Loopio vs ChatGPT: Can Generative AI Compete with Purpose-Built RFP Software?

Generative AI isn’t just a buzzword anymore—it’s gone mainstream. The 2025 RFP Trends & Benchmarks Report found that 68% of proposal teams now use generative AI, double the number from last year. Meanwhile, 65% of teams are using RFP software, up from 48% the year before. 

This rapid rise in technology adoption is driving real results: average response times have dropped from 30 hours to 25 hours per bid, proving that AI tools and RFP software together are helping teams work faster and smarter.

With ChatGPT now the fifth most visited website in the world and a growing number of public “RFP Response Generator” GPTs popping up, it’s natural for proposal professionals to wonder: Can ChatGPT replace dedicated RFP software like Loopio?

In this article, we’ll explore that question head-on. You’ll get a breakdown of the pros and cons of each tool, a look at where ChatGPT fits into the proposal process, and insight into why dedicated RFP software still delivers unique value that AI alone can’t match.

The Importance of Using AI in the RFP Process

RFPs remain one of the most important drivers of revenue, contributing to more than a third of a company’s bottom line. For the past six years, this trend has held steady—even through economic disruptions and shifting market conditions—and it’s not expected to change anytime soon.

The challenge is that responding to RFPs is notoriously resource-heavy, often taking dozens of hours per bid. And with survey results showing a 13% drop in dedicated RFP resources over the past year, proposal teams are under more pressure than ever to do more with less.

That’s where AI is stepping in as a game-changer. Today’s advanced tools can take on much of the heavy lifting across the RFP process, helping you:

• Pull questions directly from RFP documents or portals
• Identify relevant answers from past proposals
• Generate accurate first drafts in seconds
• Customize responses using vetted content
• Improve responses based on proposal best practices
• Maintain consistency to minimize errors and variability
• Streamline collaboration with subject matter experts (SMEs)
• Format documents to align with brand and compliance guidelines
• Manage multiple projects and deadlines with ease

But not all AI is created equal. The way it’s applied determines whether it saves time—or creates new risks. 

Problems with generic AI generators, like ChatGPT, include:

• Surface-level content that requires extensive rewriting
• Risk of false, biased, or plagiarized information being used
• Potential data breach if sensitive material is shared with unsecured systems
• Unoriginal responses that lose bids

That’s why the most effective proposal teams turn to AI built specifically for the RFP process, where automation enhances—rather than replaces—human expertise.

Loopio’s Key Features and Use Cases

Loopio is a purpose-built AI response management platform trusted by 1,700+ businesses. Proposal managers, sales and marketing teams, and security professionals rely on it for a wide range of use cases, including:

• Managing a high volume of RFPs
• Preparing complex proposals
• Responding to bids in highly regulated industries—like finance, healthcare, and government—where compliance is non-negotiable
• Enabling growing sales teams to access reliable information
• Completing security questionnaires (SQs) and due diligence questionnaires (DDQs)

Loopio’s comprehensive features extend beyond AI text generation, allowing it to deliver tangible ROI throughout the response management process. 

Take Celonis, for example. As the company expanded globally, its team faced mounting challenges with the growing complexity and volume of RFPs. They needed a faster, more consistent way to respond. After trialing different providers, Loopio stood out as the clear choice—supporting the full process from importing and answering questions, to collaboration, tool integration, and final export.

Since adopting Loopio, Celonis has built a scalable system that automates first drafts, streamlines workflows, and enables 500+ global users to quickly access the information they need—in five different languages.

Loopio’s Key Features

Content Library & Knowledge Management	Centralize knowledge: Store approved answers and company information in one library, and use Loopio’s generative AI to quickly summarize content for different contexts. Find answers fast: Instantly pull relevant responses to recurring RFP questions, with full visibility into the source of each piece of content. Stay consistent, with flexibility: Ensure accuracy and consistency across every proposal while keeping the option to customize responses as needed.
AI-Assisted Drafting	Draft with confidence: Generate first drafts from your organization’s vetted content, complete with citations in your workspace. Tailor with purpose: Use Loopio’s AI to align responses with your proposal strategy and goals, minimizing editing time compared to generic AI outputs. Stay on brand: Apply custom AI prompts to automatically maintain your brand voice and ensure factual accuracy.
Collaboration Workflows	Streamline reviews: Use Loopio’s AI to identify the right SMEs across departments, assign them questions, and gather input with ease. Stay on track: Monitor deadlines and progress directly within the platform, backed by real-time insights. Work smarter together: Eliminate version-control issues and endless email threads by keeping all collaboration in one place, with full context for every contributor.
Content Maintenance & Compliance	Maintain accuracy: Leverage AI-powered cleanup tools to detect and eliminate outdated or duplicate content. Stay audit-ready: Depend on tracked changes and approval workflows to guarantee every response is ready for review. Meet compliance needs: Access the tools and safeguards required to uphold strict industry regulations.
Integrations	Connect your systems: Sync with CRM tools like Salesforce to extend the impact of AI across platforms. Democratize knowledge: Integrate with communication tools like Slack to seamlessly share trusted information across your organization. Deliver with ease: Export responses directly into Word, Excel, or web-based RFP portals.
Security & Privacy	Stay secure: Have trust in Loopio’s enterprise-grade data protection (SOC 2, GDPR). Maintain peace of mind: Rest assured your content stays private and is not used to train external AI models. Be in control: Tap into Loopio’s administrative controls to manage who can use AI features.

