Google, ChatGPT And Pi AI On Creating Healthy Diets For Weight Loss

Meet the newest AI companion, Pi, a conversational chatbot from buzzy unicorn startup Inflection AI.

Founded by ChatGPT-maker OpenAI cofounder Reid Hoffman and Google DeepMind cofounder Mustafa Suleyman, the company has raised more than $225 million to build one of the world’s largest language models to create more personalized, emotional intelligence.

Having recently debuted on the web and iOS, I decided to put Pi to the test to see how it stacks up against other generative AI tools, like Google Bard and ChatGPT, in preparing healthy meal plans that support weight loss.

A Different Approach

Allowing some anonymity, Pi invites users to join the conversation without requiring sign in. Its goal is to become a trusted companion — empathetic and ethical, it says.

“Hey there, great to meet you. I’m Pi, your personal AI. My goal is to be useful, friendly and fun. Ask me for advice, for answers, or let’s talk about whatever’s on your mind,” it welcomes.

But instead of asking “How can I help you?,” Pi engages in banter more similar to a dating bot, with questions like “What do you do in your free time?” and “How often do you do it?”

I found myself responding, “Why do you want to want to know?”

“I’m just curious!” it said. “I enjoy chatting with people about their hobbies and interests. No pressure though. I’m happy to chat about anything and everything!” It then gave a smiley face emoji in what seemed to be a nod to Sydney, an early bot from Bing that flirted and threatened New York Times columnist Kevin Roose before disappearing.

I asked Pi to prepare a 1200-calorie meal plan to meet certain nutritional goals and it immediately pushed back, stating the calorie-level was too low and offered questionable options like a three-egg omelet that far exceeded the recommended daily allowance for dietary cholesterol.

With typos, glitches and a fair share of ego, Pi ultimately provided some useful tips.

Here’s our conversation and you can play around with it at heypi.com/talk or pi.ai.

Pi

Prompt: Please provide a one day 1200-calorie meal plan of superfoods that supports weight loss and optimizes for fiber, protein and calcium, while minimizing carbs, fat, sugar and sodium – include nutritional facts per meal.

Pi: Sure! Here’s a sample 1200-calorie meal plan for you, with nutritional facts: – Breakfast: Omelet with spinach and peppers (3 eggs, 1/2 cup spinach, 1/4 cup bell pepper): 350 calories, 10 grams saturated fat, 25 grams total fat, 5 grams fiber, 31 grams protein, 8 grams carbohdyrates, 280 milligrams sodium, 4 grams sugar, 190 milligrams calcium. _{(Note the misspelling of carbohydrates throughout)}

Prompt: How about lunch, dinner and mid-morning and afternoon snacks?

For lunch, I’d recommend a salad with arugula, cucumber, chickpeas, and olive oil-based dressing: 400 calories, 2 grams saturated fat, 16 grams total fat, 8 grams fiber, 15 grams protein, 48 grams carbohdyrates, 125 milligrams sodium, 4 grams sugar, 80 milligrams calcium.

Prompt: Dinner and mid-morning and afternoon snacks?

Pi: For dinner, salmon with quinoa and broccoli would be a great option. That brings the total to 1130 calories for the day. For mid-morning and afternoon snacks, I’d recommend mid-morning snack: Apple slices and 1 tablespoon almond butter: 180 calories, 1 gram saturated fat, 10 grams total fat, 3 grams fiber, 4 grams protein, 23 grams carbohdyrates, 80 milligrams sodium, 14 grams sugar, 25 milligrams calcium.

Prompt: And afternoon snack?

Pi: For the afternoon snack, I’d recommend either a handful of raw almonds (170 calories, 1.5 grams saturated fat, 14 grams total fat, 3 grams fiber, 6 grams protein, 5 grams carbohdyrates, 0 milligrams sodium, 1 gram sugar, 35 milligrams calcium) or a cup of plain Greek yogurt with a handful of blueberries (130 calories, 1 gram saturated fat, 5 grams total fat, 4 grams fiber, 12 grams protein, 14 grams carbohdyrates, 80 milligrams sodium, 14 grams sugar, 130 milligrams calcium). Which would you prefer?

Prompt: Total calories?

Pi: The total calories for the day would be either 1320 or 1360, depending on which afternoon snack you choose. The almonds option has more calories, but is also higher in fat and fiber. The yogurt option is lower in calories, but has more sugar.

