In today's tech-driven workspace, artificial intelligence tools have become indispensable for boosting productivity. However, finding the right tools for specific tasks often requires extensive trial and error. This article breaks down the capabilities of five essential AI tools—ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, and NotebookLM—and what each does best.

Everyday AI Tools

Everyday AI tools serve as general-purpose chatbots designed for a wide variety of tasks like generating written content, creating code, or organizing ideas. Among the most popular tools in this category are ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude. While they may seem interchangeable at first glance, each brings distinct advantages to the table.

ChatGPT: The Obedient Taskmaster

Strength: Accuracy in following instructions

ChatGPT continues to lead the market when it comes to executing complex, multi-step tasks without missing a beat. According to the video’s creator, ChatGPT, also known as GPT-4, is unmatched in obedience compared to competitors like Gemini and Claude. For tasks that have a lot of moving parts—such as optimizing lengthy prompts, creating detailed hiring rubrics, or following specific workflows—ChatGPT delivers better results by meticulously sticking to the instructions provided.

In one test, the creator asked both ChatGPT and Gemini to create a hiring rubric featuring a dozen requirements. While Gemini missed a few critical elements in its output, ChatGPT produced a thorough, error-free document. This attention to detail makes ChatGPT the go-to tool for users with precision-heavy projects.

Another useful feature is its reliable web search capability. For instance, when explicitly asked to perform a web search, ChatGPT consistently does so without glitches or hesitations, unlike Gemini.

Gemini: A Multimodal Powerhouse

Strength: Handling text, image, audio, and video inputs

Gemini distinguishes itself with its multimodal functionality, excelling in processing multimedia data such as audio, video, images, and text. Unlike other AI tools, Gemini can seamlessly integrate different media types into one cohesive output.

For example, if you upload a recording of a meeting, a 20-slide presentation, and a photo of a whiteboard discussion, Gemini can analyze all three inputs simultaneously. It would then generate a concise summary, highlight key decisions, and even draft a follow-up email—all in one step. Its one-million-token context window allows Gemini to process hours of audio or video and large text files without breaking a sweat.

It's important to note that while it's impressive with mixed-media tasks, Gemini's raw reasoning capabilities are slightly behind ChatGPT. Still, for projects involving multimedia, Gemini is the clear winner.

Claude: Master of First Drafts

Strengths: High-quality initial drafts of text and code

Claude's key strength lies in providing polished first drafts of both text and code. This attribute makes it highly valuable for professionals who need quick, ready-to-edit documents or functional code with minimal debugging.

In one instance mentioned in the video, Claude successfully wrote a working Go script in response to a user request to export data from a customer service platform. The results demonstrated its reliability in coding, as it produced functional code on the very first try. Even benchmarks have found that, while Gemini surpasses Claude in most areas, Claude outperforms it in coding capabilities.

Beyond coding, Claude is also excellent at polishing text. For content creators, marketers, or anyone who needs to refine written materials, this tool will save time by understanding and mimicking specific tones and styles. If you provide examples of your existing work, Claude can generate content that matches your unique voice.

Using Everyday AI Tools Together

For users juggling multiple tasks, combining these tools can optimize results. According to the creator:

• Use ChatGPT or Gemini during the early stages for brainstorming and planning.
• Transition to Claude for finalizing drafts and refining output.

For individuals on a budget, sticking with the paid version of ChatGPT is often sufficient. However, for those with more intricate workflows, leveraging all three provides maximum efficiency.

Specialist AI Tools

While everyday AI tools can handle a variety of tasks, specialist AI tools are designed with narrower, highly specific use cases in mind. Two standout options in this category are Perplexity and NotebookLM.

Perplexity: Speedy, Accurate Information Retrieval

Strength: Quickly finding precise information

Perplexity is tailored for users who need accurate, fast retrieval of specific facts. Unlike ChatGPT or Gemini, which excel at brainstorming and evaluating complex problems, Perplexity is optimized for "grab-and-go" searches. It's an excellent tool to replace traditional web searches for fact-checking or quick queries.

For example, while planning a trip to Japan, Perplexity excelled at determining if specific restaurants were tourist-friendly—a task requiring updated, pinpoint-accurate information. It can also verify factual details, like the number of tokens Gemini allows in consumer or enterprise versions.

A practical tip for power users is to employ Google-style search operators such as site:reddit.com to narrow search results to specific websites.

NotebookLM: No-Hallucination Answers

Strength: Answers derived solely from uploaded sources

NotebookLM stands out for its "walled garden" approach, where it only generates answers based on the sources you upload. This minimizes inaccuracies and prevents hallucinations, making it perfect for projects that require citation-proof accuracy.

For instance, the video’s creator used NotebookLM to verify marketing materials by checking them against source documents for undiscovered discrepancies. Similarly, the tool can ensure that research scripts or drafts are grounded in source material and free of unsupported claims. Keep in mind that the reliability of the output depends entirely on the quality of the uploaded sources.

The Right Tools for the Right Tasks

Each AI tool has a specific role to play in enhancing productivity:

Tool	Key Strength	Best Use Case
ChatGPT	Precision and obedience to detailed instructions	Tasks with complex requirements
Gemini	Multimodal analytics across text, audio, video, and images	Media-heavy projects
Claude	Creating polished first drafts of text or error-free code	Writing or coding with minimal revisions
Perplexity	Fast, accurate fact-finding searches	Information retrieval
NotebookLM	Verifiable answers using user-provided sources only	Research and fact-checking

Practical Takeaways

1. ChatGPT: Ideal for detailed, multi-step tasks requiring strict compliance to instructions.
2. Gemini: The premier choice for tasks requiring multimedia integration, like producing reports from video, audio, and slides.
3. Claude: Streamlines code generation and produces human-like prose with minimal revisions.
4. Perplexity: A strong alternative to traditional search engines for fast, precise queries.
5. NotebookLM: Excellent for research tasks requiring strictly source-based answers.

If you're just starting out with AI tools, focus on mastering one reliable choice like ChatGPT. For specialized workflows or tasks that span multiple domains, consider investing in complementary subscriptions to leverage these tools' diverse strengths.

Stay tuned for part two of this guide, where other game-changing AI tools will be discussed in depth.