Which chatbot can help me the fastest and best? This question was explored in a brief experiment with two tasks each for ChatGPT (chatgpt.com) and Perplexity (perplexity.ai). Both chatbots were given identical tasks and the results were then compared. The two tasks were chosen to be as different as possible. The first task was to write a short fiction story. The second task consisted of factual research on a bioscientific-medical topic. The different outputs of ChatGPT and Perplexity for the identical tasks were compared to determine the best chatbot for each task and the intended purpose. Translated outputs as well as original outputs (in German) from ChatGPT and Perplexity are included.

Eike Berensen is fascinated by the information age and by new, improved research opportunities if they allow answering many curious questions on a wide range of topics more quickly and with the best possible quality.