Your First AI Conversations
Hands-on: using ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity. Prompt basics and platform comparison.
The best way to learn AI is to use it. In this module, you'll get hands-on experience with the four leading AI chat platforms — ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity. You'll learn how to write effective prompts, compare how different platforms respond to the same questions, and build the habits that separate productive AI users from frustrated ones.
Meet the Four Major Platforms
Each AI chat platform has a different personality, different strengths, and different design philosophies. Think of them as four highly capable assistants, each with their own specialties. Here's what you need to know before your first conversation:
ChatGPT
chatgpt.comGPT-5.4 by OpenAI
Versatile and conversational. ChatGPT was the first AI chatbot to go mainstream and remains the most widely used. It handles a broad range of tasks well — from drafting emails to explaining complex topics to generating images with its built-in GPT Image capabilities. Its tone tends to be friendly and eager to help.
Best for: General-purpose tasks, creative writing, brainstorming, image generation
Pricing: Free tier available with GPT-5.4 (usage limits). Plus subscription at $20/month for higher limits and advanced features.
Claude
claude.aiClaude 4.6 Sonnet by Anthropic
Thoughtful and thorough. Claude is built by Anthropic, a safety-focused AI lab. It excels at analyzing long documents (up to 1 million tokens of context), careful step-by-step reasoning, and nuanced writing. Claude tends to be more measured in its responses and is more likely to acknowledge uncertainty.
Best for: Analysis, long documents, careful reasoning, coding, safety-conscious responses
Pricing: Free tier available with Claude 4.6 Sonnet. Pro subscription at $20/month for higher usage and access to Claude 4.6 Opus.
Gemini
gemini.google.comGemini 3.1 by Google DeepMind
Connected and multimodal. Gemini is deeply integrated with Google's ecosystem — it can access Google Search, analyze YouTube videos, work with Google Docs, and pull from real-time information. Its strength is combining text, images, and web data in ways other platforms cannot.
Best for: Google integration, multimodal tasks, real-time information, YouTube analysis
Pricing: Free tier available with Gemini 3.1 Flash. Advanced subscription at $20/month for Gemini 3.1 Pro and extended features.
Perplexity
perplexity.aiMultiple models (including its own Sonar models)
Research-oriented and citation-heavy. Perplexity is purpose-built for research and information retrieval. Every answer includes numbered citations linking to source material, making it easy to verify claims. Think of it as an AI-powered research engine rather than a general chatbot.
Best for: Research, fact-checking, cited answers, exploring topics with sources
Pricing: Free tier available with standard search. Pro subscription at $20/month for Pro Search with deeper analysis.
Prompt Basics: How to Ask Good Questions
A "prompt" is simply the text you type into an AI chat. The quality of the response you get is directly tied to the quality of your prompt. This is not because AI is finicky — it's because AI takes your words literally and tries to give you exactly what you ask for.
Great prompts share three characteristics: they are specific, they provide context, and they state the desired format.
| Element | What It Means | Weak Example | Strong Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Specificity | Say exactly what you want | "Tell me about marketing" | "Explain three email marketing strategies for a small bakery with a budget under $200/month" |
| Context | Share relevant background | "Write me a cover letter" | "Write a cover letter for a project manager role at a tech startup. I have 5 years of experience in operations and recently earned my PMP certification." |
| Format | Specify how you want the answer | "What are healthy foods?" | "List 10 high-protein breakfast options in a table with columns for food, protein grams, and prep time" |
Your First Exercise: The Same Question, Four Platforms
The best way to understand each platform's strengths is to ask them all the same question and compare the results. Try each of the following prompts on all four platforms and notice the differences.
The Research Question
Prompt: "What are the main arguments for and against remote work in 2026? Include specific studies or data points where possible."
What to notice: Perplexity will include numbered citations to real sources. ChatGPT will give a balanced overview with broad data points. Claude will provide a nuanced, well-structured analysis. Gemini may pull in recent Google Search results for current data.
The Creative Task
Prompt: "Write a short story (200 words) about a robot who discovers it can dream. Make it emotional and surprising."
What to notice: ChatGPT tends to be more creative and willing to take risks with narrative structure. Claude often produces more literary and emotionally layered prose. Gemini and Perplexity may produce competent but more straightforward stories.
The Practical Task
Prompt: "I'm planning a 7-day trip to Japan in October. I love food and history but dislike crowds. Create a day-by-day itinerary with specific restaurant recommendations."
What to notice: Gemini may integrate Google Maps data and real-time information. ChatGPT produces detailed, well-organized itineraries. Claude will likely include thoughtful considerations about crowd avoidance. Perplexity will cite travel sources.
The Analysis Task
Prompt: "Compare the pros and cons of buying vs. renting a home in a mid-sized U.S. city in 2026, considering current interest rates and housing market trends. Present your analysis as a structured comparison."
