Choosing Your AI Tools

There are three main AI assistants used by finance professionals: ChatGPT (OpenAI), Claude (Anthropic), and Gemini (Google). Each has strengths worth knowing.

This lesson gives you a practical comparison so you can pick the right tool for each type of finance task — without getting caught up in the marketing.

The Three Main Contenders

ChatGPT (OpenAI)

Best for: General analysis, data interpretation, Excel/formula help, web research (with browse enabled)

ChatGPT is the most widely known and has the largest ecosystem of plugins and custom GPTs. The free version (GPT-4o) is capable for most finance tasks. GPT-4 with the Advanced Data Analysis feature lets you upload spreadsheets and run actual calculations — this is uniquely powerful for financial data work.

Free tier: Yes (GPT-4o)
Paid: $20/month (Plus) for advanced features

Claude (Anthropic)

Best for: Long documents, writing quality, nuanced analysis, reading full PDFs

Claude handles very long documents exceptionally well — you can paste an entire annual report and ask questions about it. The writing quality is generally considered higher than GPT for professional prose. Claude is the best choice when you need board-ready language or are summarising lengthy regulatory documents.

Free tier: Yes (Claude.ai)
Paid: $20/month (Pro) for larger context and more usage

Gemini (Google)

Best for: Google Workspace integration, live web data, real-time financial news

Gemini integrates directly into Google Docs, Sheets, and Gmail. If your finance team runs on Google Workspace, Gemini can summarise emails, draft reports in Docs, and assist in Sheets without switching tabs. It also has access to current web data by default.

Free tier: Yes
Paid: $20/month (Advanced) for deeper Workspace integration

Practical Decision Guide

Task	Best Tool
Analyse a full annual report	Claude
Write a board report	Claude or ChatGPT
Work with spreadsheet data	ChatGPT (Advanced Data Analysis)
Research competitor financials	ChatGPT (browse) or Gemini
Draft emails and memos	Any (Claude for highest quality prose)
Google Sheets formula help	Gemini or ChatGPT
Summarise a long contract	Claude

You Don't Have to Choose Just One

Most finance professionals end up using 2-3 tools depending on context. A practical starting setup:

• Claude for long documents and writing
• ChatGPT for data analysis and Excel help
• Gemini if you're in Google Workspace

All three have free tiers that are more than enough to get started.

What to Avoid

• Don't pay for a tool you haven't tested free first. All three have capable free tiers.
• Don't use AI tools that aren't enterprise-approved for confidential financial data — check your company's policy (we cover this in Module 5).
• Don't use AI-generated numbers without verification. These tools reason in text, not spreadsheets. Numbers need a second check.

Try this comparison prompt:

Paste this into both ChatGPT and Claude and compare the outputs:

"Write a 3-sentence executive summary of a quarter where revenue grew 8% but operating profit fell 4% due to rising input costs and a one-off restructuring charge of £2m."

Notice the differences in tone, structure, and quality. This will help you develop your own preference.

Your Turn

Create free accounts on at least two of these tools if you haven't already. Run the comparison prompt above. Which output would you feel more comfortable putting in front of your CFO or board?