In the waning months of 2022, ChatGPT burst onto the scene and captured the world’s imagination. This chatty AI introduced millions to the wonders of Large Language Models, igniting both awe at the possibilities and trepidation about what it could mean for certain jobs and for humanity itself. But even as people were still reeling from ChatGPT’s debut, OpenAI was already cooking up its next BIG THING in Tech.
The company introduced GPT-4, a model more advanced than the GPT-3.5 utilized by ChatGPT. GPT-4 has a higher likelihood of providing pertinent responses, a lower probability of violating rules, and is capable of delivering comprehensive answers.
This article explores alternative ways to use GPT-4 without requiring a subscription.
Microsoft’s Bing Chat
Microsoft’s Bing revamp now includes ChatGPT, a conversational version of the search engine that allows users to perform tasks. Bing Chat is powered by GPT-4, which is an upgrade from the original GPT-3.5 model. Microsoft, being one of OpenAI’s biggest investors, has access to the best language model OpenAI has released so far. Bing Chat has some advantages over OpenAI’s original model, including the ability to search the web, which is central to Bing’s design. However, it is less teachable than vanilla GPT-4 and less suited to providing lengthy answers.
It is free to use with a Microsoft account and access to the company’s Edge browser.
Forefront
Forefront is a free, fast, and unlimited-use platform for interacting with GPT-4 through various personas, including real and fictional characters. Users can create their own personas or choose from pre-made options like a helpful assistant, chef, or tech expert. Forefront offers better organization than ChatGPT by allowing users to create folders and store chats separately. An account is required to use Forefront, with the option to sign in using Google.
Quora Poe
Quora’s Poe platform offers an engaging way to interact with various AI chatbots, including GPT-4. To access the bot, users can sign in with a dedicated account or use their Google or Apple credentials. Although Poe provides access to GPT-4 and other language models, some, like GPT-4, have limited availability. Users can send a certain number of free messages daily before reaching the limit.
Poe’s access to GPT-4 surpasses what ChatGPT offers its free users and is comparable to the $20 per month service provided by OpenAI, although OpenAI users may have a higher message allowance. Subscriptions to Poe are exclusively available through Apple’s App Store.
The number of free messages depends on overall demand. During testing, users could send only one message before being locked out. The reset timer appears to follow GMT+1, meaning the message count resets around 8 p.m. Eastern Time for users in the United States. Poe is a platform with immense potential, and its other chatbots are worth exploring. As the company increases the message count, Poe could become the preferred choice for GPT-4 access.