For Real AcademyWhy rankings go stale
AI assistants are updated constantly. Benchmarks measure narrow things, and a model that tops a chart may be mediocre at the work you do. The only comparison that matters is how each one performs on your tasks.
What to compare
| Criterion | What to check |
|---|---|
| Accuracy on your tasks | Does it get your real work right? Check facts it states against sources you trust |
| Honesty about uncertainty | Does it say "I don't know" or invent plausible answers? |
| Long documents | Can you paste in a long report or contract and get a faithful summary? Spot-check it |
| Instruction following | Does it respect format, length and tone constraints you set? |
| Sources | Can it show where information came from, and do those sources really say that? |
| Privacy | What happens to your data? Look at the provider's data and training settings before pasting anything sensitive |
| Cost and limits | What does the free tier allow, and what do paid plans cost today? |
| Fit with your tools | Does it integrate with the apps and files you already use? |
A five-prompt test you can run in 20 minutes
- A real task from last week. Something you already know the right answer to.
- A summary. Paste in a document you know well and check what it gets wrong or leaves out.
- A fact check. Ask about something obscure you can verify. Notice whether it hedges or bluffs.
- A constrained rewrite. "Rewrite this in 80 words, friendly but professional, no jargon."
- A follow-up. Ask it to revise its answer. Does it use the feedback or restart?
Run the same prompts, word for word, in each assistant you're considering. Write down a score for each criterion. You'll learn more from this than from any article, including this one.
Don't forget the human part
The biggest difference between good and poor results is usually how you ask, not which tool you use. Clear context, examples and constraints improve results with every assistant. And whichever you pick, you stay responsible for checking the output.
Our take: pick two assistants, run the five-prompt test, and re-run it every few months. Keep whichever suits your work, and don't be afraid to use more than one.
Disclosure: For Real Academy sells self-paced online courses, so we have an interest in this topic. We've tried to describe each option fairly, and we avoid statistics we can't source. Check any provider's current terms, pricing and claims yourself before you decide.
Learn the skill that works with any assistant
AI Tools for Everyday Work covers prompting, fact-checking output, repeatable workflows and responsible use.
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