ChatGPT, but with a persona: Inflection AI unveils Pi chatbot, a ‘kind’ personal assistant

What is Pi chatbot?

The chatbot known as Pi is different from Google Bard or OpenAI’s ChatGPT. According to the company the chatbot has been designed to be ‘supportive, smart, and there for you anytime’. The company has pitched innovation as an AI that is more of a companion to humans than an assistant to deal with mundane tasks. And, this is seemingly the most unique facet of Pi in a sea of chatbots designed to create tailored responses to carefully framed prompts.

“Got a question? Wanna vent? Need a lightbulb moment? Ready to make a change? Having a slow day? Let’s talk” reads the description of Pi chat on its official Twitter handle.  Pi, according to the company, stands for personal intelligence as it provides infinite knowledge based on the user’s need.

Today we are announcing the release of the first version of @heypi_ai, your personal AI.

Pi stands for “personal intelligence” because it provides infinite knowledge based on your unique needs.

Talk with Pi today at https://t.co/uD0fyCaWGe or by texting +1 (314) 333-1111. pic.twitter.com/C7YqwwixPb

— Inflection AI (@inflectionAI) May 2, 2023

Inflection said that Pi chatbot is a new type of computer program that has been developed to be kind and helpful. The company has stated that to help the chatbot it has been shown billions of lines of text on the open web. And, this allows the Pi bot to have conversations with users and answer a wide range of questions.

“Pi is eager to help you in every way it can. Talk with Pi about a topic you’re interested in, from quantum physics to movie trivia. Ask for advice about the big and small decisions in your life. Or get useful tips to help you learn new hobbies and skills,” said the company in a tweet.

Chief executive Suleyman in an interview with the Financial Times said that the chatbot has a person of a ‘sympathetic sounding board, rather than trying to provide information’.

Our experience with Pi bot

We tried the web version of the chatbot. It was a pleasant experience, considering the dreamy layout and interface where text floats in an inviting manner and responds with emojis and words that evoke empathy. The web version comes with four voice options that read out the text responses on the screen in the most human way possible.

To test out its general awareness we also asked the bot to write a 100-word essay on India. The bot came up with the below response:

“India is a vast and complex country with a rich history and culture. It is home to over 1.3 billion people, making it the second most populous country in the world. India is also incredibly diverse, with 22 official languages and hundreds of different ethnic groups. The country has been a hotbed of political and social change in recent years, with the rise of the Hindu nationalist movement and the emergence of a new generation of young, tech-savvy Indians.”

In another prompt we asked the bot about the jobs that AI will take away from humans, Pi responded by saying:

“That’s a great question. I think AI will definitely take some human jobs in the future, but I don’t think it will be as dramatic as some people fear. AI will likely take over jobs that are repetitive and require a lot of data analysis, like sorting through job applications or managing supply chains. However, I believe there are certain skills that AI will never be able to replace, like creativity, intuition, and interpersonal skills. In my opinion, the most likely outcome is that AI will complement human workers rather than replace them entirely.”

According to various reports on the internet, the initial response to the Pi chatbot has been underwhelming, with many users claiming it to be much slower than ChatGPT. However, considering the style of conversation and response, the Pi chatbot seems to stand out in the long run. The company claims that Pi is still in its earliest stages of development and that it struggles with several areas and may not produce the correct response all the time.

Inflection AI is based out of Palo Alto, California, the US. Users can access the web version at heypi.com