How to find AI tools that work for you

A closer look at the top 6 multi-modal AI assistants

Generated in Midjourney

Total reading time around 5 minutes.

Welcome to Visually AI!

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I’ve been feeling overwhelmed by the number of AI products available and I can’t find the time to try many.

I thought you might feel the same way, so I thought it would be helpful to compare the most popular, multi-functional tools.

Choosing the Right Generative AI Tool

The rise of large language models and generative AI has led to an explosion of powerful AI assistants and tools.

While just a year ago there were only a handful of consumer-facing options, today there are hundreds of apps, websites, and services powered by cutting-edge artificial intelligence.

Many of the latest AI tools are multi-modal, meaning they can understand and generate different data types like text, images, audio, and more.

This versatility allows for a wide range of real-world applications across creative tasks, analysis, research, and nearly any industry.

As you explore incorporating AI into your workflows and daily lives, here's a look at some of the major multi-modal players and what to consider when choosing one.

The major multi-modal players

ChatGPT

OpenAI’s ChatGPT is one of the most popular and widely available AI assistants.

Features:

• Availability: Widely available, including in the U.S. and many other countries

• Functionality: Strong in text generation and conversation, Code Interpreter for complex analysis

• Multi-modal Features: Text & voice (free plan); images & files (Plus)

• Web Search with URL: Yes (Plus)

• Mobile Apps: Available on iOS and Android

• Quality of Output: Strong writing abilities

Try ChatGPT here.

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Gemini (Google)

• Availability: Global availability with restrictions in some regions

• Functionality: Simplifies complex topics well

• Multi-modal Features: Accepts text & images (free); lacks file upload capability

• Web Search with URL: Yes

• Mobile Apps: Limited availability

• Quality of Output: Known for detailed explanations

Try Gemini here.

My results from Gemini for an uploaded image

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Copilot (Microsoft)

• Availability: Available in 160 regions

• Functionality: Runs on GPT-4 & DALL•E 3, excels at coding, text generation

• Multi-modal Features: Similar to ChatGPT, accepts text, image & file uploads (free)

• Web Search with URL: Yes

• Mobile Apps: iOS & Android apps

• Quality of Output: Simplifies complex topics, DALL•E 3 integrated with Designer

Try Copilot here.

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Claude 3 (Anthropic)

• Availability: Widely available in approximately 160 countries & regions

• Functionality: Designed to emulate more human-like responses; impressive language understanding

• Multi-modal Features: Accepts multiple files and image uploads (free)

• Web Search with URL: No

• Mobile Apps: Available as iOS app

• Quality of Output: Exceptional in generating creative and insightful text

Try Claude here.

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Meta AI

• Availability: Varies, with strong presence in markets where Facebook and related services are available

• Functionality: Built with Llama 3 with strengths in handling large datasets

• Multi-modal Features: Upload & generate images, no file uploads

• Web Search with URL: Yes

• Mobile Apps: No standalone mobile app; available in Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, and Messenger

• Quality of Output: High, especially in tasks involving image and text generation

I wrote about Meta AI in a previous issue, here.

Try Meta AI here.

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Perplexity

• Availability: Widely available, especially in English-speaking countries

• Functionality: Specializes in educational and informational content, browser extension (free)

• Multi-modal Features: Upload images & files (Pro), generates images (Pro)

• Web Search with URL: Yes

• Mobile Apps: iOS & Android apps

• Quality of Output: Known for clear, concise, and informative content

I use Perplexity frequently and I have a paid subscription plan.

I love the visual results, cited sources, and web search capabilities. I use the Perplexity browser extension (free) to summarize websites, articles, etc.

I wrote about it extensively in a previous issue of Visually AI, here.

Try Perplexity here.

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Factors to consider

As you evaluate these AI tools, key considerations include their availability in your region and platform support (web vs mobile).

You'll want to understand each model's particular capabilities - does it excel at coding, analysis, open-ended writing, or multi-modal skills?

Output quality can vary significantly between language models in terms of factual accuracy, consistency, and propensity for hallucinations.

Cost is another factor, with some tools being free, some on paid subscription models, and others charging per-query pricing.

The right tool for the job

Ultimately, there is no one-size-fits-all AI tool.

The "right" choice depends on your specific needs and use cases. Using multiple tools and being judicious about managing AI outputs is recommended as the technology rapidly evolves.

While the current crop of multi-modal AI assistants is powerful, we are still in relatively early days.

As language models grow more capable, we can expect even more versatile and specialized AI tools on the horizon.

Generated in Midjourney

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You could have your AI service, tool, or event seen by Visually AI’s community of over 9,500 subscribers:

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🚀 This Week’s AI Tools

Adobe Project Neo (beta): Adobe’s new text-to-3D image generator. (link)

Arc: Customizable browser that adapts to individual internet usage patterns, offering a clean and calm experience with a focus on privacy and security. (link)

FAQ Generator: Enter a website URL for an AI-generated Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), for free. (link)

IDM-VTON: HuggingFace demo lets you upload your image and virtually try on garment images. (link)

Knapsack: Private AI sidekick that boosts your macOS desktop productivity. (link)

Professor AI: ChatGPT for advanced high school and university courses. (link)

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🖼️ Image Prompts

PROMPT: coastal line, continuous, horizon, beaches, cliffs, waves, sunset, pastel skies, movement, serene, panning, panoramic, wide format, dynamic, side view

PROMPT: Vintage fashion photoshoot for Vogue magazine featuring an attractive woman with short hair, wearing a striped skirt and retro beret hat. Shot with natural light using a Hasselblad X2D for ultra-detailed, high-resolution images. Highlights include soft focus, depth of field, candid pose, and natural skin texture

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Thanks for reading, and have a creative week!