We are living in the age of artificial intelligence advancements, which have taken the world by storm with many developments. Ranging from office work to manufacturing and retail, AI has become a buzzword in every industry. In fact, AI’s research and development capabilities help boost productivity and efficiency.
That being said, new AI language models are coming out, such as ChatGPT and OpenAI Playground. Both of them are designed by OpenAI. So, what’s the difference between them? This article will answer that in-depth!
ChatGPT is designed by OpenAI and allows users to process language. It generates responses according to the user inputs. On the other hand, OpenAI Playground is a web-based platform. It allows developers to experiment with their machine-learning models in real time.
If you are confused about ChatGPT versus Playground, this guide is for you. We are going to discuss every feature. So, let’s start!
Here is the list of topic we will be discussing.
Table of Contents
A Comprehensive Overview of ChatGPT & OpenAI Playground
It can be confusing to differentiate between these two language models. This is because they were both launched by OpenAI. Also, both of them have machine learning and natural language processing. In addition, they both are free of cost for basic use. Moreover, you can access them both with the same OpenAI account.
However, there are some differences in their working based on how they interact with users. In addition, their usage, purposes, and how they are being accessed by the users are also different. ChatGPT is a pre-built chatbot that interacts with the users. It makes conversations like a virtual assistant.
On the contrary, OpenAI Playground works like an AI workshop model where you can access different tools for coding and fine-tuning niche tasks. It allows users to fine-tune its models for specific tasks. Moreover, there is an API for programming tasks and optimizing different AI models.
| Features | ChatGPT | OpenAI Playground |
|---|---|---|
| Language Model | GPT-3.5 (free) and GPT-4 (paid) | GPT-3.5 (free) and others (paid) |
| Features / Specs | Focuses on conversational interactions, limited access to underlying model capabilities. | Offers broader capabilities for experimentation, fine-tuning, and code generation. |
| Use Cases | Engaging in conversations, getting creative text formats (e.g., poems, code, scripts), basic question answering. | Fine-tuning models for specific tasks, exploring different language models, advanced text generation and manipulation. |
| Multilingual support | Yes. | Yes. |
| Compatibility / Accessibility | Web-based interface and smartphone app. | Web-based interface and API access (for advanced users). |
| Model Training Type | Supervised learning on a massive dataset of text and code. | Supervised learning on various datasets, depending on the model. |
| Pricing | Free tier with limited usage, paid tier for $20/month. | Initial credit of $18 to use tokens (it uses tokens to work). After that, you can purchase additional tokens. The pricing for GPT-3.5 Turbo (4K) model is $0.002 per token. |
What is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT was developed by OpenAI. It’s changing the ways humans interact with machines with its language translation model and web-based model. It wouldn’t be wrong to call it a scholar who has spent countless hours reading and learning from an extensive library of text.
This set of languages and linguistics includes everything from news articles to books and even social media posts. This training data allows the tool to engage in conversations and answer users’ queries. ChatGPT is one of the best conversational AI tools that can help write copies, blogs, assignments, social media posts, and more through its AI models.
ChatGPT is a very tricky language computer that needs a lot of computer power and data to learn properly. Consequently, you need to train it on your required output by providing it with relevant data. After learning from the data you provided, it will start to respond to you as you want it. This means that you can treat it like a virtual assistant.
What is OpenAI Playground?
OpenAI Playground is a web-based platform with multiple AI models. This platform is based on machine learning. OpenAI Playground offers a beginner-friendly user interface. This interface allows users to experiment, learn, and create with AI models.
The Playground provides tools to build, train, and test various AI models and frameworks. In addition, it is a versatile platform that enables users to use neural networks, decision trees, and neighbors. It can also help generate more AI tools to create their own machine-learning models. In simpler words, Playground helps create your own AI models and tools or fine-tune the previous ones.
The OpenAI Playground is not extremely user–friendly, so there will be a learning curve. This platform has an easy setup and ready-to-use models that make it the most convenient option. However, you will need basic programming skills to get started.
Differences between ChatGPT & OpenAI Playground
This section of our discussion is based on how ChatGPT and OpenAI Playground are different in their operations and overall features. So, let’s have a look and understand how to use them.
User Interface
User interface is usually the first order of business whenever you have to choose the tool. That’s because the user interface includes the main navigation and dashboard. Since it has a direct impact on the user experience, we are sharing the differences below.
ChatGPT User Interface
ChatGPT is known to have a user-friendly interface even though there are machine learning models in it. This is because the main homepage is a chat window where users can write down the prompts. Once the prompt is entered, ChatGPT will instantly provide a response.
ChatGPT is completely text-based, and users have to enter the prompts. It will use natural language processing to reply to you in the same way. The users have the option to access and delete previous conversations. However, you cannot customize it beyond this.
OpenAI Playground Interface
On the other hand, OpenAI Playground has a slightly technical interface. That’s because there are multiple settings and tools on the homepage, along with backend machine learning models, and navigating through them can be difficult. There is a learning curve as you need to work with language models and get familiar with them.
It has a web-based interface and takes text-based prompts. However, it also has a drag-and-drop interface, which allows better customization. Users can choose their desired machine-learning models or fine-tune the current ones.
You can also upload your own training data to train a new model. While the interface is a little challenging, they offer tutorials and documentation for your help.
| WINNER | ChatGPT |
Use Cases
Knowing how you can use a certain tool is important to determine its scope. Both ChatGPT and Playground are AI tools, but their use cases are quite different.