While Loopio offers a comprehensive suite of features, you might be wondering how it stacks up against the current AI darling, ChatGPT. In the next section, we’ll take a closer look at how to utilize such a general-purpose AI tool to give your response process a boost.

ChatGPT’s Key Features and Use Cases

Unlike Loopio, ChatGPT is not purpose-built for proposals. It’s best viewed as a general AI text generator that small teams can adapt for the ideation and drafting stages of proposal writing. 

ChatGPT is an excellent brainstorming partner for:

• Individuals experimenting with quick drafts
• Small teams that only occasionally respond to RFPs
• Situations where speed matters more than structure 

Whether you’re using the free version or paying for Business or Enterprise, ChatGPT still falls short on the governance, collaboration, and compliance features that proposal teams often require. The lack of security and privacy safeguards is especially risky for teams working in regulated industries or those with complex workflows.

Ultimately, unlocking time savings with ChatGPT hinges on applying the right prompts for proposal management that align with your team’s workflows and needs.

ChatGPT’s Key Features

AI Text Generation	Get started quickly: Generate responses in seconds from simple prompts. Draft variations: Rephrase answers or create multiple options to choose from. Boost productivity: Spark new ideas and overcome writer’s block when you’re stuck.
Flexibility	Apply broadly: Use ChatGPT for virtually any topic or industry. Begin immediately: Skip setup or onboarding and dive right in. Adapt easily: Handle different writing tasks beyond RFPs
Ease of Access	Access anywhere: Work from your browser or the mobile app. Try for free: Take advantage of the free plan or pay for heavier usage. Easy to use: Navigate a simple interface that requires no technical expertise.
Language & Tone Adaptability	Shift tone with ease: Adjust your tone from formal to casual or persuasive by entering simple prompts. Target audiences: Tailor draft responses to different readers. Requires human touch: ChatGPT outputs still require editing to match your company’s brand voice

ChatGPT offers flexibility and an easy way to streamline RFP writing. Its freemium model and instant access make it an appealing choice for many new AI users in the proposal field. While ChatGPT delivers many benefits, how does it measure up against a purpose-built RFP software like Loopio? Let’s take a closer look in the next section.

Key Differences Between Loopio and ChatGPT

Feature / Capability	Loopio	ChatGPT
Centralized Content Library	✅	❌
AI Uses Your Approved Content	✅	❌
Draft Answer Generation	✅	✅
Collaboration & Workflows	✅	❌
Compliance & Security (SOC 2, GDPR)	✅	❌
Integrations (CRM, Slack, RFP Portals)	✅	❌
Easy for Solo Brainstorming	❌	✅
Scalability for Teams	✅	❌
Risk of Data Exposure	❌	✅
Safe for Regulated Industries	✅	❌

Final Verdict: Loopio or ChatGPT—Which Is the Best Tool for RFPs?

Both ChatGPT and Loopio introduce AI efficiencies into the RFP process, but they serve very different purposes. ChatGPT is flexible and fast, making it a great option for individuals who need quick drafts, brainstorming help, or light support on lower-stakes proposals.

Loopio, in contrast, is purpose-built for proposal teams and designed to support the full RFP lifecycle—from capture to submission. With stronger collaboration, content governance, and compliance features, it provides the structure and reliability that ChatGPT simply doesn’t offer.

• When ChatGPT works best: solo users, light RFP needs, or teams experimenting with AI.
• When Loopio works best: teams managing frequent, complex, or regulated RFPs that demand accuracy, compliance, and efficiency.

Verdict: ChatGPT is a helpful supplement, but Loopio is the scalable solution. If your team’s goal is to consistently deliver accurate, compliant, and high-quality responses that win business, Loopio is the clear choice.