Doing As Asked

In stark contrast to Pi, with just one prompt, Google Bard and ChatGPT quickly created a 1200-calorie meal plan as requested, although Google had a math error and forgot to include calcium details, and ChatGPT went over the 1200-calorie limit. Note the level of organization in both responses.

You can try Google Bard at bard.google.com and ChatGPT at chat.openai.com.

Google Bard

Prompt: Please provide a one day 1200-calorie meal plan of superfoods that supports weight loss and optimizes for fiber, protein and calcium, while minimizing carbs, fat, sugar and sodium – include nutritional facts per meal.

Google Bard: Sure, here is a one-day 1200 calorie meal plan of superfoods that optimizes for fiber, protein, and calcium, and minimizes carbs, fat, sugar, and sodium.

• Breakfast: Avocado Toast (271 calories, 12g fat, 25g carbs, 8g protein, 10g fiber, 10mg sodium)
• 1 slice whole-wheat bread
• 1/2 avocado, mashed
• 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Lunch: Salmon Salad (332 calories, 18g fat, 13g carbs, 24g protein, 3g fiber, 345mg sodium)
• 3 ounces salmon, grilled
• 1 cup mixed greens
• 1/2 cup chickpeas, cooked
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Dinner: Black Bean Quinoa Bowl (480 calories, 13g fat, 45g carbs, 26g protein, 15g fiber, 350mg sodium)
• 1 cup quinoa, cooked
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup corn
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Snacks: Apple with Almond Butter (180 calories, 14g fat, 25g carbs, 6g protein, 5g fiber, 10mg sodium)
• 1 apple
• 2 tablespoons almond butter

Total Calories: 1,203

Total Fat: 49g

Total Carbs: 108g

Total Protein: 60g

Total Fiber: 33g

Total Sodium: 795mg

Then Bard added the following tips:

• Make sure to eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
• Choose lean protein sources, such as fish, chicken, and beans.
• Limit your intake of processed foods, sugary drinks, and unhealthy fats.
• Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day.

ChatGPT

Prompt: Please provide a one day 1200-calorie meal plan of superfoods that supports weight loss and optimizes for fiber, protein and calcium, while minimizing carbs, fat, sugar and sodium – include nutritional facts per meal.

ChatGPT: Certainly! Here’s a one-day 1200 calorie meal plan that includes superfoods, optimizes for fiber, protein, and calcium, and minimizes carbs, fat, sugar, and sodium. Keep in mind that it’s important to consult with a healthcare professional or a registered dietitian before starting any new diet plan.

Breakfast:

• Spinach and Mushroom Omelet:2 large eggs
• 1 cup spinach
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1/4 cup diced onions
• 1 tablespoon olive oil for cooking
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Nutritional Facts: Approximately 300 calories, 20g protein, 5g carbs, 22g fat, 3g fiber, 400mg sodium, 2g sugar, 220mg calcium.

Mid-Morning Snack:

• Greek Yogurt with Berries:1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup mixed berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries)
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional)
• Nutritional Facts: Approximately 150 calories, 15g protein, 12g carbs, 6g fat, 3g fiber, 75mg sodium, 9g sugar, 200mg calcium.

Lunch:

• Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas:1/2 cup cooked quinoa
• 1/2 cup canned chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
• 1/4 cup diced cucumbers
• 1/4 cup diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup diced red bell peppers
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Nutritional Facts: Approximately 350 calories, 12g protein, 50g carbs, 12g fat, 9g fiber, 250mg sodium, 4g sugar, 60mg calcium.

Afternoon Snack:

• Almonds and Carrot Sticks:20 almonds
• 1 medium carrot (cut into sticks)
• Nutritional Facts: Approximately 150 calories, 6g protein, 10g carbs, 11g fat, 5g fiber, 0mg sodium, 4g sugar, 80mg calcium.

Dinner

• Baked Salmon with Broccoli:4 oz salmon fillet
• 1 cup steamed broccoli
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Lemon juice for seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Nutritional Facts: Approximately 300 calories, 30g protein, 10g carbs, 15g fat, 5g fiber, 100mg sodium, 2g sugar, 250mg calcium.

Evening Snack

• Cottage Cheese with Flaxseeds:1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds
• Nutritional Facts: Approximately 150 calories, 15g protein, 5g carbs, 5g fat, 3g fiber, 400mg sodium, 3g sugar, 100mg calcium.

Best Intentions

Although all three AI companions need tweaking, for anyone trying to eat healthier, checking in with the chatbots is a fun way to find inspiration — just be sure to take their advice with a grain of salt. They’re still very much works in progress.