Start with the task, not the leaderboard
A useful assistant reduces friction in something you already do. Pick one repeatable task: drafting a customer email, understanding a technical concept, or turning notes into a plan. Define a good result before comparing tools.
Use the same brief
Give each tool the same context, constraints and output request. Include the reader, purpose, tone and facts that must appear. For research, ask which claims need verification and request sources you can inspect. Share confidential material only when your organization permits the service and account you are using.
Compare what you can check
Read the answer as an editor. Does it follow the brief? Does it invent details? How much rewriting does it need? Inspect and run proposed code in an appropriate development environment. For factual work, open original sources. A confident tone is not evidence.
Find a place for each tool
ChatGPT and Claude are starting points for conversational drafting and explanation. Perplexity can help begin a source-oriented search. These are task suggestions, not rankings; your best fit depends on the work and results you can verify.
Keep a small decision log
Record the task, prompt, result and corrections. Compare several realistic examples instead of one impressive demonstration. Start with available free plans and check ChatGPT, Claude and Perplexity for current limits before paying.
Choose the workflow that consistently produces usable results with reasonable review effort. Revisit the choice when your needs change.