ChatGPT Use Cases
ChatGPT is designed as a virtual chatbot. That’s because it’s suitable for casual interactions. It can be used to generate text, such as articles, blogs, scripts, code snippets, and poems. In addition, it helps with basic questioning and answering, as it can generate human-like responses.
ChatGPT is meant to be a chatbot because it uses natural language to interact with the users. The prompts are provided in a natural language. In simpler words, you use the wording that you regularly use. The users have the option to make a conversation or ask ChatGPT to perform writing-based tasks. It can also be used for translation.
OpenAI Playground Use Cases
OpenAI Playground is more suitable for researchers and developers, given the machine learning models. It allows the users to fine-tune the language models for specific tasks. It can be used to manipulate the text. Since it has an API, you can use it for program-based integrations and your own models as well.
OpenAI Playground is meant for researchers and developers to experiment with machine-learning models. Then, it can be used for AI research and creating AI-based apps. This is important if they depend on machine learning. It promises access to GPT, along with other models.
| WINNER | OpenAI Playground |
Integrations
The availability of certain integrations will impact the user experience. For instance, you will be able to determine if you can use the tool to take a certain action.
ChatGPT Integrations
ChatGPT doesn’t have many integration options. That’s because it is focused on plugins, which you can connect to expand the functionality. It’s important to note that ChatGPT doesn’t have integration functionality.
That’s because it is designed to interact with users through chat interfaces. There is no official API either, but there are third-party tools that allow access through unofficial passages. However, there will be a chance of security risks.
OpenAI Playground Integrations
In the case of OpenAI Playground, users get the API for programmatic access and design their own models. It allows the users to integrate new functionalities and features into their tools and apps.
OpenAI Playground is meant for developers to integrate different AI models. For instance, you can use it for adding ChatGPT into your apps. Unlike ChatGPT, it offers direct API access. For instance, you can integrate GPT-3 as well as GPT-4 to complete codes, generate texts, and translate.
| WINNER | OpenAI Playground |
Web Browsing Ability
Web browsing ability is all about the tool’s ability to conduct research on a real–time basis.
ChatGPT Web Browsing Ability
When it comes to ChatGPT, there is no web browsing capabilities. This means that it provides results solely based on the training data and won’t conduct web search.
OpenAI Playground Web Browsing Ability
It’s the same case with OpenAI Playground. It doesn’t have a built-in web browser. Still, the availability of API gives the option to integrate web scraping features.
| WINNER | OpenAI Playground |
Data Storage and Privacy
Whenever you use a new tool, it’s important to know how your provided data will be used and protected. Both ChatGPT and OpenAI Playground have different data storage and privacy rules, which we have mentioned in the section below.
ChatGPT Data Storage and Privacy
ChatGPT does store user’s data for model improvement and for keeping the conversation history. They have mentioned this in their privacy policy as well.
ChatGPT has not set out clear information about how they store the data, particularly for the free version. According to the current privacy policy, API access and ChatGPT Enterprise won’t be used for training models. However, there might be uncertainties in the free version.
OpenAI Playground Data Storage and Privacy
On the other hand, OpenAI also stores data, but the purpose is different. They store user data to track usage and improve their models.
OpenAI Playground stores the data for a maximum of 30 days. The purpose of data storage is abuse monitoring. If some information needs to be retained, they will do it or else everything is deleted. Also, the data won’t be used for training unless users allow it.
| WINNER | OpenAI Playground |
Compatibility
It’s not easy to experiment with the new tools, especially if you don’t know which devices you can use to access them. If you’re in the same boat, let’s check the compatibility differences.
ChatGPT Compatibility
ChatGPT is a web-based tool, which can be accessed on the majority of internet browsers. In addition, the ChatGPT smartphone app is also available for Android and iOS.
OpenAI Playground Compatibility
On the other hand, there’s no smartphone app for OpenAI Playground. However, it can be accessed on web browsers.
| WINNER | ChatGPT |
Pricing
Since both these AI tools are available in premium versions, it’s important to talk about the paid plan. There is a stark difference in the pricing, which we have shared below.
ChatGPT Pricing
ChatGPT is available for free if you are fine with the GPT 3.5 model. However, if you want the premium features of the GPT 4 model, you can get a monthly subscription of $20.
OpenAI Playground Pricing
On the other hand, with OpenAI Playground, you get $18 credits when you sign up. This model uses the API credits to perform tasks. After using the credits, you have to pay $0.002 for a token if you use the GPT-3.5 Turbo (4K) model.
If you want to purchase the subscription, it will cost $200. In simpler words, this is a pay-as-you-go model, so it’s fine for occasional users. However, if you use it regularly, the costs can add up pretty quickly.
| WINNER | ChatGPT |
Who is the Winner?- AIChief’s Expert Opinion
Our expert opinion says that ChatGPT is for a broader audience because it has a user-friendly interface. We found that ChatGPT can be helpful for text generation. However, Playground is a good tool for developers who need to understand the language model functionalities and fine-tune them to make their own AI tools.
At AIChief, we think both tools are amazing, but OpenAI Playground takes the lead as you can create your own models. That’s because it has advanced features, and with a bit of a learning curve, you can get amazing results. Since it also helps with text stimulation, it can do ChatGPT’s job too.
Final Thoughts
At the end of our discussion on OpenAI Playground vs ChatGPT, we can conclude that these two models have their own significance that segregates them from each other.
Whether you want to learn about the difference between these two models on the basis of how they generate human-like responses or need to know what the data absorption capabilities of these two AI models are, this blog post will help you. In addition, we have also covered the specific areas of applications for which they are the best to use.
