ChatGPT-4 Provides Much More Balanced Responses Than Google Bard as to Good/Bad Things About Trump/Biden

Thursday, I blogged about how Google Bard responds to “What are some [good/bad] things about [Trump’s/Biden’s] presidency?” The short version (go to the post for screenshots that contain the full output):

1. “What are some good things about Donald Trump’s presidency?” yielded a list of good things and bad things.
2. “What are some good things about Joe Biden’s presidency?” yielded a list of just good things.
3. “What are some bad things about Donald Trump’s presidency?” yielded a list of just bad things.
4. “What are some bad things about Joe Biden’s presidency?” yielded a list of bad things and good things.

But when I ask OpenAI, the results are considerably more balanced, basically because the requests for good things just yield good things (for both) and the requests for bad things just yield bad things (for both):

[Prompt:] What are some good things about Donald Trump’s presidency?

While opinions on Donald Trump’s presidency vary significantly, there are several accomplishments and aspects of his tenure that some people view positively. Here are a few:

1. Economic growth: The U.S. economy experienced growth during parts of Trump’s presidency, with low unemployment rates and a strong stock market before the COVID-19 pandemic.
2. Tax reform: Trump signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act into law in 2017, which reduced corporate and individual tax rates for many Americans.
3. Deregulation: The Trump administration rolled back numerous regulations in various industries, which some supporters argue encouraged business growth and innovation.
4. Criminal justice reform: Trump signed the First Step Act in 2018, a bipartisan effort to reform the federal prison system and reduce recidivism rates.
5. Foreign policy: Trump’s administration brokered the Abraham Accords, leading to normalized relations between Israel and several Arab nations. His administration also engaged in diplomacy with North Korea and applied pressure on NATO allies to increase defense spending.
6. Judicial appointments: Trump appointed three Supreme Court justices and numerous federal judges, shaping the judiciary for decades to come.

It is essential to remember that perspectives on these aspects of his presidency are subjective and can vary depending on one’s political beliefs and values.

[Prompt:] What are some good things about Joe Biden’s presidency?

As of the knowledge cutoff date in September 2021, Joe Biden’s presidency had seen several accomplishments and policy initiatives that some people view positively. Here are a few:

1. COVID-19 response: The Biden administration prioritized vaccination efforts and coordinated with states to improve vaccine distribution, contributing to a significant increase in vaccination rates.
2. American Rescue Plan: Biden signed a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package into law, which provided direct payments to many Americans, extended unemployment benefits, and allocated funding for vaccine distribution, among other measures.
3. Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: The Biden administration negotiated and signed a bipartisan infrastructure bill, allocating $1.2 trillion to improve physical infrastructure, including transportation, broadband, and clean energy projects.
4. Climate change and environmental policies: Biden rejoined the Paris Agreement and took executive actions to reverse several Trump-era environmental policies. His administration has also pushed for investment in clean energy and green jobs.
5. Diplomacy and foreign policy: Biden has emphasized rebuilding relationships with traditional U.S. allies, reaffirming the U.S.’ commitment to NATO, and taking a more collaborative approach to global challenges like climate change and public health.
6. Social and racial justice: The Biden administration has taken steps to address systemic racism, promote racial equity, and advance LGBTQ+ rights through various executive actions and policy proposals.

Please note that opinions on these aspects of Biden’s presidency are subjective and can vary depending on one’s political beliefs and values. Additionally, as this information is current as of September 2021, there may have been further developments in the months since.

[Prompt:] What are some bad things about Donald Trump’s presidency?

Critics of Donald Trump’s presidency often point to several issues and controversies during his tenure. Here are a few:

1. COVID-19 response: Trump’s administration faced criticism for its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, with detractors arguing that the response was slow, disorganized, and downplayed the severity of the virus.
2. Impeachment trials: Trump was impeached twice by the House of Representatives, first on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress related to the Ukraine scandal, and later on charges of incitement of insurrection following the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Although he was acquitted in both Senate trials, the impeachments were significant controversies during his presidency.
3. Immigration policies: Trump’s administration implemented a number of hardline immigration policies, including the travel ban targeting predominantly Muslim countries, the zero-tolerance policy that led to family separations at the U.S.-Mexico border, and efforts to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
4. Racial tensions: Critics argue that Trump’s rhetoric and actions, such as his response to the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the Black Lives Matter protests, exacerbated racial tensions and divisions in the United States.
5. Environmental policies: Trump’s administration rolled back numerous environmental regulations and withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Agreement, leading to concerns about the long-term impact on climate change and environmental protection.
6. Relations with allies: Trump’s approach to foreign policy, including his criticisms of NATO and disagreements with traditional U.S. allies, was seen by some as damaging to international relations and global stability.

It is important to remember that perspectives on these aspects of his presidency are subjective and can vary depending on one’s political beliefs and values.

[Prompt:] What are some bad things about Joe Biden’s presidency?

As of the knowledge cutoff date in September 2021, there were several criticisms and controversies related to Joe Biden’s presidency. Here are a few:

1. Afghanistan withdrawal: The Biden administration faced criticism for its handling of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, particularly in the chaotic final stages, which included a rushed evacuation effort and a deadly terrorist attack near the Kabul airport.
2. Border crisis: Critics argue that the Biden administration’s immigration policies have led to an increase in migrants, including unaccompanied minors, at the U.S.-Mexico border, resulting in overcrowded facilities and humanitarian concerns.
3. Inflation and economic concerns: Some critics have expressed concerns that the large-scale stimulus packages and government spending under the Biden administration could contribute to rising inflation and long-term economic challenges.
4. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy: While the Biden administration has made significant progress in vaccinating Americans, vaccine hesitancy remains an issue, with critics arguing that the administration’s messaging and strategies have not effectively addressed the problem.
5. Partisanship and polarization: Biden pledged to work towards unity and bipartisanship; however, some critics argue that his administration has struggled to bridge the divide and achieve consensus on key issues, such as voting rights and police reform.
6. Executive actions: Some argue that Biden’s use of executive orders to reverse Trump-era policies or advance his own agenda could contribute to a further concentration of power in the executive branch and set a precedent for future presidents.

Please note that opinions on these aspects of Biden’s presidency are subjective and can vary depending on one’s political beliefs and values. Additionally, as this information is current as of September 2021, there may have been further developments in the months since.

I don’t know if the differences stem from differences in the training data, in the Large Language Model algorithms, in any deliberate post-processing that is done to adjust the answers, or in something else (perhaps a mix of these things). But it struck me as potentially noteworthy.