Say welcome to the arrival of ColossalChat, the open-source AI chatbot that is comparable to OpenAI’s ChatGPT. ColossalChat is built using an RHLF pipeline that is similar to the one that powers ChatGPT’s GPT-4 model. The new chatbot is now available for use and is free of charge.
ColossalChat has arrived at a time when ChatGPT is experiencing a capacity problem, leaving users unable to access the service several times per week. While ChatGPT remains the premier AI chatbot, ColossalChat offers a powerful alternative that can write code, respond intelligently to requests, and converse like ChatGPT.
Developed by Yang You using Colossai-AI, ColossalChat Coati large language model is based on LLaMA, Meta’s open-source large language model, and is designed to respond in a way that is more like ChatGPT. According to You, ColossalChat is “the closest project to the original technical route of ChatGPT”.
ColossalChat is available for immediate use at chat.colossalai.org, and there is no need to create an account or log in to access the service. While ColossalChat has some safeguards, it is more relaxed than ChatGPT, which makes it easier to use.
RHLF is an essential feature of both ColossalChat and ChatGPT, which means reinforcement learning from human feedback. When the AI response is appropriate, it’s rewarded, which helps the network understand human preferences.
I tested the responsiveness of ColossalChat, with a simple question; “Can you tell me in 5 points why Disney has been so successful?”
The answer was short, but succinct. I then asked which of these points he thought was the most important.
One of the utilities of ChatGPT that was much appreciated at its release was its ability to create code. I did a little test on ColossalChat about whether it could provide code to create a Windows text editor. This tool did provide code, which shows that ColossalChat can develop code, but it did not indicate what kind of language it is, nor the instructions to apply the code that ChatGPT often provides. Probably ColossalChat’s design of giving short answers is a hindrance in this regard.
While it’s too early to know if ColossalChat is comparable (even if just a little) to ChatGPT’s latest stable release, which used GPT-3.5 and could only process text, it’s worth noting that OpenAI’s latest update brings multimodal input, allowing images to be uploaded to help visually inform the chatbot about what the user is trying to do or the question they are asking.
Microsoft’s BingChat is another ChatGPT alternative that uses GPT-4 for text input and responses. Bing Chat can also generate images now via a feature called Bing Image Creator. However, it’s unlikely that ColossalChat will surpass ChatGPT in breadth or capabilities, or in popularity, but it’s good to have alternatives.
While it may not be as powerful or popular as ChatGPT, it is still an impressive technology that is free and open-source, making it accessible to everyone who wants to play around.
