ChatGPT 4 vs. Google Bard AIThe Surprising Head-to-Head Results
AI: What Is It Good For?
Like many, I've been exploring generative AI to uncover key insights, such as: how creatives can integrate AI into their workflows, what tasks AI tools perform well, and the crucial question of AI limitations. Comparing ChatGPT+ and Google Bard revealed surprising discoveries.
Background and Approach
In my recent blog series, “The Great AI Content Debate: Tool or Threat?”, I championed AI as a powerful tool to be mastered by creatives. A standout quote from the series was, "AI won't take your job, but someone using AI might." In other words, if you don’t embrace and master these tools, others certainly will.
The only way to master a tool, is to use it. So, I identified five experimental tasks suitable for AI assistance:
- Content Brainstorming
- List Ranking
- Summarize a business website
- SEO Review
- AI Coaching Tips
I tested ChatGPT+ v4 and Google Bard beta with identical prompts using my company, The Roster, as the subject matter guinea pig. Results and winners for each round and additional observations are listed below. For the sake of navigation and, dare I say, drama, you can reveal and hide the results by clicking on the teal banners.
AI Face-Off: Battle of the Bots
The first task perfectly aligns with the strengths of both AI tools and represents a typical use.
1. Content Brainstorming
PROMPT: Name and describe five blog article ideas that will likely rank well for searchers looking for freelance creative talent with a proven track record and a high probability of delighting clients.
ChatGPT 4 RESULT
Navigating Creative Portfolios: How to Spot High-Quality Freelance Talent
Learn how to effectively analyze creative portfolios to identify freelancers with a strong track record of delivering exceptional work and client satisfaction.
Effective Interview Techniques for Evaluating Freelance Creative Candidates
Master the art of interviewing freelance creatives to assess their problem-solving abilities, communication skills, and potential for exceeding client expectations.
Top Online Platforms for Discovering High-Caliber Freelance Creative Professionals
Explore the best online platforms for sourcing top-notch freelance creative talent with a proven history of delivering exceptional results and delighting clients.
How to Cultivate Long-Term Relationships with Exceptional Freelance Creative Talent
Delve into strategies for nurturing long-term partnerships with standout freelance creatives, fostering ongoing collaboration, and achieving continuous client delight.
Setting Clear Expectations and Goals for Freelance Creatives: The Key to Client Delight
Understand the importance of setting clear expectations and goals for freelance creatives, ensuring a strong working relationship that consistently leads to exceptional results and satisfied clients.
Google Bard RESULT
Here are 5 blog article ideas that are likely to rank well for searchers desperate to find great freelance creative talent with a proven track record and a high probability of delighting clients:
How to Find the Best Freelance Creative Talent
This article would provide tips on how to find the best freelance creative talent, including where to look, how to screen candidates, and how to negotiate rates.
The Benefits of Hiring Freelance Creative Talent
This article will discuss the benefits of hiring freelance creative talent, such as cost-effectiveness, flexibility, and access to a wider talent pool.
How to Manage a Freelance Creative Project
This article will provide tips on how to manage a freelance creative project, including how to set expectations, how to communicate with the freelancer, and how to track progress.
The Top 10 Freelance Creative Websites
This article will list the top 10 freelance creative websites where businesses can find talented freelancers.
The Future of Work: What It Means for Freelance Creatives
This article will discuss the future of freelance creative work, including the trends that are shaping the industry and the available opportunities.
The Verdict
Both AIs tackled this task in a comparable manner, devising compelling titles but ultimately resorting to vague explanations when describing the article's content. In essence, it falls upon the content writer to discern if there's any substance behind these suggestions — and rightly so!
My vote, by a slight margin, goes to ChatGPT.
? Winner - ChatGPT
? Also good - Bard
Task number two is a little less common.
2. List Ranking
PROMPT: Review the following alphabetical list of freelance marketing roles and rank the top ten roles based on US demand for freelance contract work.
