Summarizing with ChatGPT, Google Bard, and Bing Chat
📽 My daughter and I recently watched the musical “Wicked”. On the way to the theater, we decided to get some background on what we were about to watch. Since it is so easy to use on a phone, with Microsoft Edge installed, we asked Bing Chat to summarize the plot for us. This was a great way to help us understand what we were about to see, although we later realized it got a few things wrong.
🙈 Note: There might be some spoilers included, in the discussion below. I tried to mark these so you can choose to skip to the next section.
💬 This is part of a series of articles comparing the results of these three AI chat bots.
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The Prompt
This is the prompt I used on each of the 3 chat bots: summarize the plot of the musical “Wicked” in 2 paragraphs
🌟Google Bard
Sure, here is a summary of the plot of the musical “Wicked”:
Wicked is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. The musical is based on the 1995 Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. The story is set in the Land of Oz and tells the untold story of how Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, became who she was.
The musical begins with Elphaba, a green-skinned girl with a powerful voice, arriving at Shiz University, a school for witches. She meets Glinda, a beautiful and popular girl who is destined to become the Good Witch of the South. Elphaba and Glinda are initially at odds with each other, but they eventually form an unlikely friendship.
As the musical progresses, Elphaba and Glinda learn more about each other and themselves. Elphaba discovers that she has a gift for magic, while Glinda learns that she is not as perfect as she thought she was. The two girls also become involved in the political unrest that is brewing in Oz.
In the end, Elphaba and Glinda go their separate ways. Elphaba becomes the Wicked Witch of the West, while Glinda becomes the Good Witch of the South. However, their friendship remains strong, and they continue to influence each other’s lives.
Wicked is a powerful and moving musical that explores the themes of friendship, identity, and self-acceptance. It is a story that has resonated with audiences of all ages, and it continues to be one of the most popular musicals in the world.
✨Summary of Google Bard
In Bard’s typical way of giving us more than we asked for it gives 5 paragraphs instead of the 2 we asked for. These paragraphs are short and sweet, so we’ll let it slide. However, the paragraph discussing “In the end” is a tad misleading. Rather than describing the story’s actual end, it seems to focus on the middle portion. Let’s set the record straight and uncover what truly happens in the climactic conclusion.
⛔️ SPOILER ALERT ⛔️: It’s important to note that the friendship between Elphaba and Galinda had indeed blossomed but things take an intriguing turn. Elphaba stages her own demise, and Galinda remains oblivious to the fact that Elphaba is still alive. This raises doubts about whether we can truly claim their friendship remains as strong also it’s unlikely they would continue to exert an influence on each other’s lives if Galinda remains unaware of Elphaba’s survival. This adds an extra layer of complexity to their relationship, leaving us pondering the true extent of their enduring connection.
🌟Bing Chat
“Wicked” is a musical that looks at what happened in the Land of Oz but from a different angle. Long before Dorothy arrives, there is another girl, born with emerald-green skin — smart, fiery, misunderstood, and possessing an extraordinary talent. When she meets a bubbly blonde who is exceptionally popular, their initial rivalry turns into the unlikeliest of friendships…until the world decides to call one “good,” and the other one “wicked.”
Act One begins with Ozians cheering that the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba, is dead (“No One Mourns the Wicked”). Glinda arrives and an Ozian asks her if she and Elphaba were friends. Glinda reflects on their friendship (“Dear Old Shiz”) and tells us that Elphaba was a social outcast (“The Wizard and I”). The scene shifts to Shiz University where Madame Morrible introduces Galinda (later Glinda) to her new roommate Elphaba (“What Is This Feeling?”). Elphaba is initially cold towards Galinda due to her popularity, but Galinda persists in trying to befriend her (“Popular”). The two girls have a fight over a pair of shoes that Galinda took without asking and which Elphaba needs for her sister Nessarose who cannot walk without them (“I’m Not That Girl”).
✨Summary of Bing
The initial summary seems to have a promising start, but as we delve deeper, we encounter a whirlwind of inaccuracies. Let’s appreciate the bright side first: Bing does provide the song titles and a glimpse into the events unfolding within each musical piece. Furthermore, it’s commendable that they’ve listed six sources used in crafting the summary. But it appears that the summary is teeming with minor issues to blatant errors, rendering it nothing short of misleading and downright incorrect.
On the minor side the people at the beginning of the show, call themselves Munchkins. Bing calls them Ozians, which is technically correct, but Munchkin is more specific.
⛔️ SPOILER ALERT ⛔️: The fight over the pair of shoes, while it did happen, was not as described. Elphaba does not need the for her sister, her sister is dead at this point. This occurs at the beginning of the “Wizard of Oz”, (for which “Wicked” is a prequel of, but parts of the show actually occur after the “Wizard of Oz”) when the house lands on Elphaba’s sister Nessarose, the wicked witch of the East.
