Most people who start with AI begin with ChatGPT. That makes sense. It’s the most well-known, it’s free, and it’s genuinely good at a wide range of things. But after a few weeks of using it, a lot of people start noticing other names coming up. Gemini. Perplexity. Copilot. Midjourney. Claude. And they wonder: what are all these, and should I be using them instead?

The short answer is that different AI tools are built for different things. ChatGPT is excellent at conversation and general tasks. Perplexity is specifically designed for searching the web with AI. Midjourney creates images. Copilot is built into Microsoft’s tools that many people already use at work. Each one has a specific strength, and knowing roughly what each does helps you pick the right one for what you actually need.

This page gives you a plain-English overview of each tool. Every one also has a dedicated guide that goes into much more detail if you want to explore further.

ChatGPT: The Starting Point for Most People

Made by OpenAI. Free to use with optional paid upgrade. Best for general conversation, writing help, explanations, planning, and everyday tasks. The most flexible of the tools listed here and the best starting point if you haven’t tried AI yet. We have a full beginner’s series dedicated to it, starting with: How to Sign Up for ChatGPT.

Google Gemini: AI From the People Who Made Google

Gemini is Google’s AI tool. It’s directly integrated with Google Search and Google’s other products, which means it can pull in current information from the web in a way that many AI tools can’t by default. If you use Gmail, Google Docs, or Google Calendar, Gemini can work directly inside those tools to help you write, summarize, and organize.

For people who already live in the Google ecosystem, Gemini is worth knowing about. It’s free with a Google account. Full guide: Google Gemini for Beginners: What It Is and How to Use It.

Perplexity: AI That Searches the Web for You

Perplexity is different from the other tools here. Instead of generating responses from its training data alone, it searches the web in real time and synthesizes what it finds into a clear answer with sources. Think of it as a hybrid between a search engine and a chatbot.

It’s particularly useful when you want current information, when you want to know where an answer comes from, or when you’re researching something and want both a clear explanation and links to the original sources. Free to use. Full guide: Perplexity AI for Beginners: The AI Search Engine Explained.

Microsoft Copilot: AI Built Into Tools You Might Already Use

Copilot is Microsoft’s AI assistant. If you use Windows, Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams), or a Surface device, you may already have access to it. It’s built directly into those applications, which means instead of switching to a separate website, you get AI help while you’re already working on a document or reading your email.

For people who use Microsoft products regularly at work or at home, Copilot can be one of the most practical starting points because it fits into what you’re already doing. Full guide: Microsoft Copilot for Beginners: AI Already on Your Computer.

Midjourney: AI That Creates Images

Midjourney is completely different from the other tools here. It doesn’t answer questions or help with writing. It creates images from text descriptions. You type something like “a cozy kitchen on a rainy afternoon with warm lighting” and it generates a photorealistic or artistic image based on that description.

It’s used by creative professionals, hobbyists, and anyone who wants to visualize an idea without needing design skills. It requires a paid subscription. Full guide: Midjourney for Beginners: How to Create AI Images.

Claude: A Thoughtful Alternative to ChatGPT

Claude is made by a company called Anthropic. Like ChatGPT, it’s a conversational AI that helps with writing, explanations, analysis, and general tasks. Many people who use both find Claude particularly good at longer, more nuanced tasks and at explaining its reasoning clearly. It has a free version and a paid tier.

If you’ve been using ChatGPT and want to try something slightly different, Claude is worth experimenting with. Full guide: Claude AI for Beginners: How It Compares to ChatGPT.

Which One Should You Start With?

If you haven’t tried AI at all yet: start with ChatGPT. It’s the most flexible, the most documented, and the easiest to get started with. Everything in our beginner’s series applies to it directly.

If you already use ChatGPT and want to try something new: Gemini if you’re a Google user, Copilot if you’re a Microsoft user, Perplexity if you want current information with sources.

If you want to create images rather than text: Midjourney is the most well-known option.

There’s no wrong answer. The best AI tool is the one you actually use for things that genuinely help you.

Sources & Further Reading

• ChatGPT – OpenAI
• Google Gemini
• Perplexity AI
• Microsoft Copilot
• Midjourney
• Claude – Anthropic