Start free, and try at least two

You asked: Which AI tools help most?

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From the talk

You do not need to pay for anything to start. Here is what the free versions offer as of October 2026. ChatGPT is the most popular, with a huge community and a good voice mode, but the free version holds less of a long document at once.

Claude is my personal favorite. It is more careful with health information and very good with long documents, but you may hit the daily limit faster. Gemini pulls in current information from Google and is strong with photos and images.

Copilot works without even signing in, but Copilot inside Word and Outlook needs a paid Microsoft 365 plan. Perplexity shows its sources on every answer, so it is great for checking what another AI told you. My advice: sign up for two or three, ask the same question in each, and compare the answers.

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Platform | What the free version gives you | Best for
ChatGPT | Unlimited everyday chat; limited file uploads, pictures, voice and deep research | Everyday questions and voice chats
Claude | Chat, file uploads, web search and memory; lower daily limits | Long documents like discharge papers
Gemini | Chat, Gems (like projects), voice, image creation, limited deep research | Current information from Google, photos
Copilot | Free on web and apps; voice and images with a free Microsoft account | Quick web answers, Windows users
Perplexity | Unlimited basic searches, a few advanced searches a day, sources on every answer | Checking facts and finding sources
Free plans change often. Checked October 2026; confirm on each website.

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