An opinionated guide to which AI to use to do stuff

Ethan Mollick has updated his guide on choosing which artificial intelligence tools to use, shifting the focus from simple conversational chatbots to agentic systems. These advanced systems are capable of executing the equivalent of many hours of human work in a single process. Notably, Google and its Gemini models have dropped off his recommended list because the company lacks an established competitor in the current workplace agent category.

The most powerful way to utilize modern artificial intelligence is by downloading desktop apps for ChatGPT or Claude to grant the software access to your personal computer. Both platforms offer specialized modes for this purpose, though their naming conventions are confusing and do not map onto one another intuitively. ChatGPT uses modes called Work, Codex, and Code Interpreter, while Claude uses Cowork and Code.

These desktop and mobile modes give the artificial intelligence expanded capabilities compared to basic chat interfaces. For example, flipping ChatGPT on a mobile device from standard chat mode to Work mode removes internet access restrictions from its Code Interpreter container. Meanwhile, desktop apps allow the systems to operate directly on the user's computer with more advanced features and deeper integration.