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Using AI Right Now: A Quick Guide for 2025

Date Published

Hero Image Using AI Right Now: A Quick Guide for 2025

Which AI to use, and how to use it best by Ethan Mollick (summary and rewrite)

TL;DR

In 2025, the AI world is dominated by ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. Choosing the right one isn't just about the smartest model, but the full experience: features, workflows, and how well they fit your needs.

1. Top AI Systems to Choose From

If you're serious about using AI, focus on:

ChatGPT (OpenAI)

Claude (Anthropic)

Gemini (Google)

Each offers:

Fast & powerful models

Voice chat

Image & document understanding

Coding capabilities

Mobile apps

Image/video generation (ChatGPT & Gemini)

Deep Research functionality

💡 Best Value: Paid plans at ~$20/month give you full feature access.

Other Mentions:

Perplexity: Search-focused

Manus: Autonomous agent

Microsoft Copilot: Integrated with Windows

DeepSeek: Free & capable, but lacking in key areas

2. How to Choose a Model

Think of models like vehicles:

Task TypeChatGPTClaudeGemini

Fast model (casual)

GPT-4o

Sonnet

Gemini Flash

Workhorse model (deep work)

o3 / GPT-4.5

Opus

Gemini Pro 2.5

Ultra advanced (rare use)

o3-pro

-

-

🧠 Tip: Most free versions default to the casual model. Switch manually to the stronger model if available.

3. Privacy & Memory

Claude: Doesn’t train on your data ✅

ChatGPT: Turn off training under settings ✅

Gemini: More limited privacy options ❗

ChatGPT's memory can be useful but is still inconsistent.

4. Deep Research: Secret Power Tool

This isn’t just Q&A—Deep Research is your mini analyst. Examples:

Gift ideas for a chess-loving 11-year-old

Travel guide focused on cheese in Wisconsin

Legal or medical second opinions

🎯 Accuracy is higher with Deep Research than basic queries.

5. Voice Mode: The Underrated Superpower

Voice Mode lets you:

Converse hands-free

Share your screen or camera

Get real-time visual help (math, cooking, foreign signs)

📱 Best on: ChatGPT & Gemini

6. Making Things (Images, Code, Docs)

ChatGPT: Most controllable image generation (via DALL-E)

Gemini: Two generators (Imagen + Multimodal)

Claude: Text-focused, no image output

Gemini Veo: Impressive video generation 🔥

Use "Canvas" in ChatGPT or Gemini to generate:

Documents

Code

Interactive apps

Simulations

7. Prompting: Simpler Than You Think

Good news: Complex prompting is mostly unnecessary for daily use.

✅ Tips:

Give rich context (upload docs/images)

Be clear about your goal

Give step-by-step direction if needed

Ask for quantity: 30 ideas instead of 3

Use branching to explore alternative paths

8. Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Hallucinations still happen—double-check outputs

AI doesn’t explain logic well—use “Show Thinking” when available

Don’t expect miracles—it’s not magic, it’s smart computation

9. Your First Hour with AI

Try this:

Switch to the powerful model and tackle a real work challenge

Run Deep Research on a real-life problem

Use voice mode while walking, cooking, or commuting

Final Thoughts

Don’t use AI like it’s just a better Google. These tools are thinking partners, capable of:

Generating insights

Validating your ideas

Challenging assumptions

The difference between a casual user and a power user is not complex prompts, but knowing the tools—and actually using them.