You have a task that requires AI assistance. You open your browser and stare at dozens of AI platforms: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, DALL-E, SORA, Perplexity. Which one do you choose?

This decision matters more than you might think. Each AI tool processes prompts differently, excels at specific tasks, and requires unique approaches to achieve optimal results. Understanding these differences will help you work more efficiently and get better outcomes from your AI interactions.

Why Your Tool Choice Affects Your Results

The same prompt can produce dramatically different results across AI platforms. A creative writing prompt might generate poetic responses from one model and technical explanations from another. An image description could create photorealistic artwork in one tool and abstract art in another.

These differences stem from each platform’s training data, architecture, and intended use cases. Learning to match tools with tasks is a core prompt engineering skill that will save you time and improve your results.

Text-Based AI Platforms

ChatGPT (OpenAI)

ChatGPT remains the most widely recognized AI assistant, offering strong general-purpose capabilities across multiple domains.

Best for:

• Creative writing and storytelling
• Code generation and debugging
• General conversation and Q&A
• Content brainstorming

Unique strengths:

• Maintains conversation context well
• Handles creative tasks with personality
• Works effectively with conversational prompts
• Strong API integration for developers

Prompt tips for ChatGPT:

• Use conversational language
• Provide clear context at the start of conversations
• Break complex tasks into steps
• Ask for specific formats when needed

Claude (Anthropic)

Claude excels at following detailed instructions and handling longer, more complex prompts with precision.

Best for:

• Document analysis and summarization
• Technical writing with specific requirements
• Tasks requiring careful instruction following
• Processing longer texts

Unique strengths:

• Handles large context windows effectively
• Follows complex multi-step instructions accurately
• Maintains consistency across longer outputs
• Strong reasoning capabilities

Prompt tips for Claude:

• Use structured formatting with clear sections
• Provide detailed specifications
• Include examples when demonstrating patterns
• Use XML-style tags for organization

Gemini (Google)

Google’s Gemini offers multimodal capabilities and integration with current information through search integration.

Best for:

• Research requiring current information
• Mathematical and analytical tasks
• Multimodal content combining text and images
• Data analysis and visualization

Unique strengths:

• Access to recent information
• Strong analytical and mathematical reasoning
• Multimodal input processing
• Integration with Google services

Prompt tips for Gemini:

• Specify when you need current information
• Use clear, direct questions for research
• Include context about data sources when relevant
• Be specific about output formats for analysis

Perplexity

Perplexity specializes in research tasks with real-time web access and source citations.

Best for:

• Current events and recent developments
• Research with source verification
• Fact-checking information
• Learning about specialized topics

Unique strengths:

• Real-time internet search capabilities
• Automatic source citation
• Follow-up question suggestions
• Conversational research interface

Prompt tips for Perplexity:

• Ask specific research questions
• Request sources when accuracy matters
• Use follow-up questions to dig deeper
• Specify timeframes for current information

Visual Generation Tools

DALL-E (OpenAI)

DALL-E creates high-quality images from text descriptions with strong prompt adherence.

Best for:

• Photorealistic image generation
• Product mockups and visualizations
• Marketing and advertising visuals
• Concept illustrations

Unique strengths:

• Precise prompt following
• Consistent style across similar requests
• Editing capabilities with inpainting/outpainting
• Integration with ChatGPT for combined workflows

Prompt tips for DALL-E:

• Include specific visual details
• Specify style, lighting, and composition
• Use descriptive adjectives for atmosphere
• Mention camera angles and perspectives

Midjourney

Midjourney produces highly artistic images with distinctive aesthetic qualities.

Best for:

• Artistic and conceptual illustrations
• Fantasy and science fiction imagery
• Mood and atmosphere-focused visuals
• Creative exploration and ideation

Unique strengths:

• Exceptional artistic quality
• Strong stylistic consistency
• Advanced parameter controls
• Community-driven development

Prompt tips for Midjourney:

• Focus on artistic style and mood
• Use parameter flags for fine control
• Reference specific artists or art movements
• Experiment with aspect ratios and quality settings

SORA (OpenAI)

SORA generates videos from text prompts, though availability remains limited.

