How to Use AI Tools Like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Copilot (And When Each One Makes Sense)

What is surprising is how many people are using powerful platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Microsoft Copilot without fully understanding what’s actually available inside each one or how differently they’re designed to be used.

Most people still treat large language models (LLMs) like a single chat box. LLMs are no longer just answering questions. They’re evolving into work environments, each optimized for different types of thinking, execution, and collaboration. Understanding those differences is quickly becoming a leadership skill.

This article breaks down what’s happening inside the major platforms, what each one is best at, and how to use them intentionally.

The question has changed. It’s no longer about which AI is best, but which AI is best for this job.

ChatGPT has evolved into one of the most flexible and expansive AI platforms available today.

Here’s how to think about the major components: GPTs, Projects, Tasks and Agents.

GPTs

Custom GPTs are where I stop repeating myself and start scaling how I think.

• Reusable roles – I’ve created a GPT that acts like a Michelin-star chef. This wasn’t just for fun. I’ve been using it as part of building a cookbook that blends cooking and AI, from technique to creativity to experimentation. The GPT understands the tone, approach, and standards I’m going for, which makes it far more useful than starting from a blank prompt every time. If that project sounds interesting to you, I’m sharing more details as the book gets closer to launch, and you can click here to be notified if it’s of interest!
• Consistent outputs – One of the most practical GPTs I’ve built helps craft job descriptions. Instead of reinventing the wheel for every role, this GPT ensures consistency in structure, tone, and expectations. That consistency matters more than people realize, especially when you’re growing a team and want roles to feel cohesive instead of one-off.
• Teaching AI how you think or work– This is where GPTs really shine. I’ve trained a custom GPT to understand my presentation style. It knows how I structure talks, how I pace information, and how I balance education with storytelling. Now, when I’m preparing for a presentation, I can give it: The topic. The audience. The key points I want to hit. And it helps me craft a strong outline that already sounds like me.

Think of GPTs as specialized team members.

Projects

Projects aren’t just for work. They’re for anything that benefits from memory, context, and continuity.

• Ongoing initiatives – Yes, I have a project for my dog. It knows his name, breed, age, and past health considerations. When I ask questions, I don’t have to re-explain everything. That context carries forward, which makes the guidance far more useful. It sounds simple, but this is the moment many people realize ChatGPT isn’t just answering questions. It’s remembering context.
• Client work – I use Projects heavily for Keystone Click. They help me document how we think about strategy, how we talk about growth, and how I communicate vision internally. Instead of starting from scratch every time, I’m building on a shared understanding. This has been especially helpful for aligning internal teams and pressure-testing ideas before they turn into action.
• Research threads – I’m currently taking a course through MIT on AI agents. I use a Project to keep my notes, explore concepts, and support assignments. It’s not just storage. It’s an active thinking partner that helps me connect ideas as I go.
• Long-term thinking – I have multiple book ideas floating around in my head. Whenever a thought pops up, I drop it into the appropriate Project. Over time, those scattered thoughts start to form patterns. That’s incredibly valuable when you’re working on something long-term but thinking about it in short bursts. Projects give random ideas a home.

Think of Projects as folders with memory.

Tasks

Tasks are not about doing more work. They’re about making sure the right work keeps happening. I use Tasks to support awareness, consistency, and follow-through, especially in areas where it’s easy to fall behind or skip steps when things get busy.

• Recurring analysis– I have a Task that sends me a daily “what’s new in AI” update. This isn’t about chasing every shiny object. It’s about staying aware of meaningful shifts without having to actively search for them every day.
• Checklists – I use Tasks as intelligent checklists. Before making decisions, publishing content, or moving projects forward, I rely on Tasks to prompt me to revisit core assumptions, check alignment with goals, and make sure nothing critical was skipped. This is especially useful when work is complex or collaborative. The checklist doesn’t replace thinking. It supports it.
• Operational consistency – Consistency is where most systems break down. I use Tasks to reinforce repeatable behaviors like reviewing key metrics, asking the same core questions across projects, and applying the same standards before approving work. This helps maintain quality and clarity, even as the workload increases.

Think of Tasks as lightweight process automation.

Agents

Agents are where AI shifts from being reactive to being proactive. That’s powerful. It’s also where people can get into trouble if they treat agents like decision-makers instead of support. I use Agents selectively, mainly for research, exploration, and delegated thinking, always with human oversight.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

• Research – I use Agents when I want to go broad before I go deep. For example, scanning how a topic is being discussed across industries and gathering high-level insights before narrowing focus.
• Exploration – Exploration is different from research. Here, I’ll ask an Agent to explore alternative approaches to a problem and identify risks, tradeoffs, or potential blind spots. This is especially useful early in strategy work, when I want to expand thinking before committing to a direction. Agents help me think wider, not decide faster.
• Delegated thinking – I’ll give an Agent a problem and ask it to think through it step-by-step and then challenge its assumptions. From there, I’ll ask it to propose options I might not consider. It’s not about outsourcing judgment. It’s about creating a thinking partner that can work ahead while I’m focused elsewhere. I still own the decision. The Agent supports the thinking.

