What is Poe AI and How Does it Work?

Poe AI is a platform that lets you tap into an array of AI chatbots all from one simple interface.

You no longer have to juggle between different AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini, instead you can choose from them all in one spot.

Poe – which stands for ‘Platform for Open Exploration’ – was built by Quora, the well-known Q&A site, to allow people to explore the ever-growing world of large language models (LLMs).

This is especially useful for anyone curious about AI and unsure which tool to use.

On Poe you don’t have to pick a favourite, instead you can test drive and compare different bots, even build your own custom versions or use community created chat assistants.

The Bottom Line: Poe makes life easier by bringing all the AIs under one roof.

Who Built Poe?

Poe came to life thanks to Quora, one of the oldest and most well-loved Q&A communities on the web.

Quora going into AI is a no-brainer, given that millions of users ask questions daily and they’re perfectly positioned to create a platform that helps users get answers quickly.

Poe launched in early 2023, with a starting lineup of GPT-3.5 and Claude, and since then it’s expanded to GPT-4, Gemini, LLaMA and many more models, including community created bots.

By owning Poe Quora is putting itself front and centre as the go-to destination for knowledge – whether that’s written by humans or generated by machines.

How Does Poe Work?

Poe works as a supercharged multi-bot chat platform. You type in a question or command, then pick which AI model you want it to respond.

Unlike being tied to just one provider like OpenAI, Poe connects you to a bunch of different models:

GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 (OpenAI stuff)
Claude 2 and 2.1 (from Anthropic)
Gemini Pro (Google juice)
LLaMA (Meta tech)
Mistral/Mixtral (smaller open-source models)

You can interact with these models via a neat, easy to use chat interface that doesn’t require you to have API keys or any technical malarkey.

Poe works on both desktop and mobile, so it’s easy for anyone to use on the go.

Key Features:

Feature	Description
Unified chat interface	Access multiple AIs from one dashboard
Custom bots	Build your own chatbot with instructions or personality
Mobile + web apps	Seamless usage across devices
Community bot directory	Explore bots built by other users
GPT-4 / Claude access	No separate accounts required

Getting Started with Poe

Getting started with Poe is a breeze and it won’t cost you a thing.

Here’s the lowdown:

Head over to poe.com
Sign up with an email, Apple ID or Google account
Choose your first AI model to chat with
You’re in – have a play and start asking questions

No card details needed to get the ball rolling.

But if you plan to use GPT-4 or Claude heaps, you’ll hit a daily message limit unless you upgrade to Poe Pro.

Free vs Paid Plans

Poe is free to use with basic access to a few models, including GPT-3.5 and LLaMA.

But premium models like GPT-4 and Claude 2.1 come with limits on how much you can use them.

To get the unlimited access you’ll need to upgrade to Poe Pro.

Poe Pricing Breakdown:

Plan	Cost	What You Get
Free	$0	Basic usage, limited daily messages to GPT-4, Claude
Poe Pro	$19.99/month	Unlimited access to GPT-4, Claude, Gemini Pro, faster speeds, priority access

Unlimited access to GPT-4, Claude, Gemini Pro, super fast response, priority access during peak hours

The free tier is pretty generous for casual users, but if you rely on AI for work or just want to use it without limits, Pro is worth the investment.

Pro users also get faster response times and better availability during peak hours.

What AI Bots Can You Use on Poe?

Poe gives you access to an array of top-tier and open-source models.

Here’s a quick rundown:

Model	Creator	What It’s Best For
GPT-3.5	OpenAI	General tasks, fast responses
GPT-4	OpenAI	Complex reasoning, advanced writing
Claude 2.1	Anthropic	Safer outputs, large context (100k+ tokens)
Gemini Pro	Google	Web-connected tasks, up-to-date info
LLaMA	Meta	Lightweight NLP tasks
Mistral / Mixtral	Open-source	Fast, simple text generation
Community Bots	Poe users	SEO, email writing, summaries, translation, etc.

Each model has its own strengths – GPT-4 is arguably the most powerful one out there.

While Claude 2.1 is particularly good at long text generation and making ethical decisions, Gemini is a great choice for search-based queries.

You can also test out your prompts across multiple models to compare their responses.

How Custom Bots Work

One of Poe’s standout features is its custom bots – and it’s really easy to set one up.

With just a few clicks, you can create a unique bot without needing to write a single line of code.