What to notice: Claude tends to produce well-structured, thorough comparisons that acknowledge complexity. Perplexity will reference current market data with sources. ChatGPT provides a comprehensive overview. Gemini may pull in current real estate data.
Common Beginner Mistakes
Almost everyone makes the same mistakes when they start using AI. Recognizing these patterns will immediately improve your results:
Being too vague
Instead of: "Help me with my resume"
Try: "Review the experience section of my resume for a senior marketing role. I want to emphasize data-driven results. Here is my current resume: [paste text]"
Why it matters: AI has no way to read your mind. The more specific you are, the more useful the response.
Not providing context
Instead of: "Is this a good business idea?"
Try: "I'm considering starting a mobile dog grooming service in Austin, TX. My target customers are busy professionals with dogs over 30 lbs. I have $10,000 to invest. What are the strengths and weaknesses of this idea?"
Why it matters: Without context, AI can only give generic advice. Your specific situation changes everything.
Expecting perfection on the first try
Instead of: Getting a mediocre response and giving up
Try: Treat AI conversations as iterative. Say "That's close, but make it more formal" or "Expand on point #3" or "Start over with a different approach."
Why it matters: AI conversations are meant to be back-and-forth. The first response is a starting point, not a final answer.
Asking multiple unrelated questions at once
Instead of: "What's the weather in Paris, also help me write a poem, and what's the capital of Mongolia?"
Try: Ask one thing at a time, or clearly separate your requests with numbered items. For complex tasks, break them into steps.
Why it matters: AI handles focused requests better than scattered ones. Multi-part prompts often get incomplete answers.
Trusting every answer without verification
Instead of: Using AI-generated statistics in a presentation without checking them
Try: Always verify important facts, especially statistics, dates, and citations. Ask AI to provide its sources, then check those sources yourself.
Why it matters: AI can generate plausible-sounding but incorrect information (called "hallucinations"). Critical facts always need human verification.
Quick-Reference: Which Platform for Which Task?
While all four platforms are capable of most tasks, here's a practical guide to playing to each platform's strengths:
| Task | Best Platform | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Research with citations | Perplexity | Built for research; every claim links to a source |
| Creative writing | ChatGPT or Claude | Both excel at creative tasks with different styles |
| Analyzing long documents | Claude | 1M token context window handles entire books |
| Current events / real-time info | Gemini or Perplexity | Both have strong web search integration |
| Image generation | ChatGPT | GPT Image built in; strong creative image capabilities |
| Google Workspace tasks | Gemini | Native integration with Docs, Sheets, Gmail, Calendar |
| Careful reasoning / analysis | Claude | Strong at nuanced, step-by-step reasoning with caveats |
| Quick factual answers | Perplexity | Concise answers with source verification built in |
Building Good AI Habits
As you start using AI regularly, develop these habits early — they'll serve you well as you move to more advanced use cases:
Iterate, Don't Restart
When a response isn't quite right, refine your request within the same conversation. AI remembers context from earlier in the chat. Say "Make that more concise" or "Focus more on the financial aspects" rather than starting a new conversation.
Be the Editor, Not the Writer
Let AI generate a first draft, then guide it toward what you want. It's often faster to refine AI output than to write perfectly detailed prompts upfront. Think of yourself as a director giving feedback to a capable assistant.
Save Your Best Prompts
When you craft a prompt that works well, save it. Over time, you'll build a personal library of go-to prompts for recurring tasks. This is the beginning of what professionals call "prompt engineering."
Verify Before You Trust
Develop the habit of spot-checking AI responses, especially for facts, statistics, and recommendations. Use Perplexity to verify claims from other platforms. Cross-reference important information with trusted sources.
Recommended Resources
ChatGPT
OpenAI
The most widely used AI chatbot. Free tier available with GPT-5.4. Start here if you want a versatile general-purpose AI assistant.
Claude
Anthropic
Safety-focused AI assistant with strong analysis and writing capabilities. Free tier available with Claude 4.6 Sonnet.
Gemini
Google DeepMind
Google's AI assistant with deep integration into the Google ecosystem. Free tier available with Gemini 3.1 Flash.
Perplexity
Perplexity AI
AI-powered research engine that provides answers with numbered citations. Free tier available for standard searches.
Prompting Guide
DAIR.AI
Comprehensive open-source guide to prompt engineering techniques, from basics to advanced strategies.
Key Takeaways
- 1The four major AI platforms — ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity — each have distinct strengths. Try all four to find what works best for your needs.
- 2Great prompts are specific, provide context, and state the desired format. The formula Role + Task + Context + Format reliably produces good results.
- 3AI conversations are iterative — refine responses within the same chat rather than expecting perfection on the first try.
- 4Never trust AI output blindly, especially for facts, statistics, and citations. Always verify important information.
- 5Start building a personal library of effective prompts for tasks you do regularly — this is the foundation of becoming an effective AI user.
Test Your Understanding
Module Assessment
5 questions · Score 70% or higher to complete this module
You can retake the quiz as many times as you need. Your best score is saved.