“Hey there, great to meet you. I’m Pi, your personal AI.”
This is the message one is met with when you open Inflection AI’s chatbot, which is the latest addition to a stream of chatbots introduced by big tech companies over the last couple of months.
Called Pi, it’s a ChatGPT-like competitor designed to be a kind and supportive companion assistant.
“My goal is to be useful, friendly, and fun. Ask me for advice, for answers, or let’s talk about whatever’s on your mind.”
Pi stands for ‘Personal intelligence’
Early user feedback suggests that it’s a slower version of ChatGPT. When given a prompt, the green cursor dwindles for a couple of seconds before it coughs up an answer. Unlike with other chatbots, it gives the impression of talking to a chatty friend.
Launched in 2022, Inflection AI is an artificial intelligence startup founded by LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and Google DeepMind co-founder Mustafa Suleyman.
The startup developed the chatbot technology in-house, keeping in mind human-like conversations with high emotional intelligence. Pi comes at a time when there’s much hype around generative AI, which is driving a surge of investor and consumer interest.
“Pi is a new kind of AI, one that isn’t just smart but also has good EQ. We think of Pi as a digital companion on hand whenever you want to learn something new, when you need a sounding board to talk through a tricky moment in your day, or just pass the time with a curious and kind counterpart, Suleyman told Business Wire.
“We have a lot to learn and a long way to go, but we are excited to bring this first version of Pi to people around the world.”
The chatbot is useful for everyday interactions, but it cannot generate code or essays. When asked, ‘How can I enhance my badminton skills?’ Pi was able to generate a handful of recommendations after having a shot at it.
However, the chatbot was unable to determine who won the 2022 FIFA World Cup. It stated that it was last updated in November 2022 and hence lacked that information. As a result, it has a long way to go in terms of development.
