ChatGPT vs. GPT: How They Differ
Natural language processing tools have been around for some time now, and OpenAI has played a significant role in expanding the reach of these tools. Two of OpenAI's most notable NLP tools are ChatGPT and GPT. While both tools share some similarities, they differ in their technological capabilities and pricing. This article aims to explore these differences.
Background
OpenAI revealed the first generative pre-trained transformer (GPT) in 2018. Since then, more advanced versions have followed, including GPT-2 in 2019, GPT-3 in 2020, and GPT-4 in 2023. While newer versions of GPT are only accessible via an API, GPT-2 is available as open-source software.
OpenAI introduced ChatGPT as a consumer-facing service in late 2022. It quickly gained popularity, attracting over 50 million users in just a month. ChatGPT was built on GPT-3.5, and paying subscribers can also gain access to GPT-4 through the same ChatGPT interface.
Capabilities
OpenAI claims that both GPT and ChatGPT can do many things, including completing text, writing code, summarizing text, and generating new content. Moreover, GPT-4 can answer questions more accurately than prior versions, as measured by scores on tests such as the SAT, LSAT, and uniform bar exam. However, there are some technical differences between OpenAI's models.
One key difference is that fine-tuning is only possible with GPT-3 models. This means developers cannot customize GPT-3.5 turbo and GPT-4 models to work more efficiently with their data. Additionally, newer models, like GPT-4 and GPT-3.5 turbo, were trained on data last updated in September 2021. This is essential because newer models may be more capable of understanding and responding to queries about current events.
Another notable difference is pricing. ChatGPT is offered across two tiers, including a free version and a paid one that costs $20 per month. The premium version adds improved performance and access to the more recent GPT-4 models as an option. In contrast, GPT's pricing varies depending on the model and service category. OpenAI charges more for larger models.
Buzzword Bingo
The term ChatGPT is often used to describe the process of adding chat capabilities to a product. OpenAI describes a ChatGPT API that powers new services from Instagram, Snap, Quizlet, and Instacart. GPT is used as a generic term at the end of product names for advertising the introduction of new AI capabilities, including Google's BERT, LaMDA, and PaLM. Google's first ChatGPT-like implementation is called Bard, while Microsoft refers to its GPT-powered code completion capabilities as copilot.
Conclusion
While ChatGPT and GPT share some similarities, they differ in their technological capabilities and pricing. ChatGPT is a consumer-facing service built on GPT-3.5, while GPT comes in various versions that differ in their technological capabilities. At present, the newer GPT models may be more capable of understanding and responding to queries about current events. Enterprises can use API access to customize and enhance their offerings and allow models to learn more about business-specific domains through fine-tuning.
