The introduction of Bing Chat as a new feature within the Microsoft Bing search engine platform in February 2023 marked the desire of Microsoft to hop into the disruptive craze brought by mainstream applications of artificial intelligence and capitalize on novel developments in machine learning and deep learning, artificial neural networks, and natural language processing or NLP and large language modeling.
Note that the availability of this service was limited to Microsoft Account holders who signed up to be part of the exclusive waitlist. It became an exclusive feature of the Microsoft Edge web browser beginning on 13 March 2023 while requiring an extension and a Microsoft Account for third-party browsers such as Google Chrome. The invite-only restriction was lifted on March 16 and this service became available to all Microsoft Account holders.
Pros: Notable Features and Advantages of Bing Chat
Bing Chat is specifically an AI chatbot and generative AI application that demonstrates the capabilities and applications of NLP and large language models. It is similar to ChatGPT from OpenAI in general because it uses the same Generative Pre-trained Transformer language model to provide human-like responses to text-based prompts. However, compared with ChatGPT, it has several notable features and advantages.
The following are the features and advantages of this chatbot:
• Powered By GPT-4 Model: The biggest advantage of Bing Chat is that it uses the GPT-4 model of OpenAI. This a multimodal language model that is more advanced and accurate than previous GPTs. Take note that the free version of ChatGPT uses GPT-3.5 while the paid ChatGPT Plus version uses GPT-4.
• Generates Human-Like Responses: AI or natural language chatbots can generate responses that mimic human conversations. The same is true for this particular chatbot from Microsoft. They can understand natural human language and provide responses that seem more natural than non-AI chatbots.
• Non-English Language Support: This chatbot also supports other languages apart from English. It is fluent in French, Spanish, German, Chinese, and Japanese languages, among others. Take note that ChatGPT also supports a range of languages but it remains more effective in understanding the English language.
• Tailored Conversations: Another advantage of Bing Chat is that it can be tailored into three conversation modes or styles. These include Creative style for imaginative responses, Balanced for providing a mix of factual and engaging responses, and Precise for more factual and concise responses.
• Functions as a Web Search Engine: This chatbot functions as a web search engine, unlike ChatGPT which is a chatbot built on a knowledgebase that might not be as current as real-time search results. Nevertheless, as a search engine, it has access to web search results and up-to-date information such as current information.
• Includes Cited References: ChatGPT is informative but one of its biggest drawbacks is that it does not cite references to its responses by default. Bing Chat includes superscripts that link to reference materials in several of its responses. This makes it a more powerful tool for research purposes.
• Analysis and Summarization: Bing Chat can also analyze and summarize a text of up to 1500 words. This chatbot can also proofread and edit texts or provide suggested paraphrased sentences and paragraphs. It can also debug codes to a certain extent and provide some suggestions. Note that ChatGPT has similar functionalities.
• Available on Different Platforms: It is also available in different platforms or operating systems such as Windows, macOS, iOS and iPadOS, and Android. It is also integrated into the Skype application. Note that ChatGPT is available as a web-based app and it has no standalone app for mobile devices.
Cons: Key Limitations and Disadvantages of Bing Chat
The aforementioned features and advantages of Bing Chat make it appear that it has more edge than ChatGPT in certain applications such as web search, specific research requirements, or more current information gathering. This is true to a certain extent. However, considering the unique capabilities of ChatGPT, this chatbot also has limitations.
Below are the imitations and disadvantages of this chatbot:
• Limited Chats and Sessions: One of the biggest disadvantages of Bing Chat is that a user has a limited number of chats per session and per day to prevent overwhelming the system. The previous cap was 10 chats per session and 120 sessions per day. Microsoft has raised the cap to 15 chats per session and 150 chats per day.
• Lacks Creative Responses: This chatbot may have a Creative conversation style but its capabilities are not on par with ChatGPT. Note that ChatGPT can provide creative responses based on detailed instructions. It can even write a work of fiction or respond using the writing style of a specific famous person.
• Chat Responses are Shorter: It is also important to underscore the fact that ChatGPT can provide lengthy responses to a particular prompt. These responses can even pass as a short-form article. The quality of its response depends on the quality of the particular prompt. Bing Chat does not have these capabilities.
• Limited Tailor-Fitted Responses: The responses of Bing Chat can also be tailor-fitted but it is not as good as ChatGPT. The chatbot from OpenAI can better debug a code and write suggestions or provide instructions when commanded. ChatGPT Plus has more advanced capabilities that allow it to interpret visualized data.
• Ethical and Legal Issues: Natural language chatbots have been welcome with criticisms. Content creators have argued that the developers of these platforms have used their content without permission. Some have argued that they should be compensated. This raises issues regarding intellectual property rights.
