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ChatGPT doesn’t give the same answers to everyone, here’s how

ChatGPT won't give the same answer every time

Reviewed By: Steve Hook

Last Updated on April 9, 2024
Image shows the ChatGPT logo on a black background below the pc guide logo
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ChatGPT is a versatile AI model created by Open AI. It can answer any question you have, generating a unique answer that was not pre-written. Using this chatbot has become popular among students and professionals who need long pieces of written work. This is why, many are wondering if ChatGPT produces the same answers for everyone. Luckily it doesn’t! In this article, we’ll discuss how the chatbot provides unique responses for each user, looking at the inner workings of the GPT system.

Quick Answer

ChatGPT creates unique responses even when prompted with identical questions. It’s able to generate different answers for a number of reasons, including training data, model updates, language and tone, and context.

ChatGPT doesn’t give the same answers to everyone

OpenAI’s ChatGPT uses an LLM (Large language model) called GPT-3.5 (or GPT-4 if you’re a ChatGPT Plus or ChatGPT Enterprise subscriber). The AI bot can generate human-like responses about any topic for blog posts, product descriptions, and more. ChatGPT can provide answers to all kinds of questions. In fact, it’s so powerful that it can even generate codes for apps.

As its popularity increases, with the chatbot reaching 100 million weekly users, many people want to know if the responses that they are receiving will be received by others using the platform. If you’re using ChatGPT for your studies and are concerned that your classmates will be doing the same thing, subsequently handing in the same work. You’ve got nothing to worry about. ChatGPT doesn’t give the same answers to everyone.

However, it is important to note that even though ChatGPT can create unique responses, it can still be detected by universities. There are always risks to using ChatGPT for school work, and they should be properly considered before handing in anything aided by the chatbot. If you’d like to find out more on this, check out our guide where we discuss how universities can detect ChatGPT.

The answers provided by the chatbot may seem similar if presented with identical prompts. They will differ, depending on contextual understanding, model updates, input specificity, and more. We decided to put this to the test by inputting the same prompt into ChatGPT on different accounts to see how similar the answers were.

ChatGPT response examples

Text requesting a poem about Monday mornings appears above an image of a chat interface displaying a short poem that personifies Monday with imagery of a groggy awakening and the beginning of the workweek, crafted
Asking ChatGPT to write a poem about Monday mornings. (GPT-4 model)
Text message conversation with ChatGPT, a chatbot that gives the same answers to everyone, providing a poem about Monday mornings.
Asking ChatGPT to write a poem about Monday mornings. (GPT-3.5 model)

As you can see in the examples above, although fairly similar, ChatGPT provides different generated text for the exact same prompt. The main similarity in the poems is the first line, beyond that each response seems to venture off in different directions.

An important thing to note with this example is that the two accounts utilize different GPT models. With the first using GPT-4 and the latter using GPT-3.5. This potentially plays a role in the differing content of each response (see the section below for more on this). So, let’s have a look at how the chatbots respond when using the same model.

A screenshot displaying a text about the gunpowder plot and the involvement of Guy Fawkes, related to the historical events of November 5, 1605. Note: ChatGPT doesn
Asking ChatGPT a question about the Gunpowder plot (GPT-3.5 model
The historical depiction of the discovery of Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot conspirators below the House of Lords on November 5, 1605 shows that ChatGPT doesn't give
Asking ChatGPT a question about the Gunpowder plot (GPT-3.5 model

The examples above show that even when the GPT models of each account are the same, ChatGPT will provide two different responses to an identical prompt. But how does this work? Read on to find out more.

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How ChatGPT generates different answers for users

ChatGPT is designed to respond in a way that matches the language and tone of each user. As a result, the answers provided for the same interaction will vary from one user to the other. There are a number of factors that influence a ChatGPT response and make it unique and personalized to each user. These factors include contextual information, language and tone, training data, and model updates. Let’s take a closer look at how these factors affect the chatbot, and ultimately provide the user with a completely original response.

Context

Contextual information is a major factor that determines ChatGPT’s response. The answer provided by OpenAI’s ChatGPT is dependent on the input provided in the message box, and the specific context and relevance of this prompt. The quality of the query entered is what determines the result that ChatGPT will provide. In addition to this, ChatGPT can actually remember previous parts of a conversation. This in turn has an impact on the response it will provide you with.

A screenshot showing two haiku poems about Easter written by ChatGPT, which gives the same answers to everyone, in a messaging app.
An image showing two haiku poems about Easter written by ChatGPT.

As you can see in the example above, ChatGPT creates a completely different response to the same prompt when it’s asked twice in the same conversation.

Language and tone

Language and tone are other factors that affect the output generated by ChatGPT. As previously mentioned, ChatGPT’s algorithm can adapt to the language and tone of the user. Slight variations in the way a question is asked can lead to varied answers.

An image displaying a poem about rainy days, written by chatgpt, with a background of conversational chat bubbles highlighting how ChatGPT gives the same answers to everyone.
A screenshot displaying a chat conversation where one participant requests a poem about a rainy day and the other, using ChatGPT, provides a poetic response that elaborates on the scene and mood tied to rain

Training Data

A factor that can impact the answers provided by ChatGPT is the training data used in its development. For example, if the training data includes inaccurate information or biases, these could influence the answers that ChatGPT will provide. Additionally, this diverse dataset ensures that each answer is created with a unique perspective.

Model updates

OpenAI frequently makes updates to the ChatGPT system. These updates can affect the data that is used for ChatGPT to generate unique responses. With the new GPT-4 model the Chatbot can now access the internet, meaning that its responses are more up-to-date and detailed than ever. If comparing this model’s responses with the GPT-3.5 responses (as we did in the example above), you can see there are apparent differences.

Can ChatGPT Plus generate more detailed responses?

Getting a completely unique and detailed response from ChatGPT can be influenced by the word limit of the model you’re using. If a user is subscribed to ChatGPT Plus then the word limit of responses and inputs increases. This means ChatGPT can generate longer, more detailed responses.

If you would like to find out more about the ChatGPT word limits, we’ve created a whole guide dedicated to understanding the word limit differences in each model.

Final thoughts

ChatGPT is designed to provide unique and complex answers using natural language processing. In addition to this, a number of factors play a role in creating differing responses to the same prompt. These factors include model updates, context, language and tone, and training data. ChatGPT is designed to create a completely unique answer, but the individuality of this response relies just as much on the context and tone of a users input as it does on the chatbot’s training data.

Finding out the inner workings of your favorite AI chatbot is always interesting. This is why we deep-dived into the process of how ChatGPT is trained, check it out.

Funmi joined PC Guide in November 2022 and has a knowledge of AI apps, gaming and consumer technology.