Gemini vs ChatGPT: Comparing File Upload Capabilities and More

The recent addition of file upload support to Gemini, Google's AI assistant, has sparked a lot of interest among users. With this new feature, Gemini Advanced subscribers can now upload various file formats, including PDFs, Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and more, to perform data analysis and ask questions directly related to the uploaded content.

This development has led many to wonder how Gemini's file upload capabilities stack up against ChatGPT, the popular AI chatbot from OpenAI. In this article, we'll dive into the details of Gemini's file upload feature, compare it with ChatGPT, and explore other key aspects of both AI assistants.

Supported File Formats

Gemini Advanced currently supports the following file formats for upload:

PDF

DOCX, DOC

XLSX, XLS

CSV

TXT

DOTX

RTF

TSV

JPG, JPEG, PNG, WEBP (images)

Users can also connect their Google Drive accounts via Gemini Extensions to upload Google Sheets and Docs.

While Gemini's file support is impressive, ChatGPT offers an even wider range of compatibility. In addition to the formats supported by Gemini, ChatGPT can process ZIP files, coding languages like JSON and Python, data files such as SQL and MATLAB, and even audio files like WAV.

Read: How to Upload Images to ChatGPT: A Comprehensive Guide

Furthermore, ChatGPT allows file uploads for all users, although with a message limit, while Gemini Advanced requires a paid subscription.

Uploading Files on Gemini Advanced

To upload files on Gemini Advanced, follow these steps:

1. Open gemini.google.com in your browser and ensure you have an active Gemini Advanced subscription.

2. Click on the "+" button at the bottom and select "Upload files".

3. Choose the local file you want to upload. For this example, we used a large CSV file containing data on worldwide internet usage from 1990 to 2020.

4. Ask Gemini a question related to the uploaded file, and it will provide an accurate answer, even for large datasets with thousands of rows.

Both Gemini Advanced and ChatGPT used Python internally to perform data analysis on the CSV file and generated the same chart when asked to create one.

Comparing File Processing Capabilities

To further test the file processing capabilities of Gemini Advanced and ChatGPT, we uploaded an XLSX spreadsheet with data on Chromebook specifications. When asked to recommend the best Chromebook based on the provided information, Gemini suggested the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook due to its superior display, while ChatGPT recommended the Lenovo Flex 5 for its better value for money.

The results demonstrate that both Gemini Advanced and ChatGPT are excellent at data processing, with Gemini leveraging its Gemini 1.5 Pro model and ChatGPT using GPT-4. No signs of hallucination were observed, likely due to the use of Python for parsing the data.

Read: How to Connect ChatGPT to Google Drive for AI-Assisted File Management

The addition of file upload support to Gemini Advanced is a significant improvement that enhances its capabilities as an AI assistant. While ChatGPT offers a wider range of file format compatibility and free access to file uploads, Gemini Advanced's performance in data processing and analysis is on par with ChatGPT.

Ultimately, the choice between Gemini Advanced and ChatGPT comes down to personal preference and specific needs. Both AI assistants have their strengths and are valuable tools for various tasks, from data analysis to general knowledge queries.

As Gemini continues to evolve and add new features, it will be exciting to see how it compares to ChatGPT and other AI chatbots in the future. For now, Gemini Advanced's file upload capability is a welcome addition that makes it an even more powerful tool for users who need to work with various file formats.