From HOW TO // AI Newsletter ยท howtoai.com

A decision tree, a comparison table, and the sanity check prompt pack โ€” for picking the right AI tool every time.


๐Ÿ’ก How to use this template: Duplicate this page into your Notion workspace. Bookmark it. Come back to it any time you're starting a new task and aren't sure which AI tool to reach for. The decision tree is the fastest way in.


๐Ÿ“‹ Table of Contents

  1. The Decision Tree โ€” Which Tool to Use
  2. Tool-by-Tool Comparison
  3. The Sanity Check Prompt Pack
  4. The Quick Reference Card
  5. How to Discover New Tools

๐ŸŒณ The Decision Tree โ€” Which Tool to Use

"I need to..."

Build a real app, website, or write code โ†’ Claude Code (terminal-based, sees your whole project, writes code that fits)

Work through long documents, big folders, or a long-term project โ†’ Claude Cowork (connects to a folder on your computer, works through real files)

Think through something quickly while away from my desk โ†’ Claude Chat on mobile (voice mode is excellent here)

Get a fast general answer or a different angle on something โ†’ ChatGPT (great for second opinions and general queries)

Create an image or graphic โ†’ ChatGPT first, then Gemini if you want a different style

Understand something happening in the news right now โ†’ Grok (real-time information, not limited by knowledge cutoffs)