How should I choose between ChatGPT and Claude?
Choose for the work you need to do. Start with your approved tools and account requirements, then test the same task in each. A polished response is useful only when it is accurate, fits your workflow, and takes a manageable amount of effort to review.
You do not need to choose a permanent winner. You need a repeatable way to decide which tool is appropriate for a particular workflow.
What should I test first?
Use fictional or approved, minimized information. Try three tasks that resemble your week:
- Client follow-up: turn sample meeting notes into an email with a clear next step.
- Team handoff: turn a fictional discussion into actions, owners, and open questions.
- Process documentation: turn your sample steps into a draft checklist without adding unapproved steps.
Give each tool the same instructions, source material, and success criteria. Ask it to mark missing information rather than fill the gaps. Record the date, product, and settings so you know what you tested.
How do I compare the results?
| Check | Question to ask |
|---|---|
| Accuracy | Did it keep the supplied facts and flag missing information? |
| Usefulness | Could a teammate act on the result? |
| Review effort | How many corrections were needed before it was usable? |
| Workflow fit | Can the team use it in the approved account and process? |
| Value | Does the useful time saved justify the current cost? |
Score accuracy and usefulness from 1 to 3, and record the minutes spent reviewing and correcting each result. If a draft invents a commitment or misses a critical fact, fix the process before relying on it. Repeat with a second example so one lucky response does not decide the choice.
What prompt should I use for the comparison?
Using only the sample notes below, draft a client follow-up under 150 words. Include confirmed decisions, the next action, and any unanswered questions. Do not add dates, prices, or promises that are absent from the notes. Put missing information in brackets. [Paste fictional or approved sample notes here.]
Read each response against the notes, then apply the same checklist. Keep the prompt and the review steps together so a teammate can repeat the exercise.
What matters beyond the quality of one response?
Check who can access the workspace, what data is permitted, how outputs are shared, and which connected systems the tool can reach. Read the guide to confidential information before testing with business data.
Build a small pilot with a named owner and a review checkpoint. Revisit the choice when the task, account, or product changes. The same evaluation method can help you assess other AI tools without committing to every new release.
Put it to work with your team.
Bring one recurring task to AI workshops and team training in Charlotte. For a public conversation, explore The AI Table on October 27. You can also browse the teaching library for your next question.