Comparison of user features of chatbots

Generative artificial intelligence (Generative AI, GenAI,^[1] or GAI) is a subfield of artificial intelligence that uses generative models to produce text, images, videos, audio, software code or other forms of data.^[2][3] These models learn the underlying patterns and structures of their training data and use them to produce new data^[4][5] based on the input, which often comes in the form of natural language prompts.^[6][7]

Generative AI tools have become more common since the AI boom in the 2020s. This boom was made possible by improvements in transformer-based deep neural networks, particularly large language models (LLMs). Major tools include chatbots such as ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, Claude, Grok, and DeepSeek; text-to-image models such as Stable Diffusion, Midjourney, and DALL-E; and text-to-video models such as Veo and Sora.^[8][9][10] Technology companies developing generative AI include OpenAI, xAI, Anthropic, Meta AI, Microsoft, Google, Mistral AI, DeepSeek, Baidu^[11] and Yandex.^[12]

Generative AI is used across many industries, including software development,^[13] healthcare,^[14] finance,^[15] entertainment,^[16] customer service,^[17] sales and marketing,^[18] art, writing,^[19] fashion,^[20] and product design.^[21] The production of generative AI systems requires large scale data centers using specialized chips which require a lot of electricity for processing and water for cooling.^[22]

Generative AI has raised many ethical questions and governance challenges as it can be used for cybercrime, or to deceive or manipulate people through fake news or deepfakes.^[23][24] Even if used ethically, it may lead to mass replacement of human jobs.^[25] The tools themselves have been criticized as violating intellectual property laws, since they are trained on copyrighted works.^[26] The material and energy intensity of the AI systems has raised concerns about the environmental impact of AI, especially in light of the challenges created by the energy transition.

A chatbot (originally chatterbot)^[27] is a software application or web interface designed to converse through text or speech.^[28][29][30] Modern chatbots are typically online and use generative artificial intelligence systems that are capable of maintaining a conversation with a user in natural language and simulating the way a human would behave as a conversational partner. Such chatbots often use deep learning and natural language processing. Simpler chatbots have existed for decades.

Chatbots have gained popularity with the release of ChatGPT by OpenAI in 2022, followed by competitors such as Gemini, Claude, and Grok, in what is labelled an AI boom. AI chatbots typically use fine-tuned large language models to generate text.

A major area where chatbots have long been used is customer service and support, with various sorts of virtual assistants.^[31]

Ernie Bot (Chinese: 文心一言, Pinyin: wénxīn yīyán), full name Enhanced Representation through Knowledge Integration,^[32] is an artificial intelligence chatbot developed by the Chinese technology company Baidu. Ernie Bot rivals GPT models in Chinese NLP tasks.^[33] It is built on the company's ERNIE series of large language models, which have been in development since 2019. The service was first launched for invited testing on March 16, 2023,^[34] and was released to the general public on August 31, 2023, after receiving approval from Chinese regulators.^[35]

Since its public launch, Ernie Bot has undergone several updates, with newer versions like ERNIE 4.0 and 4.5 released to improve its capabilities. The service has seen rapid user adoption, reportedly reaching over 200 million users by April 2024.^[36] It has been integrated into various products, notably powering AI features for the Chinese release of Samsung's Galaxy S24 smartphones.^[37]

As a product operating in China, Ernie Bot is subject to the country's censorship regulations. It has been observed to refuse answers to politically sensitive questions, such as those regarding Xi Jinping, the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre, and other topics deemed taboo by the government.^[38][39]