What is Claude AI and Why is it Different from ChatGPT?

Innovation brings opportunities, but also new challenges when it comes to protecting our kids. As AI tools become an integral part of everyday life, it is crucial for parents to stay informed and vigilant.

One tool worth knowing about is Claude AI.

What is Claude AI?

Claude is an AI chatbot — similar to ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini — that can engage in conversations, answer questions, and help with tasks like analysis, writing, coding, and more. Claude’s knowledge is currently only up to August 2023, so Claude can only speculate on events after that date and won’t provide factual information. 

Claude can be accessed through the claude.ai website, Claude App for iOS, Claude App for Slack, and API (Application Programming Interface). 

How to Use Claude AI

Users must create an account to be able to use Claude. An email and phone number are required to get started. Once logged in, users can start typing their requests or questions into the box and clicking to generate a response. 

Here are some examples of things Claude can do:

• Answer factual questions with detailed explanations on a wide range of topics such as history, science, and current events (up to August 2023 as of this writing). 
• Assist with writing tasks like proofreading, editing, and research.
• Work through math problems step-by-step.
• Help with coding (explaining concepts, debugging, and writing code in various languages).
• Respond to follow-up questions within the same conversation.

Claude AI vs Chatgpt

ChatGPT and Claude are both large language models (LLM), but they do have some key differences. ChatGPT was trained on a broad range of online data, while Claude was trained using what’s called constitutional AI — a system with a specific set of principles and rules to help Claude be helpful, honest, and harmless, without relying solely on human feedback. 

ChatGPT does not have a defined persona, but Claude is designed to be an honest, caring persona. This really comes across when chatting with both, Claude seems more life-like and conversational, like a friend.

Is Claude AI Free?

Claude does have a free version that can be accessed through the website claude.ai. This version is slower than paid versions, and has a limit of about 30 messages a day. Claude also has a Pro and a Team subscription plan. Claude Pro starts at $20 per month, allows access to Claude 3 Opus (their most intelligent AI model), and early access to new features.

Who Owns Claude AI?

Claude was developed by Anthropic, an artificial intelligence research company founded by researchers from institutions like OpenAI, Stanford, Google, and Amazon. As a privately-held company with various investors, detailed information about its ownership structure is not publicly available.

Is Claude AI Safe for Kids?

Claude’s responses are generally appropriate, but it is not designed for kids and does not have the ability to verify someone’s age through conversation alone. Upon creating an account, Claude warns users that its responses may contain inaccuracies, and biased, or offensive content. 

Anthropic prohibits Claude from generating harmful, violent, abusive, or deceptive content. For example, if asked to write a violent story, Claude will recognize the inappropriate request. It will then be flagged, and prevent further data processing from taking place, which saves computational resources. The prompt will then be reviewed by Anthropic to ensure such content is avoided in the future, further improving AI safety. 

AI can help kids thrive by offering personalized learning tools that adapt to their individual pace, make learning fun, and even provide extra support in challenging subjects. Parents can facilitate this by monitoring usage to ensure safety, and encouraging a balanced approach that includes both technology and traditional learning activities.

Have you used Claude AI? What do you think of it? Would you let your child use it? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.

Author Jackie Baucom

Jackie is a Gabb staff writer. She is the mother of four children and is passionate about keeping kids safe, happy, loved, and thriving. She has a degree in Mass Communication from the University of Utah.

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