First Experiences: ChatGPT vs. Gemini

Yesterday, I built my post about the infectious “new” Valerie Carter single “Never Get Your Love Behind Me” in part around the response that the free ChatGPT AI model provided when I asked about it. Since its database hasn’t been updated since January 2022, however, it explained that it had no knowledge of the song but did give me a quick-hit bio of Carter herself. This morning, it occurred to me that ChatGPT is not the only AI experience to be had for free. So I visited Gemini, the Google AI tool, and asked about the song.

Me: What do you know about the new Valerie Carter single “Never Get Your Love Behind Me”? 

Gemini:It’s not actually a new single by Valerie Carter herself. While it features her vocals, it’s a remake of the Faragher Brothers’ 1976 song of the same name, released February 14th, 2024.

Here are some key details:

• Collaboration: The single is a collaboration between the Valerie Carter Estate and the Faragher Brothers.
• Vocals: It features previously unreleased vocals by Valerie Carter from her 1977 Columbia Records album “Wild Child,” combined with newly recorded vocals by Jimmy Faragher.
• Sound: The song is described as a retro soul remake, capturing the essence of the 1970s sound.
• B-side: The single includes a bonus track featuring another Valerie Carter vocal, this time a reimagined version of James Brown’s “What My Baby Needs Now.”
• Purpose: The project aims to celebrate Valerie Carter’s legacy and introduce her music to a new generation.

It also offers helpful footnotes, one of which referenced this blog (though the accompanying link leads to the YouTube video I embedded and not the page in question), and mentioned “Never Get Your Love Behind Me” can be streamed on various music platforms.

Part of the difference obviously comes from the dataset the tools rely on. The free ChatGPT’s stale data will indeed result in admissions of its ignorance. Gemini’s refreshed approach, on the other hand, referenced my blog entry from the previous day! 

Yesterday, I also asked ChatGPT to tell me about this blog. Its answer:

As of my last update in January 2022, “The Old Grey Cat” is a blog that primarily focuses on music reviews and discussions, particularly within the classic rock genre. The blog covers a wide range of topics related to classic rock music, including album reviews, artist retrospectives, concert reviews, and analysis of music industry trends.

The blog’s name, “The Old Grey Cat,” likely references the phrase “the old grey mare,” which is a colloquialism often used to describe something old or worn-out. In this context, it may suggest a fondness for classic or vintage music.

The blog may also delve into other related subjects such as music history, trivia, and personal anecdotes related to the author’s experiences with music. Typically, blogs like “The Old Grey Cat” are run by passionate music enthusiasts who share their love for music with a broader audience through online platforms.

However, it’s worth noting that the landscape of blogs and online content can change rapidly, so I recommend searching for the blog directly to get the most up-to-date information on its content and offerings.

I asked the same of it this morning, but ChatGPT apparently suffered a memory lapse in the past 24 hours. It responded with:

I couldn’t find specific information about a blog called “The Old Grey Cat.” It’s possible that it’s a relatively new or niche blog that hasn’t gained widespread recognition or it could be a personal blog maintained by an individual with a small readership. Without more context or information, it’s challenging to provide further details. If you have specific questions or topics related to blogs or cats, feel free to ask! 

I asked about that discrepancy and, importantly, whether it works from different datasets moment to moment. It replied:

My responses are generated based on patterns in data from a diverse range of sources up to my last training cut-off in January 2022. If I provided information about ‘The Old Grey Cat’ blog in a previous response, it was because it aligned with the patterns present in the data available to me at that time.

Interesting, huh? One would assume that its answers would remain static unless and until more information is fed into its model. Instead, depending on the time of day and the dataset it’s utilizing, its knowledge may vary.

Returning to its original answer: Some of its conclusions are partially true, while its supposition on the origin of the blog’s name is just wrong. Also, while my wife Diane did contribute one post, the remainder are mine and mine alone—so “music enthusiasts” is wrong, too. This morning’s answer, for its part, offered a plausible reason for its ignorance of The Old Grey Cat; it is a personal blog with a small readership, albeit one that’s seen its traffic more than double in the past two years.

Gemini, aka my new best friend, provided a much more thorough and thoughtful summary of the blog: 

The Old Grey Cat: Musings on Music, Memories, and More

The Old Grey Cat is a blog written by Jeff Gemmill, who describes himself as “not old, but middle-aged; not grey, though too many hairs are fading that way; and not feline, but a decidedly flawed human.” Despite the name, the blog focuses on a variety of topics, primarily:

• Music: Gemmill frequently writes reviews of new and old music, often with a focus on classic rock and Americana. He also delves into his personal musical journey and shares “related ephemera,” like concert memories and artist profiles.
• Reminiscences: The blog features introspective essays and reflections on life experiences, often with a nostalgic touch. Gemmill explores themes of growing older, cultural shifts, and the power of memory.
• Other stuff: The blog isn’t strictly limited to music and memories. Gemmill occasionally throws in other topics that pique his interest, like book reviews, current events, or personal observations.

Here are some key points about The Old Grey Cat:

• Launched in 2012: Originally appearing on the Hatboro-Horsham Patch, the blog moved to WordPress.com in 2014 and became a “weekend endeavor.”
• Personal and engaging: Gemmill’s writing style is conversational and accessible, making the blog feel like a chat with a friend.
• Wide range of interests: While music is a core focus, the blog offers something for readers with diverse interests.
• Active and updated: Gemmill recently published a new post on February 20, 2024, titled “First Impressions: All I Want Is Loving You,” suggesting the blog is still active.

If you’re looking for a blog that combines thoughtful music reviews, personal reflections, and a touch of nostalgia, The Old Grey Cat might be worth checking out. You can visit it at https://oldgreycat.blog/.

Interesting to note, the only error comes at the very top, when it inserts “musings” for the ellipses in The Old Grey Cat’s subtitle. The rest correctly explains the blog’s range, from “new to old music, often with a focus on classic rock and Americana,” and mentions my occasional forays into movies, TV and nostalgia. It also recaps the history of the blog that I detail on the About page, though it misses the original Old Grey Cat website I’ve referenced elsewhere on the site (including here). It also, thankfully, sidesteps any supposition on why The Old Grey Cat is named The Old Grey Cat. (Fun fact: I named the original site after our cat at the time, who was old and grey. I always imagined him to be British, so I used the English spelling of what us Yanks typically type as “gray.”)

What does it all mean? For dabblers such as myself, sidestep the free ChatGPT tool and instead rely on Gemini. It’s a much more robust and, when warranted, provides footnotes. As importantly, it doesn’t make assumptions. It’s the Sgt. Joe Friday of AI, in a sense, focusing on “just the facts.”