The launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT kicked off the generative AI craze and the software 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.
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After utilizing ChatGPT and Copilot for over a yr, I maintain coming to the identical conclusion — Microsoft’s Copilot is the higher choice and would not get the credit score it deserves. Do not imagine me? I rounded up all the perfect options that make Copilot a staple in my day by day life and would possibly convert you, too.
Fast be aware: Earlier than we get began, it’s price noting that every one the options I discuss under can be found on the free model of Copilot, regardless that lots of the similar options are restricted to the premium model of ChatGPT, ChatGPT Plus, which prices customers $20 a month.
1. No data cutoff
If I needed to decide the largest cause to change to Copilot, it could be the chatbot’s lack of understanding cutoff. As Microsoft’s Bing search engine powers Copilot, the software has entry to essentially the most up-to-date data on the web. Subsequently, Copilot can reply questions with essentially 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 educated on, limiting its data base to data as much as January 2022. When you ask the chatbot any questions on occasions after January 2022, it won’t know the reply.
Additionally: Now you can make your personal customized Copilot GPT
For comparability, I requested each chatbots who gained the New York Knicks vs. Philadephia 76ers playoff recreation this week. As a result of solely Copilot has entry to the newest 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 data cutoff, there is no such thing as a assure it is going to have essentially the most correct response because it would not learn about latest occasions that would 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 knowledge for a analysis paper, a piece mission, or to fit your curiosity, seeing the supply of the reply is nice. Cited sources make it simpler to additional your analysis and make sure the accuracy of the chatbot’s response — and that’s the place Copilot continues to shine over ChatGPT.
Additionally: make ChatGPT present sources and citations
Copilot consists of little footnotes with each response that cites the web site the chatbot pulled its reply from. The software additionally consists of hyperlinks throughout the footnotes that it won’t have used however may be helpful that can assist you study extra in regards to the query. Copilot even consists of associated information when related, as seen under:
If you ask ChatGPT a query, it merely solutions with the textual content response and doesn’t embody any sources or footnotes. You’ll be able to ask ChatGPT to supply sources after you get the reply by typing one thing like: “Please present sources for the earlier reply.” Nevertheless, this method would not all the time 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 to the LLMs as: “A set of fashions that enhance on GPT-3.5 and may perceive in addition to generate pure language or code.”
Copilot’s use of the extra superior LLM ensures higher efficiency throughout completely different areas, together with writing, coding, reasoning, and extra, producing better-quality responses.
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When you turn into a ChatGPT subscriber, you can even entry GPT-4 Turbo.
4. Voice inputs
Identical to you employ your cellphone’s voice assistant or Amazon Alexa, you possibly can ask Microsoft Copilot a verbal query and obtain a spoken response. I exploit this characteristic on my smartphone through the Bing app as an different to Apple’s Siri as a result of the responses are higher. This method additionally feels a bit much less intrusive than utilizing Siri. To make use of the voice characteristic on Copilot, you solely should faucet on the microphone to activate it as an alternative of claiming its identify.
Additionally: use ChatGPT as a Siri shortcut
You’ll be able to 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 may use it to do extra advanced duties, equivalent to writing and studying a poem or bedtime story on any matter you want.
The opposite day, my associate and I could not consider a film to observe, so we verbally requested Copilot, “What are some films which can be just like Everlasting Sunshine of the Spotless Thoughts and can be found on streaming platforms?” Then, inside seconds, Copilot produced a bodily record of films, hyperlinks, and pictures, and it verbally learn out the record 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 also 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.
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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 also present helpful context to your immediate. For instance, in the event you ask for a recipe thought 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’ll be able to enter photos in prompts with ChatGPT Plus, however not the free model.
6. Picture technology
With Copilot, you possibly can generate photos throughout the chatbot, leveraging Picture Creator from Microsoft Designer. All you must do is ask Copilot to ‘draw’ an image of no matter you want, and inside seconds it is going to come up throughout the dialog.
Additionally: use Picture Creator from Microsoft Designer (previously Bing Picture Creator)
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 is advisable have a ChatGPT Plus membership.
The standard of photos generated by each instruments must be pretty comparable as they use the identical mannequin. It’s price noting that once you ask Copilot to generate a picture, it produces 4 photos, whereas ChatGPT produces one.
Beneath, 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 large vast eyes?”
7. Procuring help
As a result of Copilot is related to the web, it could possibly entry product listings from throughout the online. This functionality signifies that in the event you need assistance discovering a selected product, you possibly can use a conversational immediate to explain it to Copilot and have the software act like a private shopper, dropping particular merchandise suggestions and hyperlinks, as seen under:
Sure, a standard search engine like Google might accomplish the same aim. Nevertheless, the perk right here is that Copilot narrows the outcomes down for you. I used Copilot to help me 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 software as a complement. ChatGPT would not have entry to the web, so it could possibly’t present this help.