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It is impossible to miss the ChatGPT tidal wave. Launched at the end of 2022, this artificial intelligence created by OpenAI continues to hit the headlines. To the point that even the famous Google search engine seems to fear for its future. We decided to compare the two competitors to find out which is doing the best to answer our queries. Round 1, fight!
On the one hand, we have the venerable king of search engines: Google Search. On the other comes the young challenger ChatGPT.
Although they work differently, their purpose remains the same. It is about providing an answer to users' questions.
So the AI fight is on!
Two AIS to disrupt the Internet
Google Search
Who doesn't know Google? The titan of search engines upset the market after its release in 1998. It is one that is the most used in the world, answering more than 90% of Internet users' queries.
A success due to more and more efficient algorithms and constant evolutions. In 2022, the Google Search code was undergoing more than 4,000 changes per day. The Alphabet subsidiary pampers its toy!
With each evolution, the American search engine is becoming more and more of a "response engine". Its objective: is to provide you with the best possible information, whatever your question. This feat is due in large part to the BERT algorithm based on natural language and neural networks.
Search results no longer just display text. Not content with learning from your habits to find the most relevant sites for you, Google Search now knows how to do mathematical calculations, translate foreign languages, etc.
In addition, the Mountain View giant has many additional services directly accessible on the web such as Translate, Drive, Maps, News, etc. Enough to meet many needs!
Download ChatGPT for Mac, Windows, and Linux for free
ChatGPT
Now let's talk about the new kid, ChatGPT. This is a conversation robot, better known as a chatbot.
This type of program is not a novelty in itself. You have probably already been confronted with it when you try to contact the after-sales service of your insurance or another similar service. The purpose of these robots is to reproduce human language as closely as possible in order to engage in a real conversation with the user.
Created by the American company OpenAI, ChatGPT is therefore a chatbot. It is based on the GPT-3 AI. This artificial intelligence uses machine learning and deep learning processes. We will not discuss these concepts in this file as they are complex.
Just remember that GPT-3 is able to learn many concepts by browsing data sets. The ChatGPT tool makes it possible to format these data thanks to NLP - or Natural Language Processing - which consists of conversing as a human would. Technology close to that of voice assistants such as Alexa, Siri, and Co.
In short, we have in front of us a robot capable of understanding our questions and answering them with structured sentences. This is how a real dialogue is established with this chatbot so close to the human!
Will ChatGPT replace Google?
Here is the question that is burning everyone's lips right now. Even the Mountain View giant seems to be on guard, where Microsoft has already invested in OpenAI to power Bing in the coming months.
However, it would be premature to predict the imminent death of the number 1 search engine in the world. If artificial intelligence is likely to settle permanently in the IT landscape, there is still a lot of progress to be made before a possible singularity where robots would replace humans.
As the last few months have proven, ChatGPT - as well as other AI of the same kind - is far from mature. Behind the "wow" effect, the model still needs to evolve to become really relevant.
During an interview with StrictlyVC, the CEO of OpenAI himself admitted that ChatGPT is "incredibly limited". Also according to Sam Altman, it would be "a mistake to rely on it for anything important at the moment"
So it's not tomorrow that you will have to change your habits to do research on the Internet!
Bard: Google's counterattack
If the release of ChatGPT raised a "red flag" within Google, the American company is already ready to fight back. And the counterattack could be vigorous, leaving ChatGPT on the block.
Revealed on February 7, 2023, the Bard chatbot (based on Google's LaMDA model) seems very promising. This is an AI designed specifically for conversational speech. It would seem much more "human" than Google Assistant, with an almost infinite ability to follow a conversation.
Another advantage of this artificial intelligence: it would be based on the huge database that is the world wide web. For its part, the OpenAI robot is working on internal data that dates back to 2021.
Despite this, Google seems to be staying on reserve and taking its time to launch its own chatbot. Most of the income of the American firm comes from advertising on its search engine. It is therefore in its best interest to keep the current model in place for as long as possible…
ChatGPT vs Google Search: our comparison
Which of Google Search or ChatGPT is the most effective at answering questions? We tested both models, and here are the results!
Simple question: "How high is Mount Everest?" »
It takes a lot of work to make it simpler. Both engines give a similar answer, although ChatGPT goes a little further in accuracy.
For its part, Google offers images to illustrate its point. So we potentially have more information, but we have to go get it "the old-fashioned way"
ChatGPT or Google
Although the results provided by ChatGPT are impressive, this artificial intelligence does not seem ready to replace Google search, at least in the immediate future.
If the OpenAI model is able to generate text (unlike Google Search), it sometimes makes quite a few mistakes. Even worse, AI can develop answers on totally delusional topics!
However, this tool remains very useful for doing specific tasks such as generating application code, obtaining a translation, creating pieces of text according to several criteria, etc.
For its part, Google Search is not able to "chat" with us. The search engine, therefore, seems less developed than its competitor. However, he brings in his luggage the choice of source with a database of millions of websites. To go further, we will have to wait for the official deployment of Google Bard later in the year.
Finally, the two tools are complementary rather than competing. ChatGPT thus brilliantly completes a search started on Google.
Maybe things will change in the future. Anyway, it's not today that the world will be turned upside down by AI!