Claude and Bard: What is the difference between Claude and Bard?

Claude and Bard are two new conversational AI assistants that have generated much interest. Claude was created by Anthropic while Bard is by Google. This article will examine the key differences between these two competing AI chatbots.

Background on Claude

• Launched in April 2022 by AI safety startup Anthropic
• Focuses on being helpful, harmless, and honest
• Currently free with $20/month paid tier for heavy users
• API access available for developers and customization

Background on Bard

• Unveiled Feb 2023 by Google as “experimental conversational AI service”
• Will be integrated into Google Search to provide contextual answers
• Limited testing so far, no official release timeline confirmed
• Part of Google’s LaMDA large language model architecture

Philosophical Differences in Approach

• Claude aligned with Anthropic’s research into AI safety and robustness
• Bard represents Google’s focus on developing powerful multifunctional AI
• Anthropic emphasizes security, ethics and conversation quality
• Google prioritizes capabilities, scale, and integration with products

Variations in Capabilities

• Both display impressive natural language processing and knowledge skills
• Claude excels at harmless, mundane conversations
• Bard aims for factually accurate responses citing sources
• Claude offers personalization, while Bard focuses on neutrality

Key Distinctions in Availability

• Claude already publicly accessible via web, mobile and API
• Bard only available internally, no official user release yet
• Simple sign-up to start chatting with Claude
• Unclear when/how Bard will be opened to users

Differences in Commercial Strategy

• Claude has free and $20/month subscription tiers
• No indication yet on pricing model for Bard
• Claude meant for direct conversation
• Bard to enhance Google Search, ads and data collection

Variances in Technical Implementation

• Claude leverages proprietary Claude Stack architecture
• Bard built using Google’s LaMDA foundation model
• Anthropic emphasizes constitutional AI for safety
• Google relies on scaling model size for performance

Contrasts in Data Usage and Privacy

• Claude’s data usage governed by Anthropic’s AI Safety policies
• Concerns over Google’s data exploitation practices with user content
• Anthropic pledges not to retain conversations without permission
• Google’s ads business model inherently mines user information

Differences in Interaction Scope

• Claude designed for open-domain casual dialogue
• Bard focuses on search domain and providing factual answers
• Wider range of everyday conversations supported by Claude
• Bard specialized for knowledge retrieval and clarification

Variances in Development Trajectory

• Claude has a 1 year head start over Bard in live usage
• Claude gaining rapid improvements from user feedback
• Bard’s model training more limited by private testing so far
• Frequent Claude updates compared to slower pace for Bard

Distinctions in Market Positioning

• Claude pioneering harmless AI conversationalist position
• Bard entering as search and Google Assistant enhancement
• Claude distinguished as independent brand
• Bard could be subsumed into Google products

Differences in Access Control

• Claude gives user control over conversation privacy and data use
• Bard conversations inherently feed into Google’s systems
• Anthropic pledges alignment with user interests
• Google accountable primarily to advertisers and profits

• Origins:

Claude was created by Anthropic, an AI safety startup. Bard was created by Google.

• Training data:

Claude was trained on Constitutional AI data, focused on safety and ethics. Bard was trained on broader data from the internet.

• Goals:

Claude aims to be helpful, harmless, and honest. Bard’s goals are less clearly defined.

• Release:

Claude has been released gradually starting in 2022. Bard was announced more abruptly in February 2023.

• Conversational ability:

Claude focuses on natural dialogue. Bard excels more at general knowledge.

• Safety:

Claude incorporates safety techniques like constrained optimization. Bard’s safety remains unproven.

• Access:

Claude is currently limited access. Bard aims for wide public preview.

• Monetization:

Claude’s business model is unclear. Bard is key to Google’s AI monetization.

• Openness:

Claude’s internal workings are secret. Bard is meant to be more transparent.

Conclusion

While both Claude and Bard showcase impressive AI conversational abilities, there are clear differences in their purpose, approach, capabilities, availability, and market positioning. Anthropic and Google have divergent philosophies governing their development and commercialization strategies for these assistants. It remains to be seen how they will evolve in future and whether one model gains a definitive edge over the other.

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