ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and other AI chats

For most people, getting to know neural networks starts with a chat: you write a question in plain words and get a full answer. The best-known such chat is ChatGPT, but it's far from the only one. Let's go over how they differ, what they cost and how to pick one. The short version: the simplest path is one chat like Twelver, where several models are available in one place.

What an AI chat actually is

Under the hood is a large language model (LLM): a neural network trained on a huge amount of text that learned to continue a dialogue. It can explain, write emails and code, translate, brainstorm ideas and analyse your text. Keep one thing in mind: it's a conversational partner, not a search engine — it's persuasive but can be wrong, so facts are worth checking.

ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and others

• ChatGPT (OpenAI) — the best-known, with strong general abilities and a big ecosystem of tools and plugins.
• Claude (Anthropic) — strong at long documents, careful reasoning and writing; a favourite for work with text and code.
• Gemini (Google) — tightly tied into Google's services and good with multimodal input.
• Regional and open models — there are also strong local assistants and open-weight models you can run yourself; the trade-off is usually convenience versus control.

How much does ChatGPT cost

Basic access is usually free — with limits and on a simpler model. A paid subscription (around $20 a month with OpenAI) unlocks the top model, longer answers and working with files. The other big chats price similarly. The practical question is rarely "which one is best in the abstract" but which one fits your tasks — and whether you'd rather pay for several separate subscriptions or reach multiple models through one service.

One subscription or several

There are two realistic paths: subscribe to each chat you need separately, or use an aggregator service that connects several models for you and shows you one ordinary chat with one bill. The second is usually the calmer option: one sign-up, one balance, access to several neural networks — and you can compare them on your own task.

By the way, a modern chat isn't only text. Right in the conversation you can ask for a picture:

What's next

If the idea of "one chat instead of ten services" resonates, the next chapter is exactly about that: online generators and generating right in the chat.

Twelver is a chat with access to strong models and generation of images, video, music and speech in one conversation. Your first generations are free after signing up.