Here’s how it works in a nutshell:

Head over to poe.com/create-bot
Give your bot a name and pick an avatar
Choose which model you want to power it – e.g GPT-4
Write a prompt that gives your bot its personality or defines what it does

Once you’ve created it, your bot can be either private or public – you can share its link, embed it in your website or list it in Poe’s bot directory.

Some examples of custom bots:

An SEO assistant that audits blog posts for you
A meal planner that spits out recipes based on your dietary needs
A customer service bot trained on your product info
A productivity coach that gives daily tips

Poe’s custom bots aren’t quite as advanced as tools like OpenAI’s Assistants API, but for most users, it’s a great way to build a chatbot quickly without getting bogged down in complicated settings.

Poe AI Use Cases

I’ve personally used Poe for all sorts of stuff – from content creation & editing to coding & research – it’s super versatile & makes it easy to compare outputs from different models side by side.

Some real-world use cases:

Content creation: Write a draft with GPT-4, then refine it with Claude
SEO research: Ask multiple bots for keyword clusters at once
Coding: Use Gemini for code snippets, then GPT-4 for debugging help
Summarization: Claude 2.1 is great at tackling long PDFs & articles
Language translation: GPT-4 & LLaMA do a reliable job on translations
Business use: Create onboarding bots or SOP checkers

For research types or students, Poe is also a handy tool for cross-checking facts across different models – which can help reduce the risk of hallucinations or factual errors.

Poe AI vs ChatGPT

At first glance, Poe and ChatGPT might seem like competitors, but they actually serve slightly different purposes.

Here’s how they stack up:

Feature	Poe	ChatGPT
Multiple models	Yes	No (only OpenAI)
Claude access	Yes	No
Custom bots	Yes	Yes (with ChatGPT Plus)
API support	No	Yes
Usage limits	Depends on plan	Free + Plus tiers
Interface	App/web-based	Web-based

The key differences:

Poe is an aggregator, letting you easily test & compare different models.
ChatGPT is developer-focused, especially if you use the API or Assistants.
Claude is only available through Poe (unless you’re using Anthropic’s site).

If you only need GPT-4, ChatGPT Plus at $20/month might be enough.

But if you want to compare and contrast different models, Poe’s the better choice.

Poe Alternatives

Poe isn’t the only AI platform around – depending on what you’re trying to do, one of these might work better for you:

Platform	Models Available	Best For
ChatGPT	GPT-3.5 / GPT-4	Deep writing, Assistants API
Claude.ai	Claude 2.1	Long content generation
Perplexity AI	Mix of models	Search + summaries
Pi AI	Inflection AI	Friendly chat-style assistant
HuggingChat	Open-source	Developers, tinkerers
You.com	Custom AI tools	Search + chatbot combo

For casual users, Poe is probably the easiest to use.

But if you’re a developer or need super-fine control, tools like ChatGPT with API access are more powerful.

Is Poe Safe and Private?

Poe does a pretty good job of protecting user privacy, but don’t expect it to be foolproof.

Here’s what to know:

Your chats are logged. Poe keeps a record of your conversations unless you delete them.
Public bots may see your input. If a bot is set up to access chat history, your data might be visible to the bot creator.
No encryption for sensitive data. Avoid sharing passwords, financial info, or client data with your bot – it’s not worth the risk.

Poe’s privacy policy is pretty standard for most SaaS tools.

It’s safe enough for general use, but if you’re dealing with sensitive or confidential info, it’s best to steer clear.

You can always delete chats, limit bot access, or make your custom bots private to have more control.

Should You Use Poe AI?

Poe is one of the most accessible AI tools out there.

Whether you want to experiment with GPT-4, test out Claude’s performance, or build your own chatbot, it’s easy to use & has a ton of features.

You should give Poe a shot if:

You want to pit different AIs against each other in the same project
You enjoy trying out new models and seeing what works best for you
You’re building simple bots for personal use, or for your business – Poe is a great lightweight option
You want to access GPT-4 and Claude without having to juggle multiple accounts

You might want to look elsewhere if:

You need super-advanced developer-level access or the ability to customise with APIs
You are deathly serious about data privacy and want to keep all your business on the down-low
You only use one model and want to dig in deep and customise every last detail

For $19.99 a month Poe Pro is pretty reasonably priced – especially when you compare it to ChatGPT Plus – and it has one big plus: it’s super flexible.

Whether you’re just starting out with AIs or you’re a pro looking to spice up your content creation workflow – Poe is definitely worth checking out.