🌟ChatGPT
“Wicked” is a wildly popular musical that serves as a prequel to “The Wizard of Oz.” Set in the Land of Oz, the story revolves around the unlikely friendship between two witches: Glinda the Good and Elphaba, who later becomes the Wicked Witch of the West. The musical explores their lives before Dorothy’s arrival and delves into the complex dynamics of power, love, and discrimination.
The plot follows Elphaba, a green-skinned outcast with extraordinary powers, as she attends Shiz University and befriends Glinda, a popular and bubbly blonde. They initially clash due to their contrasting personalities, but their bond grows stronger over time. Elphaba discovers that the Wizard of Oz, who is revered by the people, is exploiting the Animals (talking animals) and spreading lies about her. She becomes an advocate for justice and sets out on a mission to confront the Wizard. As Elphaba’s reputation as a “wicked witch” grows, Glinda is torn between her loyalty to her friend and the allure of power and popularity. The story culminates in a dramatic showdown where Elphaba and Glinda must face the consequences of their choices and decide whether to embrace their destinies or defy them. Ultimately, “Wicked” explores themes of friendship, identity, and the complexity of good and evil, providing a fresh perspective on the classic tale of Oz.
✨ Summary of ChatGPT
ChatGPT absolutely nails it with this response! It provides a comprehensive two-paragraph summary that, admittedly, runs a bit on the longer side. The content is undeniably on point. There is one slightly peculiar aspect to note: the diverging list of themes present at the end of each of the two paragraphs.
✨ Overall
ChatGPT is the clear winner here.
I forgive Bard going over the length limit, since it could have easily combined the paragraphs and still have been shorter in length compared to ChatGPT. However, both Bing and Bard were inaccurate in their descriptions. ChatGPT was both accurate and delivered the size that I had asked for.
⏯ Continuing
I decided to ask both ChatGPT and Bing Chat to “expand to 4 paragraphs” since Bard already had gone over the limit I initially set. The results did improve on both. Bing continued to get facts of the Musical wrong.
ChatGPT went into much more detail. However, minor issue, I don’t like that it says the story begins at Shiz University. I would prefer Bing’s explanation to hear that the story begins after the Wicked Witch of the West is killed by Dorthy, then Galinda tells a story about how they met at Shiz University.
🚗 Reality
The summary that we got from Bing, was pretty good. It talked about the story beginning after the Wicked Witch of the West is killed by Dorthy.
I was actually confused which witch was which (😃) and which witch was killed at beginning, I only remembered the witch crushed by Dorthy’s house being killed. At one point they mentioned the bucket of water, and I figured it all out. My bad.
The version we heard in the car also had inaccuracies, but we listened more intently at the beginning to get the gist of the plot, which was accurate. As the story progressed we learned the real version, quickly discarding what Bing Chat had told us.
4️⃣ Full Response with 4 Paragraphs
I will leave this article with ChatGPT’s full response when I asked it to “expand to 4 paragraphs”:
“Wicked” is a captivating musical that takes audiences on a journey through the Land of Oz, providing a deeper understanding of the events leading up to “The Wizard of Oz.” The plot primarily focuses on the extraordinary friendship between Glinda the Good and Elphaba, who later becomes known as the Wicked Witch of the West. Set against the backdrop of a divided society, the musical delves into themes of acceptance, discrimination, and the complexities of power.
The story begins at Shiz University, where Elphaba, a green-skinned outcast with untamed magical abilities, encounters Glinda, a popular and bubbly blonde. Initially, they clash due to their contrasting personalities and social standings. However, as they navigate their studies and face various challenges, their bond grows stronger. Elphaba discovers that the Wizard of Oz, who is revered by the people, is exploiting the Animals (talking animals) and spreading lies about her. This revelation sets her on a path of rebellion and justice, determined to confront the deceptive Wizard and expose his true nature.
As Elphaba’s reputation as a “wicked witch” grows, Glinda finds herself torn between her loyalty to her friend and the allure of power and popularity. She is forced to make difficult choices as she grapples with the expectations of society. Throughout their journey, both Glinda and Elphaba navigate love interests, with Glinda falling for Fiyero, a charming prince, while Elphaba harbors unrequited feelings for him. These romantic entanglements add depth to their individual character arcs, further exploring themes of sacrifice and unfulfilled desires.
The climax of the musical culminates in a dramatic showdown where Elphaba confronts the Wizard, revealing his true nature to the citizens of Oz. As the story unfolds, the audience witnesses the transformation of Elphaba into the infamous Wicked Witch of the West, while Glinda, burdened with guilt and remorse, becomes the iconic Glinda the Good. In the end, “Wicked” challenges the notions of good and evil, showcasing that appearances can be deceiving and that friendship can transcend societal expectations. It leaves the audience with a powerful message about embracing one’s true self, standing up for what is right, and finding the courage to defy the odds.
A very good summary, If you ever get a chance to see this show live, it was a great experience, highly recommended!
Other articles in the AI Comparison Series:
