Which AI assistant should you use? A simple way to choose
ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot and others all change quickly, so any ranking goes stale. A better approach is a short test with your own tasks, which takes about twenty minutes.
Updated . General information for everyday use, not professional advice.
Pick three real tasks
Choose things you actually do. For example:
- Draft or tidy an email you need to send.
- Explain something you half-understand, such as a section of a letter or a concept for a course.
- Make a plan, such as a week of meals or a to-do list.
Run the same prompts in two or three assistants
Use the same wording each time and keep notes. Look at how well it fit your situation, how clear it was, whether it asked sensible questions, and how it handled a follow-up like "make it shorter".
Compare what matters to you
- Answer quality for your tasks, not benchmark scores
- How easy it is to use on your phone and computer
- Privacy settings you are comfortable with (see our privacy checklist)
- Free-plan limits and whether paid features are worth it for you