ChatGPT vs. Perplexity AI: Which is Better and Why?

ChatGPT and Perplexity AI are the two giants in the realm of AI. These two are the cutthroat competitors that are currently ruling the field of artificial intelligence. People all over the world are enthusiastic about both AI tools. On the one hand, the general public (students, writers, workers, etc.) is curious about ChatGPT, and on the other hand, researchers are excited about PerplexityAI.

In the article below, let us know which of the above-mentioned tools is better and why.  

ChatGPT vs. Perplexity AI:

ChatGPT and Perplexity AI are both large language models. These can be used for various tasks like translation of languages, writing texts, generating creative content, etc. There are, however, some key differences between the two, which are also catalysts for making one a better AI tool than the other. Check out the major comparisons listed below.

1. Technology/Model:

With ChatGPT’s free version, you get access to GPT-3.5. The Plus version gives you GPT-4’s access.

Perplexity AI does not use the GPT 4 model in its free version. If you use the version for which you signed up, you will get a GPT-4 language model. In this case, you can use GPT-4 in Perplexity by using the Copilot mode.

ChatGPT is a generative model, which means it generates new text and not a copy of anything it has been trained on. Perplexity AI is a discriminative model. It is better at understanding and responding to existing text. Thus, it is more useful for answering questions and summarizing texts.

Feature	ChatGPT	PerplexityAI
Type of model	Generative	Discriminative
Strengths	Generates creative text formats	Answering questions, summarizing text, and providing research assistance
Weaknesses	Can also generate text that is not factually accurate	I sometimes have difficulty understanding complex questions and simplify them too much

13 Best ChatGPT Alternatives

2. Functionality:

ChatGPT and Perplexity AI differ in terms of the philosophy used for their builds. ChatGPT is more of a traditional chatbot, whereas Perplexity AI is a step ahead. ChatGPT is just functional as a browsing mode, whereas Perplexity AI lets you install plugins that help you solve various problems. Perplexity AI is more of a search engine. It provides suggestions and sources as responses to various queries.

Both products are helpful but are useful for totally different processes. Where the Copilot feature of Perplexity makes your research better, GPT can help you present your research better.  

17 Best ChatGPT Chrome Extensions

3. Price:

ChatGPT is available in free formats and paid versions as well. In paid versions, ChatGPT Plus charges almost $20 per month. Perplexity AI is available free of charge in all formats, though it is expected to monetize its services in the future.

4. Content Generation and Responses:

ChatGPT strengthens its ability to generate creative responses like poems, code, scripts, musical pieces, emails, and letters. It is known for its ability to produce original and engaging content. However, factual accuracy is still something this chatbot struggles with. Also, ChatGPT faces some problems in dealing with highly complex questions.

Perplexity AI, on the other hand, excels at answering various questions and generating very accurate responses. It is more of a search engine, so it can do that responsibly. It can summarise texts and present them concisely and understandably, but if you are expecting it to write you a poem, it won’t. It is skilled in answering and responding to existing texts. Perplexity AI, unlike ChatGPT, is unable to respond well to easier questions as it tends to oversimplify the non-complex questions.

Top 10 ChatGPT Competitors

5. User base:

ChatGPT, due to its great publicity, has managed to generate 1.8 billion users till now, whereas Perplexity AI lags way behind with just 10 million users today. Also, ChatGPT is being used by one and all these days. Perplexity is being used mainly by researchers and scientists. 

6. Platforms accessed:

ChatGPT Plus has a massive user base, as mentioned above. Most of the users access ChatGPT through the web interface. You can also use ChatGPT on your iOS or Android device. There is now an official ChatGPT iOS app.

Perplexity is also available on the web and as an app for iPhone users. Perplexity, in a way, is accessible through your pocket. However, there’s no Android version of the app yet.

7. Speed:

Perplexity AI is way faster than all other chatbots or search engines powered by artificial intelligence. The GPT-3 version can search the web and curate a response with the help of various sources. This ability of Perplexity AI to access real-time information is the reason for it being faster than ChatGPT. However, the latest LLM is inherently slow, regardless of the platform.

Comparatively, both the LLMs, ChatGPT, and Perplexity AI are doing well in their areas of expertise. To sum up the above comparisons, we can advise you to use ChatGPT in situations where:

• Creative text generation is the primary goal.
• Informative content is required, but strict factual accuracy is not paramount.

Users can choose Perplexity AI when

• Answering questions accurately and comprehensively is a requirement.
• Summarizing text and providing research assistance are the major tasks.

Users of artificial intelligence should by now know that there is no comparison between ChatGPT and Perplexity AI. Both are useful in their fields and genres. It all depends on your use. So, it is best to be aware of the properties of both tools to make your tasks easier.

Google Gemini vs OpenAI ChatGPT 4