ChatGPT 4 RESULT
Based on the general trends in the US market for freelance creative roles, the top ten roles in terms of demand are
- Social Media Manager
- SEO Strategist
- Digital Marketing Strategist
- Marketing Manager
- Content Creator
- SEM Paid Search Specialist
- Marketing Automation Strategist
- Product Manager
- Marketing Research Analyst
- Public Relations Specialist
Please note that this ranking is based on general trends and may not apply to specific industries or companies. The actual demand for a role can fluctuate significantly based on various factors
Google Bard RESULT
Here are the top 10 freelance creative roles based on US market demand
- Content Creator
- Marketing Manager
- Digital Marketing Strategist
- Social Media Manager
- SEO Strategist
- SEM Paid Search Specialist
- Public Relations Specialist
- Marketing Analytics Specialist
- Marketing Automation Strategist
- Product Manager
This ranking is based on data from Upwork, a freelance job platform. Upwork's data shows that these are the most in-demand freelance roles in the US. Businesses need help with creating and managing their marketing campaigns, and these roles are essential for that.
The other roles in the list are also in demand, but they are not as in demand as the top 10 roles. For example, graphic designers are in demand because businesses need help with creating visually appealing marketing materials, websites, and apps. 3D designers are in demand because businesses need help with designing products that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing. Illustrators are in demand because they create illustrations for books, magazines, and websites. Graphic production artists are in demand because they help designers bring their vision to life by creating high-quality print and digital files. Infographic designers are in demand because they create infographics that are visually appealing and easy to understand. Surface pattern designers are in demand because they design patterns that can be used on a variety of surfaces, such as fabric, wallpaper, and ceramics.
If you are interested in becoming a freelancer, you should consider specializing in one of the roles that is in high demand. This will give you a better chance of finding work and earning a good income.
Please note that this ranking is based on data from Upwork, and it may not be representative of the overall market for freelance contract work. It is always a good idea to do your own research before choosing a freelance career path.
Evaluating the Results
Interestingly, both AIs chose the same top five roles, with their rankings nearly reversed, making it a draw in terms of ranking accuracy.
I like that Bard gives credit to Upwork as its data source. A consistent observation is Bard's scholarly tone, often providing extra context and information. In this instance, Bard mentions other roles outside the top 10 and shares valuable advice for aspiring freelancers.
The Verdict
This round goes to Bard.
? ChatGPT - Not so much
? Winner - Bard
The next two tasks were designed to test the AIs' web awareness.
3. Summarize a Business Website
PROMPT: Review this website, https://theroster.agency, and summarize the company line of business, service offerings, and unique value proposition.
ChatGPT 4 RESULT
Business
The Roster is a creative staffing and talent-matching company that specializes in connecting skilled freelancers with businesses in need of creative talent. Their focus lies in the design, marketing, and advertising sectors, where they cater to a variety of industries and fields.
Service Offerings
The Roster offers a range of services to help businesses find the perfect creative talent for their needs. These services include talent matching, in which they use their expertise to find the best fit for each client based on their specific requirements, and freelance placement, where they connect companies with a curated network of top creative freelancers for various roles.
Unique Value Proposition
The Roster stands out with its personalized approach to talent matching, ensuring that both clients and freelancers find the perfect fit for their needs. Their extensive network of vetted creative professionals, combined with their deep understanding of the creative industry, allows them to provide tailored solutions for each client. By connecting businesses with exceptional creative talent, The Roster helps companies innovate, grow, and achieve their goals.
Google Bard RESULT
The Roster is a talent agency specializing in creative talent. They offer a variety of services, including
- Recruiting and placing freelance creative talent
- Staffing creative teams
- Managing projects
- Providing strategic advice
The Roster's unique value proposition is their focus on building relationships with both their clients and their talent. They believe that by understanding the needs of both parties, they can create a win-win situation for everyone involved.
The Roster's website is well-designed and easy to navigate. It provides a clear overview of the company's services and how they can help clients achieve their goals. The website also features a blog with articles on a variety of topics related to creative talent and the creative industry.
Overall, The Roster is a well-established and reputable talent agency that offers a variety of services to help clients find and manage creative talent. The company's unique value proposition is its focus on building relationships with both its clients and its talent.
