I Tested the “training Modes” of ChatGPT and Gemini
The rapid growth of digital technology has already given us the Google effect – the idea that our memory has become much worse because everything can now be found on the Internet in a matter of seconds. Now we have to deal with the artificial intelligence effect as well. Everything can now be summarized, written down and explained, which means we have to think much less.
Why read Othello when ChatGPT can summarize the plot points and cut out all the unnecessary stuff? Do you need to learn to code when Gemini can do it for you? We’re entering a strange new world, and generative AI is already making a huge impact on education.
With that in mind, ChatGPT and Gemini have launched app modes that aim to educate and guide you on your chosen topics of discussion, rather than simply offering answers. Can these modes help reduce AI-related “brain rot” and keep our grey cells functioning? I tried both modes to find out.
Getting Started with Learning Modes
ChatGPT is introducing what it calls a learning mode, “a learning experience that helps you solve problems step by step, rather than just getting answers.” It’s available to all ChatGPT users, whether you pay for a subscription or not. ChatGPT says it’s great for homework help, test prep , and more .
To enter learning mode on the web version of ChatGPT, tap the “+” (plus) button to the left of the hint box, then select More > Learn & Learn . On the mobile app, simply tap the “+” button next to the hint box, then select Learn & Learn . A small “Learn” icon will appear next to the hint box with some tips on how to get started learning.
Once you’ve enabled this mode, you can start asking questions, but you may have to specifically ask ChatGPT to “help me learn this” or “help me learn,” depending on the prompt. You’ll know when the learning mode is active because the answers will be divided into several learning stages, and the chatbot will ask you questions along the way to make sure you’ve learned everything.
Gemini uses the term “Guided Learning,” which Google says “takes you step-by-step through tasks and tailors explanations to your needs — all to help you build knowledge and skills.” It’s available to all Gemini users, so you don’t have to pay a subscription to access it.
The process for getting started isn’t much different from ChatGPT, although at the time of writing, interactive learning in Gemini is only available through the web app and is still being rolled out to mobile apps. In Gemini, in your browser, click the three dots at the bottom of the hint box, then select “Learn more” and enter your hint text.
Like ChatGPT, you may need to indicate that you want to learn something new or need help with a problem to get the right hints, but this depends somewhat on the nature of your question. For example, if you’re submitting a problem for homework, Guided Learning kicks in right away. Instead of answering hints, you get a bit of information and then questions to test your knowledge.
How learning modes are combined
I first asked ChatGPT and Gemini to try to teach me the basics of DNA and how it works. Both had something in common: the AI-powered chatbots regularly asked me what aspects of the topic I wanted to focus on, starting with simple concepts and then moving on to more complex ones, testing my knowledge with questions along the way.
In ChatGPT, these questions usually built on the previous text, to make sure I had read it completely and understood the details. In Gemini, the questions were usually more abstract — for example, asking what I could compare the DNA double helix to, rather than trying to get me to remember anything about it.
Next, I tried a specific math question with both AIs, based on combinatorics . Gemini was more helpful here, explaining concepts to me in more detail and providing context when needed. When I got it wrong, Gemini explained in detail why it happened and gave simpler examples to demonstrate the correct approach.
ChatGPT was more prescriptive, telling me more often what to do with less explanation, so I got there faster but also learned less (though it did suggest an interesting trick for solving multiplication problems). At the end, both AI bots gave me a few more practice questions based on what I had asked.
Finally, I had ChatGPT and Gemini tell me about a famous historical battle. ChatGPT, again, was more specific and quicker, providing facts and asking a few follow-up questions based on the answers. Gemini took longer, giving me clues to make me think about why one event might lead to another, and going into more background and context—it’s a deeper, more detailed approach that may or may not be what you’re looking for in your knowledge.
Overall, these learning modes weren’t as different from regular AI conversations as I expected: you could get roughly the same results by simply asking ChatGPT or Gemini to test your knowledge and give you answers. They’re still a long way from being full-fledged AI tutors, but for me, the Gemini option is currently more valuable and useful — and worth trying if you’re looking to learn a subject.
Disclosure: Lifehacker’s parent company, Ziff Davis, filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in April, alleging that it infringed Ziff Davis’ copyrights in the training and operation of its AI systems.