chat interface
ChatGPT’s interface is cleaner. Bing feels like a search engine trying to be a chatbot.
Where Bing Wins
- Current information — Real-time web access
- Source citations — Shows where info comes from
- Price — Free GPT-4 access
- Integration — Built into Edge browser
Where ChatGPT Wins
- Longer conversations — Bing has turn limits
- Better for writing — More natural outputs
- Code assistance — More reliable for programming
- Consistency — More predictable behavior
The Turn Limit Problem
Bing Chat limits conversation length. After a few exchanges, it asks you to start over.
For quick questions: Fine. For complex tasks: Frustrating.
Our Verdict
Use Bing Chat for:
- Fact-checking with sources
- Current events questions
- Quick research
- When you need citations
Use ChatGPT for:
- Writing projects
- Code help
- Creative work
- Longer conversations
The Real Competition
This isn’t just Bing vs ChatGPT. It’s Microsoft vs Google.
Google has its own AI (Bard, coming soon). The search wars are back, and AI is the weapon.
What We’re Watching
- Will Google’s response match GPT-4?
- Will Microsoft expand Bing Chat’s limits?
- Will ChatGPT add browsing?
Exciting times for AI tools. We’ll keep testing and reporting.
First look at a new tool. We’ll do a deeper comparison once we’ve used both more extensively.