Which AI tool is best for my business
This is a question I get asked all of the time: Which AI tool is best for me to use? So I’ve composed an F1-inspired guide for busy business leaders.
If you run or manage a business, you have probably heard this a lot:
“What is the one AI tool I need? Should I use ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude, Gemini or what is that Perplexity AI, all about (apart from being Lewis Hamilton's helmet sponsor)?”
It is a bit like asking an F1 fan which car is best; we will all have an opinion: a Red Bull, McLaren, Mercedes or Ferrari. Everyone has an opinion. But the real answer is always the same. There is no single best tool, much like F1 cars, you might have a best overall, but on different tracks and in different conditions, one will be better than another. So, there is only the best tool for the race you are running.
That is what this guide will help you understand. Simple, calm and based on my experiences and research and on how real businesses work, not how tech companies talk.
Start with your track, not the car
In F1, teams always look at the track, the weather and the race plan before they argue about the car setup.
You can do the same with AI.
Ask yourself four simple questions:
Once you know your track, the choice of AI tools becomes much clearer.
You stop asking “What is the best car in the world?” and start asking “What do we need for this race?”
Meet the AI tools on the starting grid.
Here are the tools SME leaders ask about most often, with an F1 inspired comparison to make it easier to picture what each one does.
ChatGPT – your McLaren all-rounder and current Champions
ChatGPT feels like a McLaren. Fast, flexible and able to handle many conditions without drama.
It is brilliant for:
If you want one AI assistant at your side while you work, ChatGPT is often the best general choice. It is quick to learn and steady across lots of different tasks.
Microsoft Copilot – your Safety Car in more than one way
Copilot sits inside Microsoft 365 and works in Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Teams.
In F1 terms, it is the Safety Car. Not the fastest thing on track, but it's faster than the Ford Fiesta you learnt to drive in! It is also full of features that F1 cars do not have. It has doors, real seats, a boot and flashing lights. It keeps things steady when the track gets messy like F1 Copilot uses another team’s power unit, in this case, its ChatGPT although unlike F1, its not the latest version, but not quite last season's either.
You can rely on Copilot to:
If your business already pays for Microsoft 365, Copilot is a very practical first AI tool. It fits into your existing setup and keeps work flowing at a safe pace.
Claude – your Ferrari for long, smooth runs when you need a big engine
Claude is excellent with long documents. Calm, thoughtful, steady.
It is a bit like a Ferrari doing a long, controlled stint.
Not flashy. Not wild. Just very good at the heavy laps.
Claude helps you:
If you are buried under reading, Claude is the partner you want.
Perplexity – your pit wall and strategy team
Perplexity mixes search with AI. If ChatGPT is the driver, Perplexity is the strategy team watching all the screens on the pit wall, think Hannah Schmitz on steroids.
It is excellent for:
If you want an AI tool that explains where the information comes from, Perplexity is your best bet.
Gemini – your Red Bull inside Google land in the right hands it's a powerful tool
Gemini is Google’s primary AI tool.
In F1 terms, it is Red Bull. It performs best when everything around it is built for it. If you are already running Gmail, Docs, Sheets and Drive, Gemini fits right in.
It helps you:
If your whole business is on Google Workspace, Gemini is the natural choice.
So, which tool should an SME choose first
Here is the simple version.
Start with ChatGPT if you want one flexible AI helper.
Start with Copilot if your team lives in Microsoft 365.
Add Claude if you deal with long documents.
Use Perplexity when you need to understand what is happening in your market.
Use Gemini if you are a Google Workspace business.
Most SMEs only need one or two tools to start with.
You do not need to run every car on the grid.
You just need the right tool for the race in front of you.
Common mistakes to avoid
Rushing to a tool before you know the real problem. It is like picking tyres before checking the weather. Trying to roll out five tools at once, start small. One tool. One team. One clear use case.
Expecting AI to be magic, it helps a lot, but it still needs a human driver.
Forgetting to set simple rules, decide what staff can and cannot paste into AI tools, and how to check the answers.
What comes next in this series
Next, I will break down each tool in more detail, using real SME examples, and explain when paying for an AI tool is worth it and when free versions are enough.
My aim is not to turn you into a tech expert. I want to help you make calm, practical choices that save time, reduce waste and support better decisions.
Want help choosing the right tools for your business
If you want a simple, sensible plan for how AI fits your business, an AI planning session or roadmap workshop can help you work out what you need and how to roll it out safely.
If that sounds useful, get in touch and we can explore the best approach for your team and your own race plan.