Chapter 2 Companion

Your AI Starter
Kit

Getting started with the Big Three tools. Compare ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. Learn which to use for what. Start with free tiers and upgrade only when you need to.

The Big Three: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, All with free tiers

Key Takeaways

The Big Three

ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini all offer genuinely useful free tiers, start with those.

Pick the Right Tool

ChatGPT is the all-rounder, Claude excels at writing and analysis, Gemini integrates best with Google.

Where Pricing Starts

The entry paid tier is still around $20/month (ChatGPT Plus, Claude Pro, Google AI Pro), but each vendor now sells higher tiers above that, and Google has a cheaper $4.99 AI Plus tier below it. Upgrade only when you consistently hit free tier limits.

Pricing and free tiers shift often. Get a note when something changes.

Multi-Modal Input

AI accepts text, voice, and image input, most people only use text and miss two-thirds of the capability.

Progressive Confidence

Your first ten conversations build progressive confidence: asking, refining, brainstorming, learning, summarizing, planning, analyzing, role-playing, and creating.

Interactive Exercises

Sign Up and Say Hello

Exercise

Steps:

  1. Go to one (or all) of these: ChatGPT (chat.openai.com), Claude (claude.ai), Gemini (gemini.google.com)
  2. Create a free account with your email
  3. Type: "Hi, I'm new to AI and just setting things up. Can you tell me what you're best at?"
  4. Read the response. You now have an AI assistant.

Try All Three Input Methods

Exercise

Text: What's a good weekend breakfast recipe that takes less than 15 minutes?

Voice: Tap the microphone icon and say: "I'm planning a birthday party for a ten-year-old who loves dinosaurs. Give me five creative theme ideas."

Image: Take a photo of something on your desk or in your kitchen. Upload it and ask: "What can you tell me about this?"

Set Up on Two Devices

Exercise

Steps:

  1. Install your chosen AI app on your phone (App Store or Google Play)
  2. Bookmark the website on your computer
  3. Send the same question from both: "Give me a one-paragraph summary of what AI is."
  4. Notice that your account syncs, the conversation appears on both devices

The First 10 Conversations (Progressive)

Exercise

#1, The Simple Question: What's the difference between baking soda and baking powder?

#2, The Specific Request: Write a polite but firm email to my landlord requesting that the broken dishwasher in apartment 4B be repaired within the next week. Mention that I reported this issue two weeks ago.

#3, The Follow-Up (same chat as #2): That's good, but make it a little less formal. I actually like my landlord, I just want the dishwasher fixed.

#4, The Brainstorm: I need to buy a birthday gift for my sister. She's 42 years old, loves gardening, hates anything too cutesy, and I have a budget of about $50. Give me ten ideas.

#5, The Explainer: Explain how a 401(k) works. I'm 35, just started my first job that offers one, and I have no idea what I'm doing. Explain it like I'm smart but know nothing about finance.

#6, The Summarizer: Find a long article, copy the text, paste it in, and type: Summarize this in three bullet points and tell me if there's anything I should be skeptical about.

#7, The Planner: I'm hosting a dinner party for six people this Saturday. Two are vegetarian, one is gluten-free, and I want to keep the total grocery budget under $75. Help me plan a three-course menu with a shopping list.

#8, The Analyzer: Upload a photo of something you want identified and type: What is this, and what should I do about it?

#9, The Role Play: I have a job interview for a marketing manager position tomorrow. Can you act as the interviewer and ask me tough questions one at a time? Wait for my answer before asking the next one. After five questions, give me feedback on how I did.

#10, The Creative Partner: I want to write a short children's story about a cat who learns to fly. Help me brainstorm the plot, then write the first page. Make it funny and suitable for kids ages 4-7.

Tools Update (September 2026)

Copy-Paste Prompts (13 Total)

Prompt 1: First Contact

Prompt

Hi, I'm new to AI and just setting things up. Can you tell me what you're best at?

Use case: Initial test to see how an AI tool introduces itself

Prompt 2: Simple Factual Question

Prompt

What's the difference between baking soda and baking powder?

Use case: Getting comfortable with the interface

Prompt 3: Specific Email Request

Prompt

Write a polite but firm email to my landlord requesting that the broken dishwasher in apartment 4B be repaired within the next week. Mention that I reported this issue two weeks ago.

Use case: Drafting a professional email with context

Prompt 4: Refinement Follow-Up

Prompt

That's good, but make it a little less formal. I actually like my landlord, I just want the dishwasher fixed.

Use case: Adjusting tone in an ongoing conversation

Prompt 5: Gift Brainstorm

Prompt

I need to buy a birthday gift for my sister. She's 42 years old, loves gardening, hates anything too cutesy, and I have a budget of about $50. Give me ten ideas.

Use case: Generating ideas with specific constraints

Prompt 6: Patient Explainer

Prompt

Explain how a 401(k) works. I'm 35, just started my first job that offers one, and I have no idea what I'm doing. Explain it like I'm smart but know nothing about finance.

Use case: Learning a new concept at a specific level

Prompt 7: Article Summarizer with Critical Thinking

Prompt

Summarize this in three bullet points and tell me if there's anything I should be skeptical about.

Use case: Quickly digesting long content

Prompt 8: Multi-Constraint Dinner Planner

Prompt

I'm hosting a dinner party for six people this Saturday. Two are vegetarian, one is gluten-free, and I want to keep the total grocery budget under $75. Help me plan a three-course menu with a shopping list.

Use case: Planning with multiple dietary and budget constraints

Prompt 9: Image Identifier

Prompt

What is this, and what should I do about it?

Use case: Getting information about a photographed object (Upload a photo with this prompt)

Prompt 10: Interview Practice Partner

Prompt

I have a job interview for a marketing manager position tomorrow. Can you act as the interviewer and ask me tough questions one at a time? Wait for my answer before asking the next one. After five questions, give me feedback on how I did.

Use case: Job interview preparation with feedback

Prompt 11: Creative Story Collaborator

Prompt

I want to write a short children's story about a cat who learns to fly. Help me brainstorm the plot, then write the first page. Make it funny and suitable for kids ages 4-7.

Use case: Co-creating fiction with AI

Prompt 12: Weekend Breakfast (Voice Test)

Prompt

What's a good weekend breakfast recipe that takes less than 15 minutes?

Use case: Testing voice input with a simple request

Prompt 13: Party Planner (Voice Test)

Prompt

I'm planning a birthday party for a ten-year-old who loves dinosaurs. Give me five creative theme ideas.

Use case: Testing voice input with a more detailed request

Choose Your Tool

Pick one of the Big Three and commit to 10 conversations. By conversation #10 (the Creative Partner), you'll understand what you prefer. Some people love Claude's writing ability. Others prefer ChatGPT's breadth. And some find Gemini's Google integration unbeatable. There's no wrong choice, only the choice that works for you.

Best All-Rounder
ChatGPT (chat.openai.com)
Best for Writing
Claude (claude.ai)
Best Google Integration
Gemini (gemini.google.com)

Pick Your First Tool.

Go to one of the Big Three. Sign up. Do the first 10 conversations. You'll be comfortable with AI in 30 minutes. That's all it takes.

Last verified: September 1, 2026