Finding Your Go-To AI Tool
Comparing Popular Generative AI Tools
Generative AI tools can be valuable allies in course design, instructional planning, research support, and day-to-day academic work. Each platform offers unique strengths and limitations, and the “best” tool often depends on your specific goals. Below is an overview of ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude, Perplexity, and Google Gemini, along with a chart comparing their features and capabilities.
ChatGPT (OpenAI)
ChatGPT is one of the most widely used AI tools, known for its adaptability. It’s strong at generating ideas, lesson plans, drafts, conversational explanations, and quick content creation. The free version is web-based, while premium tiers offer faster performance and advanced models.
- Best for: Brainstorming, flexible writing support, interactive use
- Limitations: Can generate inaccurate information (“hallucinations”)
Google Gemini
Google Gemini is Google’s advanced AI assistant that integrates closely with Google Workspace (Docs, Gmail, Drive). It offers strong multimodal understanding (text, images, structured data) and real-time factual reasoning. Its capabilities include research synthesis, contextual summarization, and productivity features within Google apps.
- Best for: Research support, workspace integration, multimodal tasks
- Limitations: Most effective within the Google ecosystem
Copilot (Microsoft)
Copilot is embedded into Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook). It’s ideal for automating structured tasks, summarizing content, generating drafts, and analyzing data directly within Microsoft applications.
- Best for: Office productivity automation and task support
- Limitations: Tightly bound to the Microsoft ecosystem
Claude (Anthropic)
Claude is known for its more conversational tone and ability to handle large bodies of text. It’s effective for summarizing long documents, generating organized reports, and brainstorming with safety guardrails in place.
- Best for: Deep document work, structured summaries
- Limitations: Slower and fewer integrations than some competitors
Perplexity
Perplexity is a research-oriented AI that uses web search to provide responses with citations and links to original sources. This makes it useful for fact-checking and literature exploration.
- Best for: Research support, source-linked answers
- Limitations: Answers can be surface-level without follow-up
Comparison Chart
| Feature / Capability | ChatGPT | Google Gemini | Copilot | Claude | Perplexity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Integration | Web/app + plugins | Google Workspace | Microsoft 365 | Web/API | Web search |
| Best Use Cases | Creative work & drafting | Research, docs, multimodal tasks | Office automation & summaries | Deep text analysis | Fact-finding with citations |
| Strengths | Versatile & creative | Contextual reasoning & productivity | Structured task efficiency | Long-form summarization | Real-time sourced information |
| Limitations | Accuracy variability | Best when used within Google tools | Microsoft ecosystem only | Fewer integrations | Surface-level narrative |
Key Takeaways for Faculty
- Match the tool to the task: Gemini and Perplexity excel at research; Copilot for productivity workflows; Claude for depth; ChatGPT for creative flexibility.
- All tools can produce errors — use them as supports, not authoritative sources.
- Be mindful of data privacy and sensitive information when using any AI assistant.
Experimenting with these tools will help you determine which best fits your workflow and instructional needs.