Agents are great at covering ground quickly. I don’t expect them to be perfect. I expect them to surface starting points. Think of Agents as junior staff who can work ahead, with oversight.

Additional Capabilities

ChatGPT also supports:

• File and image analysis
• Web search
• Deep research
• Shopping research

The biggest mistake people make is underusing ChatGPT by treating it as a single-purpose chat.

Gemini really clicks for me when I stop thinking about it as a separate AI tool and start using it inside the tools I already rely on every day. I’m not going to Gemini to rethink how I work. I’m using it to make the work I’m already doing smoother and faster.

Most of my day lives in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, and that’s where Gemini shows up. I use it to clarify drafts in Docs, summarize long notes or meeting takeaways, pressure-test language before sharing it with clients or my internal team, and explore patterns or logic inside Sheets. When I’m working on presentations, it helps me speed up outline development and early slide structure so I can focus on the message instead of the mechanics.

What I appreciate most is that Gemini supports existing workflows instead of trying to replace them. Documents stay in Docs. Data stays in Sheets. Collaboration stays intact. That matters when you’re working with teams and shared files. AI should enhance the process, not create extra steps just to feel impressive.

The biggest value Gemini brings for me is reduced friction. Fewer context switches. Less copying and pasting. Faster iteration. Cleaner handoffs. Those small efficiencies add up quickly, especially over the course of a week.

NotebookLM

NotebookLM is what I use when I want AI to stay grounded. Instead of pulling from everywhere, it works only from the sources I give it. That changes the quality of the output immediately. I’m not guessing where information came from or whether it’s filling in gaps. It’s working from material I already trust.

I use it most for research, preparation, and synthesis. Long reports, internal docs, course material, or anything dense. It helps me surface key themes, answer specific questions, and prep for talks or workshops without rereading everything from scratch.

Gems

I think of Gems as role clarity for AI. Instead of starting from scratch every time, Gems let me define how I want Gemini to show up. The tone, the focus, and the lens it should use. Once that’s set, I don’t have to keep re-explaining myself.

I use Gems when I want consistency. For example, when I’m working on marketing or strategy inside Google Docs, a Gem that understands how I think gives me cleaner first passes and more relevant feedback. It’s not doing the thinking for me. It’s meeting me where I already am.

Gems are especially helpful when I’m moving quickly and don’t want to lose momentum. They reduce friction, cut down on repetition, and keep outputs aligned with my expectations.

If GPTs help me scale my thinking in ChatGPT, Gems help me keep Gemini focused and predictable. That alone makes them worth using.

Tasks and Actions

Tasks support recurring responsibilities. Actions allow Gemini to operate inside Docs, Gmail, Sheets, and Calendar.

This is where Gemini shines for Google-centric teams.

Inside Claude: Deep Thinking and Long Context

I’ll be upfront. I use Claude, but not as often as I use ChatGPT or Gemini. That’s not a knock on Claude. It’s a reflection of what I use each tool for.

When I do open Claude, it’s usually because I need deeper thinking, longer context, or careful reasoning. Claude is especially strong when the work requires nuance and patience instead of speed.

Chats

I use Claude chats when I want to explore an idea thoughtfully or work through something complex without the conversation drifting. It’s calm, focused, and very good at staying on track over long discussions, which makes it ideal for nuanced exploration rather than quick answers.

Projects

Projects in Claude are useful when I’m working on a long-term strategy or complex problem-solving. Grouping related work together helps maintain continuity, especially when the thinking unfolds over time. Claude does well when it can sit with a problem and revisit it from multiple angles.

Artifacts

Artifacts are where Claude really shines for me. These structured outputs live outside the chat and make it easier to work on substantial pieces like writing, strategy documents, frameworks, or even code. It separates the thinking from the output, which keeps things cleaner and more intentional.

Code

I’ve also found Claude to be strong for coding support. It’s thoughtful in how it analyzes and explains code, with an emphasis on clarity and safety over clever shortcuts. That makes it a solid partner when accuracy matters.

Custom Roles

Claude doesn’t offer persistent custom roles like GPTs or Gems. Instead, it relies on strong reasoning and large context windows. Because of that, I think of Claude less as a platform of tools and more as a thinking partner.

I’ll be transparent. I’ve only dabbled in Microsoft Copilot.

We’re not a Microsoft shop, so I don’t live in it day to day. I keep a free account primarily for testing and understanding how it works, especially since so many teams and organizations rely heavily on Microsoft tools.

What’s important to understand about Copilot is that it’s not designed to be a standalone AI destination. It’s embedded directly into Microsoft’s ecosystem, and that’s where its value comes from.

