Pukki and a general AI chatbot, side by side
An AI model from OpenAI writes Pukki’s answers, so the AI inside is much the same as a general chatbot’s. The difference is in what is built around it: who it is for, how a child asks, and what a parent sees.
What this page says about ChatGPT, Gemini and Copilot comes from each company’s own help pages, read on 5 October 2026 and linked at the foot. Those pages change, and they are the authority.
The short version
- Pukki does one thing. A child aged 3 to 12 asks a question out loud and hears a short answer made for their age. A parent sets it up and sees what was asked about.
- ChatGPT, Gemini and Copilot are general assistants. They write, summarize, help with homework and hold long conversations, for whoever is using them.
- Their makers set an age. ChatGPT and Copilot are for 13 and over. A parent can turn Gemini on for a younger child in some countries.
- For a teenager, a general chatbot does far more. The same goes for a parent sitting beside a small child.
Side by side
| Pukki | ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | Children aged 3 to 12. A parent sets it up, and a child never has an account. | Everyone old enough. ChatGPT is not meant for under 13 and needs a parent’s consent from 13 to 18. Copilot is for 13 and over. A parent can give a child under 13 access to Gemini, but not in the EEA, Switzerland or the UK. |
| What it does | It answers a question in a few short spoken sentences, and does nothing else. | Many jobs. For Copilot, Microsoft lists questions, homework help, summaries, brainstorming, pictures and stories. |
| How a child asks | Out loud, with one button. No typing and no reading. | By typing, or by voice where the product offers it. |
| Made for their age | The parent sets the child’s age, and each answer is written for one of five age bands. | They answer the way they are asked. A parent can ask for an answer “for a five-year-old”. |
| How long it goes on | One question at a time. Pukki carries the last two questions forward, and ends most answers with one question back, which a parent can turn off. | As long as the conversation lasts. |
| Friend or not | Written to answer, not to befriend. No streaks, no “I missed you.” | Google tells parents that Gemini is not a person and cannot feel. Microsoft lists “AI companions” among the Copilot features a parent can switch off. |
| What a parent sees | Short summaries of what the child wondered about, and Pukki’s answers, for 90 days. | It depends on the product. Google lets a parent turn Gemini on or off for a child. Microsoft’s Family Safety can block Copilot, set hours and choose features. |
| A worrying question | Checked on Pukki’s server for the clearest signs before it reaches the AI, then handed to a grown-up. No check catches everything. | Handled by each product’s own filters. Google says its filters are not perfect, and OpenAI that ChatGPT’s output may not suit every age. |
| Can it be wrong? | Yes. | Yes. Google says Gemini can state something inaccurate as fact. |
| Languages | English only. | Many. |
| Where it runs | iPhone and iPad. | Most phones, tablets and computers. |
| Cost | A paid subscription, with a free trial on the yearly plan where offered. | Each can be tried free. |
Where a general chatbot is the better tool
- For a teenager. Homework, writing, summaries and pictures are all outside what Pukki does.
- For a long conversation. Pukki answers one question and carries only the last two forward.
- In another language, or without an iPhone or iPad. Pukki speaks English only.
- With a parent beside the child. You type the question, read the answer first, and say it your way.
What is the same
- The answers are written by AI and can be wrong. Pukki says so, and so do the companies.
- The question leaves the device. Pukki sends its text to Pukki’s server and to OpenAI. The Privacy Policy says what is kept and for how long.
What each company says about age
- OpenAI. ChatGPT is not meant for children under 13, and children aged 13 to 18 need a parent’s consent. OpenAI Help Center: Is ChatGPT safe for all ages?
- Google. A parent must turn Gemini on before a child under 13 can use it with a supervised account, and it is not offered to supervised accounts in the EEA, Switzerland or the UK. Google For Families Help: Guide your child’s Gemini Apps experience
- Microsoft. Copilot is for people aged 13 and over, and the age is higher in some countries. Microsoft Support: Microsoft Copilot for Young People
How we checked
Pukki’s side comes from its own privacy policy, terms and app, and is set out on What is Pukki? The other side comes from the three pages above, read on 5 October 2026. If something here has gone out of date, tell us at support@pukki.ai.
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