Unexpected Discoveries
In its first week after release, ChatGPT 4 provided a surprisingly accurate response despite its inability to access live websites. It seemed to use prior user prompts about The Roster for context.
However, when repeating the same prompt recently, ChatGPT responded more transparently: “I'm an AI language model and cannot access external websites... I can provide general information on common services and value propositions these types of agencies typically offer."
Bard's response, however, remained on-point and appropriate, leading to the discovery that it uses Google Search to gather information: “When you ask me a question, I use Google Search to find relevant information on the web..."
The Verdict
Set goes to Bard.
? ChatGPT - Not so much
? Winner - Bard
Bolstered by my growing faith in Bard, I decided to put both AIs to the test by challenging them to perform an SEO evaluation for www.theroster.agency.
4. SEO Review
PROMPT: Review and critique the website https://theroster.agency for SEO.
ChatGPT 4 RESULT
As an AI language model, I cannot access external websites. However, I can provide general SEO guidelines that you can use to assess the website yourself or share with a web professional…
Google Bard RESULT
The Roster's website is well-designed and easy to use. The homepage has a clear call to action, and the navigation is straightforward. The website is also mobile-friendly.
However, there are a few areas where the website could be improved for SEO.
- The website title tag is too long. The title tag is the text that appears in the search results, and it's important to keep it short and concise. The current title tag is "The Roster | Creative Talent on Demand." A better title tag would be "The Roster | Find and Place Freelance Creative Talent."
- The website meta descriptions are not optimized. The meta description is the text that appears below the title tag in the search results. It's important to ensure the meta-description is accurate, relevant, and persuasive. The current meta descriptions are too short and don't provide enough information about the website.
- The website does not have a sitemap. A sitemap is a file that tells Google and other search engines about the pages on your website. Having a sitemap can help your website rank higher in search results.
- The website does not have enough internal links. Internal links are links from one page on your website to another. Internal links can help Google and other search engines understand the structure of your website and the importance of different pages.
Unpacking the SEO Advice from ChatGPT and Bard
ChatGPT was forthright and, although not particularly helpful, at least it didn't squander my time.
Bard, on the other hand, provided a useful title tag tip, but the remaining recommendations were incorrect:
- Bard claimed the meta descriptions were too short; however, yet, they are optimized to target 160 characters.
- Bard stated the website lacks a sitemap, but it has four: XML, images, mobile, and HTML. All except HTML are registered with Google Search Console.
- Bard said the site lacks internal links, but it has over 100.
After being instructed to do so in a follow-up prompt, Bard incorrectly identified and assessed the meta description length for https://theroster.agency.
When confronted with its inaccuracy, Bard apologized and acknowledged its need for improvement: "I apologize for the mistake... I appreciate your patience and understanding as I continue to learn."
The Verdict
Although neither AI is currently capable of providing precise webpage evaluations, Bard appears to be closer to mastering this skill. That said, until then, I prefer ChatGPT's candid approach over Bard's misleading information.
Pro Tip: To obtain more accurate results for title tags, meta descriptions, and keyword analysis, consider asking either AI to assess actual web copy instead of a URL.
? Winner - ChatGPT
? Bard - Not so much
For my final AI challenge, I gave each of the AI bots the opportunity to coach us on how to use these tools more effectively.
5. AI Coaching Tips
PROMPT: What are your top five tips to writers for getting the best results from you, ChatGPT/Bard?
ChatGPT 4 RESULT
- Be clear and specific with your prompts: To get the most accurate and relevant output from ChatGPT, provide clear and detailed prompts. The more specific your instructions, the easier it is for the AI to understand your requirements and deliver the desired results.
- Experiment with different approaches: If the first response from ChatGPT doesn't meet your expectations, try rephrasing your prompt, asking the question differently, or providing more context. Exploring various approaches can help you discover the most effective way to communicate your needs.
- Set the desired tone and style: When giving a prompt, specify the tone and style you want in the response, such as formal, informal, or conversational. This helps ChatGPT generate content that matches your preferred writing style and target audience.
