Is GPT-4 too smart for its own good?

Claude outperforms GPT-4 in some creative tasks

TLDR: This week’s article comes with a demo that you can try here.

A few weeks ago, we got early access to Claude, Anthropic's large language model designed to compete with OpenAI's GPT-4.

Both models are similar in that they constitute a base model, trained with self-supervised learning on a massive corpus of text, followed by fine-tuning with reinforcement learning from human feedback.

There are some apparent differences; Claude allows for a massive 100k context window – e.g., it can consume more of your data per inference – whereas GPT-4 performs better on complex benchmark tasks like math and reasoning.

After playing around with Claude, I noticed something that doesn't appear in the official report cards: Claude is better at coming up with creative ideas.

Claude vs. GPT-4

We’ll demonstrate this with a side-by-side comparison.

Image generated by our AI Art Director’s analysis this article’s title + Midjourney

We prompt-engineered Claude and GPT-4 using the same few-shot examples from last year’s most award-winning ideas from Cannes. From there, we’ll provide the same input and have each model generate a new output for comparison's sake.

“Come up with a brand activation for Nike”

GPT-4 comes up with a decent take, but it’s accompanied by an incredibly verbose writeup and several extensions that complicate the idea.

Title: "Find Your Limitless"

Concept: Nike believes in helping individuals unlock their true potential and pushing their limits. With the "Find Your Limitless" brand activation, Nike will create an immersive, interactive, and personalized experience for participants to discover and celebrate their unique abilities and strengths.

Activation:

1. Pop-Up Fitness Zones: Nike will set up temporary pop-up fitness zones in select cities around the world. Each zone will feature a variety of workout stations and challenges tailored to different fitness levels and interests. Participants can test their strength, endurance, agility, and flexibility while also getting a taste of various fitness disciplines such as HIIT, yoga, dance, and functional training.

2. Personalized Experience: Upon entering the pop-up zone, participants will receive a custom RFID wristband that tracks their progress and performance throughout the activation. As they complete each challenge, their results will be recorded and compiled into a personalized "Limitless Scorecard" that showcases their achievements and areas for improvement.

3. Expert Guidance: Nike trainers and local fitness influencers will be on-site to offer tips, encouragement, and guidance to participants. They will also lead group classes and workshops, fostering a sense of community and camaraderie among attendees.

4. Digital Integration: The "Find Your Limitless" campaign will be supported by a dedicated app and social media campaign to extend the experience beyond the pop-up zones. Users can sync their Limitless Scorecard to the app, allowing them to track their progress, set goals, and access exclusive content and challenges from Nike trainers and influencers. The app will also encourage users to share their achievements on social media using the hashtag #FindYourLimitless.

5. Rewards and Incentives: To keep participants engaged and motivated, Nike will offer exclusive rewards and incentives for those who reach certain milestones within the "Find Your Limitless" experience. This may include discounts on Nike products, access to limited edition merchandise, or entry into prize drawings for exclusive experiences and events.

Through the "Find Your Limitless" activation, Nike will empower individuals to push their boundaries, celebrate their achievements, and foster a sense of community among fitness enthusiasts worldwide.

Claude, on the other hand, comes up with an idea that’s simple and unexpected. It captures the idea in a concise write-up that’s concise and easy to understand.

Nike will install 'instant marathon tracks' along popular running routes in major cities around the world. The tracks will feature built-in LED screens that detect runners as they pass and display their real-time marathon pacing and split times, essentially allowing runners to experience what it's like to run an official marathon. The activation will turn an ordinary run into an extraordinary experience, inspiring runners of all levels to push themselves to new heights. It will celebrate the everyday runner and highlight how, with persistence and determination, anyone has the power to achieve greatness. The campaign will culminate in a social video following a diverse range of runners using the tracks to accomplish their marathon dreams.

You can click here to see more side by side comparison examples.

While determining what makes for a “good idea” is often subjective, when it comes to creative thinking, GPT-4 outputs tend to be verbose. Its complex reasoning skills often lead it to overanalyze a topic, providing a range of diverse viewpoints and caveats by default.

On the other hand, while not as brainy, Claude tends to generate ideas with more simplicity and guile.

As of today, we’ve updated our “Campaign Ideas” AI demo to run on Claude – and it’s working better than ever. You can use it for free as a brainstorming partner. Try it out and let us know your thoughts.

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