Which AI should you actually learn?

A calm, capable assistant that's exceptional at writing, reasoning, and getting real work done.

What it is

A chat assistant you talk to in plain language. It's known for the highest-quality writing and clear thinking, and it can connect to your tools to actually do tasks — not just answer questions.

How to use it

Go to claude.ai, sign up free, and type what you need like you'd text a smart colleague. Tell it about your business once and it tailors everything to you. This is the tool my course is built around.

Best for

Writing emails, content, and proposals; thinking through decisions; building repeatable systems and automations for your business.

The popular all-rounder — the one most people try first.

What it is

The most widely used AI assistant. It does a bit of everything well — writing, brainstorming, summarizing, images, voice — and has the strongest free version of the bunch.

How to use it

Go to chatgpt.com or get the app, sign up free, and start typing. Great for quick, everyday questions and first drafts.

Best for

Everyday tasks, brainstorming, quick marketing copy, and getting comfortable with AI for the first time.

Google's AI, built into the apps you may already use.

What it is

Google's assistant. Its superpower is living inside Google Workspace — it can read your Gmail, write in Docs, and crunch numbers in Sheets — plus it has a generous free tier with voice and video features.

How to use it

Go to gemini.google.com, or look for the Gemini button inside Gmail and Docs if you use Google for work.

Best for

People who run their business on Gmail, Google Docs, and Sheets and want AI right where they already work.

A research engine that shows its sources.

What it is

Think of it as a smarter search engine. It reads the live web and gives you a written answer with links to every source it used, so you can trust and double-check it.

How to use it

Go to perplexity.ai and ask a question like you'd ask a researcher. Click the cited links to verify anything important.

Best for

Researching markets, competitors, products, or any topic where you need current facts with real sources.

AI built into Microsoft Office.

What it is

Microsoft's assistant, woven into Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams. It can write documents, build spreadsheet formulas, summarize meetings, and turn data into slides.

How to use it

Free version at copilot.microsoft.com or built into Windows. The in-app features need a Microsoft 365 subscription (*$20/mo Copilot Pro, or $30/user for business).

Best for

Teams and businesses that live in Microsoft Office, especially heavy Excel and Teams users.

The real-time one, wired into X (Twitter).

What it is

An assistant from xAI that's plugged into X, so it's strongest on live, up-to-the-minute information — trends, breaking news, and what people are saying right now.

How to use it

Available inside X (Twitter) or at grok.com. Full access comes with an X Premium+ subscription.

Best for

Social listening, current events, and PR or marketing where knowing what's trending today matters.

A marketing-copy tool, not a general assistant.

What it is

If you've heard of "Jarvis," this is it — it rebranded to Jasper a few years back. It's purpose-built for marketing teams to crank out blog posts, ads, and social content in a consistent brand voice.

How to use it

Sign up at jasper.ai, set up your brand voice, and use its templates for specific marketing formats. It's a paid tool aimed at content teams.

Best for

Marketing teams producing a high volume of on-brand content. For most beginners, a general tool like Claude or ChatGPT covers this for free.