- Request step-by-step or multiple options: If you need help with brainstorming or decision-making, ask ChatGPT to provide a step-by-step guide, a list of options, or multiple examples. This can give you a broader range of ideas or solutions to choose from and refine further.
- Review and revise the AI-generated content: ChatGPT can be a valuable assistant, but it's essential to review and edit the content it generates. Use the AI-generated text as a starting point, and refine it to meet your specific needs, ensuring accuracy and alignment with your objectives.
Google Bard RESULT
Here are my top five tips to writers for getting the best results from me, Bard:
- Be clear and concise in your prompts. The more specific you are, the better I will be able to understand what you are looking for.
- Don't be afraid to edit my output. I am still under development, so I am not always perfect. Be sure to edit my output to ensure that it is accurate and error-free.
- Be patient. I am still in development, so it may take me some time to understand your requests and generate the output you are looking for.
- Use me as a tool, not a crutch. I can be a great way to save time and improve your writing, but I am not a replacement for human writers. Use me to supplement your own writing skills, not to replace them.
- Have fun! I am a powerful tool that can help you with your writing, but I am also a lot of fun. So relax, have fun, and see what I can do.
Tie Breaker
To decide the best AI coach, I allowed both bots to rank all the tips based on usefulness. ChatGPT put all its tips in the top five, while Bard chose three ChatGPT tips, one of its own, and combined two clarity tips into one top pick. Considering the outcome, this method appeared biased, so I determined the winner using my own top-five picks from both lists:
- Be clear and concise in your prompts. The more specific you are, the better I will be able to understand what you are looking for. - Bard
- Experiment with different approaches: If the first response doesn't meet your expectations, try rephrasing your prompt, asking [me] the question differently, or providing more context. Exploring various approaches can help you discover the most effective way to communicate your needs. - ChatGPT
- Don't be afraid to edit my output. I am still under development, so I am not always perfect. Be sure to edit my output to ensure that it is accurate and error-free. - Bard
- Request step-by-step or multiple options: If you need help with brainstorming or decision-making, ask [me] to provide a step-by-step guide, a list of options, or multiple examples. This can give you a broader range of ideas or solutions to choose from and refine further. - ChatGPT
- Use me as a tool, not a crutch. I can be a great way to save time and improve your writing, but I am not a replacement for human writers. Use me to supplement your own writing skills, not to replace them. - Bard
The Verdict
Bard wins the final round, claiming three of my top-five picks and showcasing sportsmanship and brevity for easy-to-read advice.
? Also good - ChatGPT
? Winner - Bard
Insights and Personal Takeaways
As you explore the world of AI writing tools, you'll notice that each one has its own strengths, weaknesses, and personality. It's important to approach these tools conversationally and provide as much information as possible. Think of it like giving a creative brief to a colleague, laying out your goals, tone, and other essential details.
Remember, these tools are not sentient beings but helpful assistants that can speed up the writing process and help you write more effectively. As the saying goes, "The secret to good writing is rewriting," and these AI tools can undoubtedly assist with that.
Copy Editor Use Cases:
- One of my favorite writing prompts is "Rewrite for clarity and brevity."
- Use AI to solve layout dilemmas by prompting it to edit copy to fit space constraints. For instance, "Rewrite to be 5-8 words shorter."
- Another powerful use of AI is creating executive summaries. For longer texts, summarizing the table of contents might be all that is required.
Tying It All Together
In this friendly comparison, we've observed that both AI writing tools possess distinct strengths and weaknesses, making them valuable resources for various tasks — and we've barely scratched the surface.
Approaching these tools with well-defined prompts is crucial to maximizing their potential. As AI technology continues to advance, we can anticipate further improvements in these tools, but for now, they serve as helpful aids in the writing process. Whether you need assistance with content brainstorming, summarization, or rewrites, AI can help save time and enhance writing effectiveness. Ultimately, the key is identifying the right AI tool for your specific needs and harnessing its capabilities to enrich your workflow.
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