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Issue #20 • November 3, 2026
ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Copilot or Grok: Which One Should You Use?
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It's the question I get in every class: "There are so many of these AI tools. Which one should I actually use?"
I answered it back in Issue #6. A lot has changed since then. Just last month, Google quietly made the free version of Gemini weaker. So here's the updated, honest answer.
The short version: they're all good, and they're closer than the ads suggest. The real difference isn't which one is "smartest." It's which one fits the way you already live.
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Pick by Where You Already Live
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ChatGPT — The all-rounder. If you only use one, start here.
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Gemini — Best if you live in Gmail, Google Docs or Google Photos.
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Claude — The strongest writer, and great with long documents. No ads.
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Copilot — Already built into Windows and Edge. Fine for quick questions.
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Grok — Its edge is live posts from X (formerly Twitter). Most of you can skip it.
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One thing most comparisons leave out: the free version of each tool runs a smaller, lighter model than the paid one. Free ChatGPT now shows ads. And since October 9, free Gemini only gets Google's smallest model.
None of that makes free bad. It means free is great for everyday questions, and you should check its work a little harder when the stakes go up. Same rule as Issue #18: the higher the stakes, the more you verify.
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This Week's Tip
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Run a taste test.
Take one real question from your week, like a tricky email you need to write or a trip you're planning, and ask it in two different tools. Copy and paste the exact same words.
You'll learn more in five minutes than from any review, including this one.
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Want the full picture? This week's Go-Deeper Guide puts all five side by side: what each is best at, what the free version really gets you, when it's worth paying, which one to use for which job, and where each one's privacy switch lives.
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Read the Go-Deeper Guide →
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Free Live Zoom Class • One Week Away
Using ChatGPT on Your Phone
Tuesday, November 10 at 10 am Pacific. I'll show you on screen, step by step, and you can ask questions as we go. Can't make it live? Register anyway and I'll send you the recording.
Save My Spot →
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Your turn: which AI tool do you use most, and why? Email me at gary@aiunlocked.us and tell me. I'm curious whether my readers match the reviewers.
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Stay curious.
Gary
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AI Unlocked | Your trusted guide on the AI journey
aiunlocked.us
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