AI for the Curious · aiforthecurious.comSection 02 · last reviewed 2026-09-24
Cheatsheet: Getting to know the major assistants
Who makes the main AI assistants, what each is good at, and how to switch without starting over. One page, free for everyone.
Section 02 · last reviewed 2026-09-24 · assistant facts as of September 2026
Say the answer in your head, then tap the card to check.
Key terms
- Claude
- by Anthropic: long, careful writing and documents
- ChatGPT
- by OpenAI: all-rounder; voice, pictures, files
- Gemini
- by Google: works with Gmail, Docs, Drive (when allowed)
- Grok
- by SpaceXAI (formerly xAI): recent posts and trends on X
- Microsoft Copilot
- by Microsoft: inside Word, Excel, Outlook (Microsoft 365 plan) and a free app
- Free plan
- every main assistant has one, with limits
- Memory
- details carried between chats, when switched on
- Connected apps
- the assistant can read your email or documents
When this happens, do this
| When… | Do this |
|---|---|
| Your work lives in Word and Outlook | Try Copilot (with a Microsoft 365 plan). |
| Your work lives in Gmail and Docs | Try Gemini, and review what you allow. |
| You want feedback on a long draft | Try Claude, with clear criteria. |
| You want to talk it through out loud | Use a voice mode (ChatGPT, Gemini). |
| You want what people are posting now | Grok, then check a reliable source. |
| You hit a free-plan limit mid-task | Ask for a summary and switch. |
Copy-ready
Switching mid-task
Here's a summary of what we've worked out so far:
[paste the summary]
Please continue from here. Next I need: [what you need].
A request that works anywhere
[Summarize / Write / Plan] [what] for [who, and what's going on].
Please give it as [shape: 3 bullets, a short email, a table].
Get the summary to carry over
Summarize everything we've decided so far in 5 bullet points, so I can continue in another assistant.
Setting up a new assistant
- Use a free plan; only create accounts you want.
- Find the settings and the chat history.
- Find the data and privacy controls before pasting anything personal.
- Check the minimum age in its terms.
What travels with you
- Comes with you: the way you ask, steer, correct, and check.
- Stays behind: chat history, memory, settings, uploaded files.
Never do this
- Paste private details before checking an assistant's data settings.
- Treat trending posts as facts.
- Give an assistant your password.
- Stay loyal to one assistant when it's weak at the job.
From the lessons: The Major AI Assistants