LibGuides: AI Tools for Research and Writing: Home

Top Generative AI Chatbots

Anthropic Claude
Claude can process large amounts of information, brainstorm ideas, generate text and code, help learn about subjects, roleplay through situations, simplify text. It requires an email address and login and there's a subscription option ($20/month) for more advanced tools. Claude includes training data as current as 2023. The free version lets you have longer conversations with the bot than the others I've listed.
ChatGPT
The original and most recognized chatbot from Open AI. Free users may only use the older 3.5 model. Subscribers ($20/month) get access to the 4.0 model. Training data is only as recent as 2021. Due to the computing costs of long conversations with the bot, free users are limited to a certain number of questions overall and within a conversation with the bot.
Copilot
Copilot for Microsoft 365 uses a combination of LLMs, a type of artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm that uses deep learning techniques and vast data sets to understand, summarize, predict, and generate content. These LLMs include pre-trained models, such as Generative Pre-Trained Transformers (GPT) like GPT-4, designed to excel in these tasks. Free users have access to GPT-4. Requires account creation to save conversations. Microsoft will release operating systems and new laptop models with the chatbot built in to their proprietary apps.
Perplexity
Perplexity was created specifically to answer questions with real-time web information. Allows you to switch between Claude's and OpenAI's most current large language models. Subscribers get access to more ($20/month or $200/year). You must create an account to get access to a limited number of free advanced searches. Due to the computation cost, free users are limited in the amount of questions they can ask per hour and per day.

There is an open source ranking tool for large language models behind the chatbots. The Chatbot Arena Leaderboard is built and maintained by research group LMSYS and the University of California, Berkeley’s Sky Computing Lab.

Before you get started

Before you decide to use any of the above tools, consider the weaknesses of artificial intelligence and the ways in which the bot may negatively impact your values.

Privacy
Bias
Currency
Specificity
Transparency
Relevance
Sources
Citations
Academic Integrity
Sustainability / Environmental Costs

Always consult with your advisors and instructors before using AI in your academic work. Many publishers also have policies around the use of AI in the work they accept for publication.

For detailed discussion on the weaknesses and pitfalls of AI, see https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/generative-ai-in-academic-writing/