In Word, Copilot helps with drafting, editing, and summarizing documents directly where the work already lives. In Excel, it supports data analysis, explains formulas, and helps identify trends without requiring deep technical knowledge. In PowerPoint, it can turn ideas or documents into slide outlines and early drafts. In Outlook, it assists with email drafting and summarizes long threads. And in Teams, it captures meeting summaries and action items so conversations don’t disappear once the call ends.

If Microsoft is your world, this is where I’ll happily point you to someone who lives and breathes it. My good friend Jennifer Buchholz of Excel & Flourish is my go-to for all things Microsoft and Copilot. If you’re trying to unlock what’s possible inside that ecosystem, she’s the person you want in your corner.

The Most Important Takeaway

There is no single best LLM. There is only the right tool for the right job.

The teams getting the most value from AI aren’t chasing features. They’re designing systems, defining roles, and using each platform intentionally.

LLMs are no longer just tools. They’re collaborators.

Frequently Asked Questions About AI Tools Like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Copilot

What is the difference between ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Copilot?

The biggest difference between these AI platforms is how they are designed to support work. ChatGPT functions as a flexible workspace with features like custom GPTs, projects, tasks, and research tools. Gemini focuses on enhancing productivity inside Google’s ecosystem, working directly in Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Gmail. Claude is known for deep reasoning, long-context conversations, and thoughtful writing support. Microsoft Copilot integrates AI directly into Microsoft applications like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams. Each tool is built to complement a different environment or style of work.

What is the best AI tool to use for work?

There isn’t a single AI platform that is best for every task. Each major tool is designed with different strengths. ChatGPT excels as a flexible workspace for research, writing, and building custom assistants. Gemini works particularly well for teams operating inside Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides. Claude is strong for deep reasoning, long-form thinking, and careful analysis. Microsoft Copilot is best suited for organizations that already rely heavily on Microsoft tools like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams. The most effective approach is choosing the tool that best fits the work you are doing.

When should I use ChatGPT instead of other AI tools?

ChatGPT is often the most flexible platform when you need a broad set of capabilities in one place. It supports custom GPTs, project-based workflows, recurring tasks, research assistance, file analysis, and web exploration. Many teams use ChatGPT as a central thinking and execution environment where ideas can be developed, refined, and organized over time.

What makes Gemini different from other AI tools?

Gemini stands out because it operates directly inside Google’s productivity ecosystem. Instead of requiring users to switch between platforms, Gemini assists within Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Gmail, and Calendar. This makes it especially useful for teams collaborating in shared documents, analyzing data in spreadsheets, or building presentations without leaving their existing workflow.

What is Claude best used for?

Claude is particularly well-suited for complex reasoning, long-context conversations, and thoughtful exploration of ideas. It tends to perform well when working through nuanced strategy discussions, drafting detailed writing, analyzing large documents, or explaining code. Many users rely on Claude when the goal is careful thinking rather than quick answers.

How does Microsoft Copilot fit into the AI landscape?

Microsoft Copilot is designed as an embedded assistant across Microsoft’s software ecosystem. It works inside applications like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams to help draft documents, analyze data, summarize conversations, and create presentations. For organizations that operate primarily within Microsoft tools, Copilot can integrate AI support directly into everyday work processes.

Do businesses need to choose just one AI platform?

Most organizations benefit from using more than one AI tool. Different platforms are optimized for different types of work. For example, a team might use ChatGPT for research and strategic thinking, Gemini for collaboration in shared documents, and Copilot for internal Microsoft workflows. The key is designing intentional systems for when and how each tool is used.

Can you use multiple AI tools together?

Yes. Many professionals intentionally use multiple AI platforms as part of a broader workflow. For example, someone might use ChatGPT for research and ideation, Gemini to refine documents inside Google Docs, Claude for deeper analysis of complex topics, and Copilot when working inside Microsoft applications. Using the right tool for the right task can significantly improve efficiency and clarity.

Are AI tools replacing human decision-making?

AI platforms are best used as collaborators rather than decision-makers. They can help generate ideas, analyze information, and explore options quickly, but human judgment remains essential. The most effective teams treat AI as a thinking partner that supports creativity, strategy, and problem-solving rather than replacing leadership or expertise.

What skills do professionals need to work effectively with AI tools?

The most valuable skill is learning how to use AI intentionally. This includes understanding which tool fits a specific type of work, designing repeatable workflows, and providing clear context when interacting with AI systems. Professionals who treat AI as a collaborator, rather than a novelty, tend to see the greatest productivity gains.

Ready to explore how AI can support your business goals?

AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Copilot can be powerful collaborators when they’re implemented intentionally and aligned with the way your organization works. If you’d like help identifying where AI can create the most impact across your marketing, operations, or strategic planning, our team at Keystone Click would be happy to talk. Visit our Contact page to schedule a consultation and start a conversation about how AI tools can support smarter workflows, better decisions, and sustainable growth for your business.