This document summarizes research comparing the performance of variable parameter nonlinear PID (NL-PID) and genetic algorithm (GA) based PID controllers. The NL-PID controller changes its own parameters over time based on an error function, while the GA-PID controller uses a genetic algorithm to optimize PID parameters to minimize an objective function like mean squared error. Simulation results showed that both the NL-PID and GA-PID controllers had better performance than a traditional Ziegler-Nichols PID controller in terms of smaller rise time, overshoot and settling time, as well as lower values for performance indices like integrated squared error. The GA-PID controller provided the best performance of the three controllers tested.