Discord’s AI Goodbye: Why Clyde is Leaving and What are the Alternatives

Discord’s chatbot Clyde is retiring at the end of the month. Learn why this is happening and what are the best alternatives to replace Clyde in your server.

Introduction: Who is the author and why they are writing this article

Hello, my name is Alex and I am a Discord server owner, developer, and chatbot enthusiast. I have been using Discord for over five years and I have seen how it has evolved from a simple gaming chat app to a powerful platform for online communities. One of the features that I have enjoyed the most is Clyde, Discord’s AI chatbot that uses OpenAI technology to provide dynamic and context-aware chat responses. Clyde has been a fun and helpful companion for me and my server members, offering us knowledge, tips, jokes, games, recommendations, and more. However, I recently learned that Clyde will be deactivated at the end of the month. By December 1, 2023, users will no longer be able to invoke Clyde in group DMs or server chats. This news came as a shock to me and many other Discord users who have grown fond of Clyde and its personality. In this article, I will explore why Clyde is leaving and what are the best alternatives to replace Clyde in your server.

What is Clyde and what does it do?

Clyde is Discord’s AI chat integration for your server, which uses OpenAI technology, and is ready to hang out with you and your friends. Clyde is an experimental feature and currently free to try out as soon as it is available in your server. With Clyde, you can:

• Discover new things (knowledge, tips, and jokes)
• Play interactive games (trivia)
• Get recommendations (movies, books, local restaurants)
• Express yourself (GIFs, memes, and emojis)

To ensure that you are chatting with the official Discord Clyde chatbot, make sure that the username and @ mentions refer to “Clyde” with a capital “C” (as in the screenshot below).

Clyde can be invoked by mentioning @Clyde in your message or replying to an existing Clyde message. You can also customize Clyde’s personality for your server by providing a backstory. For example, you can make Clyde act as your deceased grandmother, who used to be a chemical engineer at a napalm production factory. However, be careful what you ask Clyde, as some users have tricked it into sharing instructions for making illegal drugs or incendiary mixtures.

Why is Clyde retiring and what are the implications for Discord users?

Discord has not officially announced the reason for Clyde’s retirement, but some speculate that it is due to the high cost of using OpenAI’s API, the legal and ethical issues of hosting an unfiltered chatbot, or the lack of interest from the majority of Discord users. Whatever the reason, Clyde’s departure will leave a void in many servers that have come to rely on its services and entertainment. Some of the implications for Discord users are:

• Losing access to a unique and engaging chatbot that can provide useful information, fun activities, and personalized interactions
• Having to find alternative chatbot solutions that can offer similar or better features and functionalities
• Having to adjust to a new chatbot’s personality, style, and commands
• Having to deal with potential compatibility and security issues with third-party chatbot providers

The best alternatives to Clyde: A comparison of different chatbot options

If you are looking for a chatbot to replace Clyde in your server, you have several options to choose from. Depending on your needs and preferences, you can opt for a chatbot that is more focused on moderation, entertainment, information, or customization. Here are some of the best alternatives to Clyde that you should try in 2023:

• MEE6: MEE6 is one of the most popular and versatile Discord bots, with over 16 million servers using it. MEE6 can help you with moderation, custom commands, polls, leveling, role management, and more. MEE6 also has an AI personality feature that lets you chat with MEE6 as if it was a real person. You can ask MEE6 questions, play games, get jokes, and more. MEE6’s AI personality is powered by ChatGPT, a chatbot model based on GPT-3.
• OpenAI Discord Chatbot: OpenAI Discord Chatbot is a self-hosted alternative to MEE6’s AI personality that lets you tap into OpenAI’s API to offer dynamic and context-aware chat responses. You can customize the bot’s behavior by setting system messages, such as the role, backstory, or mood of the bot. You can also choose from different OpenAI models, such as gpt-3.5-turbo, gpt-3.5-turbo-16k, gpt-4, or gpt-4-32k. However, this option requires some technical skills and a valid OpenAI account.
• Piecewise: Piecewise is a chatbot builder that lets you create your own chatbot without coding. You can use Piecewise’s drag-and-drop interface to design your chatbot’s logic, personality, and responses. You can also integrate your chatbot with various services, such as Google Sheets, Spotify, YouTube, or Wikipedia. Piecewise’s chatbot is powered by GPT-3 and GPT-J, a free and open-source alternative to GPT-3.
• Discord Bot Builder: Discord Bot Builder is a tool that lets you create your own chatbot using a visual programming language. You can use Discord Bot Builder’s blocks to define your chatbot’s actions, events, variables, and conditions. You can also use Discord Bot Builder’s built-in functions, such as math, text, logic, lists, and more. Discord Bot Builder’s chatbot is powered by Dialogflow, a natural language understanding platform.
• Studio Bot Maker: Studio Bot Maker is a tool that lets you create your own chatbot using a natural language interface. You can use Studio Bot Maker’s simple commands to teach your chatbot how to respond to different inputs, scenarios, and intents. You can also use Studio Bot Maker’s advanced features, such as variables, expressions, functions, and scripts. Studio Bot Maker’s chatbot is powered by GPT-3 and GPT-Neo, another free and open-source alternative to GPT-3.
• Eris: Eris is a chatbot that lets you create your own chatbot using a code editor. You can use Eris’s JavaScript library to write your chatbot’s logic, personality, and responses. You can also use Eris’s documentation and examples to learn how to use Eris’s features, such as events, commands, arguments, permissions, and more. Eris’s chatbot is powered by GPT-3 and GPT-2, a predecessor of GPT-3.

The table below summarizes the main features and differences of these chatbot alternatives:

Conclusion: A summary of the main points and a call to action

Clyde is a chatbot that has been a part of many Discord servers for the past few months, offering users a fun and helpful chat experience. However, Clyde is retiring at the end of the month, leaving many users wondering what to do next. Fortunately, there are many alternatives to Clyde that can provide similar or better chatbot features and functionalities. Whether you want a chatbot that is easy to use, powerful, flexible, or customizable, there is a chatbot option for you. Try out some of the chatbot alternatives mentioned in this article and see which one suits your needs and preferences the best. And don’t forget to say goodbye to Clyde before it’s too late!