AI is as complicated as the neural networks the systems try to replicate. It can be divided into hardware, software, services, and many approaches or schools of thought. Generative predictive text, such as that used by ChatGPT, is only a small subsection of AI at the moment, and the leader in AI may not even come from this field.

Although ChatGPT can help with various tasks, such as writing and debugging code, it is primarily known for its chat interface and text generation capabilities. For this article, we will look solely at competitors in this field. This will include chatbots from private and public companies. ChatGPT made waves as a predictive text generator, so we at 24/7 Wall St. limited our evaluation to AI chatbots and writing assistants. After numerous general searches for AI writing assistants, we selected the most frequently mentioned bots and researched ratings and trends for these candidates. The following AI chatbots are ranked by function, price, market reach, and this author’s experience with the products. (Also read Microsoft Monetizing Copilot, Round 2; Synopsys Pays Big for Ansys).

Why It Matters

AI is on the cutting edge of today’s technology. It will impact everything from entertainment to the hard sciences, and the money that the financial world is pouring into its development will have a major impact on investment. As the field develops, it will become imperative to know who the early movers are in order to make informed investment decisions.

Here are the early competitors to ChatGPT’s position as a leader in generative AI:

9. Otter

• Free version: Yes
• Paid version starting at: $16.99/month
• Main function: AI-assisted transcripts of recorded audio
• Other features: AI-assisted search across transcripts, transcript sharing, Zoom integration, and more

Otter.ai is an AI-assisted transcription app. Conversations are recorded directly into the app, and the free version entitles the user to 300 minutes of monthly recording time. Recent upgrades include built-in summaries and outlines and the chatbot’s ability to search across your recorded conversations to answer questions and create documents. Otter.ai is a private company based in Mountain View, California.

8. Poe by Quora

• Free version: Yes
• Paid version starting at: $19.99/month
• Main function: Provides chat access to a variety of bots powered by different AI models
• Other features: Allows community members to create specialized bots

Poe, a chatbot collective provided by Quora, allows users to access many user-generated chatbots and create one of their own. Creators can charge users for access to their bots. The service also allows users to tap into multiple large language models (LLMs) to answer their questions. The service has a free version and a paid version for as little as $19.99 a month. A private company, Quora is located in Mountain View, CA.

7. Jasper Chat

• Free version: No
• Paid version starting at: $39/month
• Main function: Chat and AI-assisted content
• Other features: Company knowledgebase creation, browser extensions, and AI art

With no free version and paid versions beginning at $39.99 a month, Jasper is dedicated to chat and AI-assisted content creation for enterprise and business users. It offers many features, including browser extensions, the ability to create a company knowledge base, and AI art. It also assists with business analytics and insight. Jasper is a privately held company based in Quebec, Canada. In 2022, it raised $125 million in Series A funding.

6. You.com

• Free version: Yes
• Paid version starting at: $15/month
• Main function: AI assistant
• Other features: Coding assistance, access to other large language models, AI art creation, Chrome integration

You.com offers a free service and a paid version for $15 monthly. This AI assistant allows users to perform research and answer questions. It can also create long-form writing, provide coding assistance, and create AI art. You.com is also a private company based in Palo Alto, California.

5. Chatsonic

• Free version:  Yes
• Paid version starting at: $15/month
• Main function: GPT-4 powered chatbot to assist with search and content creation
• Other features: SEO checker, article writer, etc.

Chatsonic is an AI-powered chatbot that helps users search and generate content. It has a free version and offers a paid individual plan for $15 a month. In addition to search and content creation, Chatsonic offers an SEO checker, an article writer, and some tools to help rephrase sentences, paragraphs, and chapters. Writesonic, the owner of Chatsonic, is a private company headquartered in San Francisco, CA.

4. Perplexity AI

• Free version: Yes
• Paid version starting at: $20/month
• Main function: Chatbot for information discovery
• Other features: Allows you to upload and search across your own files

Perplexity AI is a chatbot the creators say helps discover information and satisfy your curiosity. It has a free version and a paid version for $20 a month. Perplexity’s exciting feature is the ability to upload your own files and query them using the AI chatbot. Located in San Francisco, Perplexity AI is a private company.

3. Claude

• Free version: Yes
• Paid version starting at: $20/month
• Main function: Conversational AI assistant
• Other features: Code generation, API access

Claude is a conversational AI assistant that can help answer questions and create content. It has a free version and an upgraded version for $20 a month. In addition to the text-based offerings, it can also provide coding assistance. It also makes its API available for the development of your own tools. Claude is a property of Anthropic, which specializes in AI safety. This privately held company, located in San Francisco, received $2 billion in funding from Google in 2023.

2. Google Gemini

• Free version: Yes
• Paid version starting at: $19.99/month
• Main function: AI assistant
• Other features: Coding assistance

Google (NASDAQ: GOOGL) Gemini (previously Bard) is an AI assistant that draws on Google’s extensive search engine reach and is powered by its AI research. It is freely available, though a version with more features is available for $19.99 monthly. In addition to its search assistance and content generation, Gemini offers coding assistance. One reason I have Gemini so high on this list is Google’s search dominance and other offerings, such as Google Docs, Gmail, and Google Keep, which will give it increased reach over standalone options. The only AI company with a broader reach is number one on this list.

1. Microsoft Copilot

• Free version: Yes
• Paid version starting at: $20/month
• Main function: AI assistant
• Other features: Windows integration, control of computer functions, AI art creation

Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) Copilot is an AI assistant that creates art and songs and integrates with select recipe and travel apps. Microsoft offers a paid version of Copilot for $20 a month, but the free version is why I have the chatbot at number one. Microsoft has launched Copilot on Windows 10 and 11 operating systems. Whereas the other chat options require you to launch an app or open a browser, Copilot is now in the lower right-hand corner of your desktop if you’re using Windows. With this fusion of AI with the operating system, an AI chat is just a tap away. Not only can you query this AI, but you can also control some system operations using Copilot. The irony is that Copilot was created through a partnership with ChatGPT, so it remains to be seen how this arrangement pans out.

Who Will Win the AI Race?

Though Microsoft and Alphabet (Google) seemingly have an inside track in regards to AI assistants and chatbots, at the moment, Nvidia, a hardware company, is the leader in the AI industry, with a significant head start on chips designed for AI and a stockpile of software engineers committed to the field. However, the first company in the field is not always the winner. Amazon and IBM also have significant stakes in the industry. One of the chip design giants, Intel, is also starting to make inroads into the industry, so don’t count them out. Also, with Google financing Anthropic and Microsoft working with OpenAI, there is currently a lot of cross-pollination in the industry. At the moment, it appears to be a three-horse race involving Google, Microsoft, and Nvidia.

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