The practical AI tool chooser
Find a suitable tool for your next business task. Four questions help you weigh up capability, cost and information protection.
This is a guide based on the Pollinger AI guide, not a live AI assessment. Your task sets a shortlist; workplace integration can move the native tool first. An approved-tool list limits the recommendation. A sensitive-data approval gap takes priority over every other choice. Budget changes the plan guidance, not what a tool is claimed to do.
Capability checks are dated 15 October 2026. No provider is a universal winner. Always test the exact task and account you intend to use.
Explore the shortlist
Select a task to compare all five. These are practical fit judgements, not benchmark scores. Features depend on plan, account and permissions.
Check the account and licence
Use an approved free or included tier to prove a task. Pay for a specific recurring benefit. A paid personal plan does not automatically provide business controls.
Eligible work-account Copilot Chat already includes enterprise data protection, uploaded-file analysis and some app access. An additional licence supports broader reasoning across meetings, email, chats and files.
Outlook is included in both. Other app access depends on your account label. Check your assigned licence and permissions.
Live source links are provided instead of promotional prices that can quickly change.
Evidence you can inspect
24 official sources checked on 15 October 2026. This tool retains that dated comparison; it does not refresh provider features automatically.
High: the main documented plan and data-protection distinctions at the check date.
Moderate: the recommended task shortlists. They are practical judgements, not a controlled benchmark. Exact limits and availability depend on your account.
Grok’s current pricing names differ from some SuperGrok and Business help pages. We use the pricing names and flag the mismatch.
Google’s consumer FAQ mentions Workspace add-ons; its Workspace guidance lists AI included in eligible editions. Use the edition-specific guidance for work accounts.