Best for:

• Short narrative videos
• Product demonstrations
• Conceptual video content
• Visual storytelling

Unique strengths:

• Temporal coherence in video generation
• Understanding of physical world dynamics
• Multiple scene transitions
• Character and environment consistency

Prompt tips for SORA:

• Describe actions and movements clearly
• Include timing information when relevant
• Specify camera movements and angles
• Describe scene transitions explicitly

Content Production Platforms

InVideo

InVideo combines AI assistance with template-based video creation for polished content.

Best for:

• Marketing videos and advertisements
• Social media content
• Tutorial and explainer videos
• Professional video presentations

Unique strengths:

• Pre-designed templates and assets
• Text-to-video conversion capabilities
• Collaboration features for teams
• Export options for multiple platforms

Prompt tips for InVideo:

• Specify target audience and platform
• Include brand guidelines when relevant
• Describe desired tone and style
• Mention specific scenes or transitions needed

How to Choose the Right Tool

Match Tool to Task Type

Text generation: ChatGPT for creativity, Claude for precision, Gemini for research Visual content: DALL-E for realism, Midjourney for artistry Video content: SORA for AI generation, InVideo for template-based production Research: Perplexity for current information, Claude for document analysis

Consider Your Skill Level

Beginners: Start with ChatGPT or Claude for text tasks, DALL-E for images Intermediate users: Experiment with Gemini’s multimodal capabilities Advanced users: Explore parameter controls in Midjourney, API integrations

Factor in Practical Constraints

Budget: Many tools offer free tiers with paid upgrades Speed: Response times vary across platforms Integration: Consider how tools fit into your existing workflows Team collaboration: Some platforms offer better sharing capabilities

Real-World Application Examples

Content Creator Workflow

A blogger might use:

• Perplexity to research current trends
• ChatGPT to draft article outlines
• DALL-E to create featured images
• Claude to refine and polish final content

Business Professional Workflow

A marketing manager might use:

• Gemini to analyze market data
• ChatGPT to brainstorm campaign ideas
• Midjourney to create concept art
• InVideo to produce final advertisements

Educator Workflow

A teacher might use:

• Claude to analyze curriculum standards
• ChatGPT to generate lesson plans
• DALL-E to create educational illustrations
• Perplexity to find current examples and case studies

Building Your Tool Stack

Start with one primary tool for text generation. ChatGPT offers the most accessible entry point for beginners. Once comfortable, add a visual generation tool like DALL-E for basic image needs.

Expand your toolkit based on specific requirements:

• Add Perplexity for research-heavy projects
• Include Claude for complex analysis tasks
• Experiment with Midjourney for creative visuals
• Try specialized tools as needs arise

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using the wrong tool for the task: Don’t use ChatGPT for current events research or DALL-E for abstract art concepts.

Ignoring each tool’s strengths: Each platform has unique capabilities that require different prompting approaches.

Not experimenting enough: The same prompt can produce vastly different results across tools.

Forgetting about combinations: Using multiple tools in sequence often produces better results than relying on a single platform.

Getting Started with Multiple Tools

Begin by testing the same prompt across different platforms. Notice how ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini handle identical requests differently. This comparison helps you understand each tool’s personality and capabilities.

Create accounts for free tiers of several platforms. Most AI tools offer generous free usage that lets you experiment without immediate cost commitments.

Document what works well for each tool. Keep notes about which platforms excel at your most common tasks.

Your Next Steps

Understanding AI tools is just the beginning. The real skill lies in crafting prompts that leverage each platform’s unique strengths.

Your tool choice affects every aspect of prompt engineering, from the language you use to the structure of your requests. As you continue learning, you’ll develop intuition for matching tools to tasks and combining multiple platforms for complex projects.

Ready to dive deeper into specific prompting techniques? Explore our article on Getting Started: Your First Steps in Prompt Engineering for hands-on practice with these tools. Or learn about the broader context in Why Prompt Engineering Is the New Must-Have Skill to understand how these capabilities fit into the changing landscape of work and creativity.

The tools are ready. Your prompts will determine how effectively you use them.