Hey creator friends 💜

I don’t know about you but the speed of AI updates and new releases has literally EXHAUSTED me this year!!

There are now so many AI tools that choosing a model you use on a daily basis for work/life feels OVERWHELMING to say the least.

A lot of them have now become really good.

So I don’t think the real question is "which AI is best?" anymore… it's more like "which combination of AIs are best for ME?"

I published a newsletter back in August rating and ranking 6 AI models (you can read it here) but A LOT has changed since then.

So in this issue, we’re doing another roundup and focusing on what I believe are the top 3 models right now.

TL;DR - today’s lineup:

💌 Your say genuinely shapes this newsletter: there’s a one‑click feedback poll at the very end. I genuinely check for feedback like a maniac after I send this out because I really want to know what you honestly think. So thank you!

Before we dive in:

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Describe what you need, and Lindy builds it:

“Qualify sales leads”
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The result: agents that do the busywork while your team focuses on growth.

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So in the last 6 weeks, we've had:

This is the most competitive the AI landscape has EVER been. Which is actually great news for us - prices are competitive and capabilities are skyrocketing.

But it also means there’s A LOT to keep up with - so my aim is to make it super quick and easy for you to get the lay of the land in this newsletter.

Here's what you need to know right now:

ChatGPT 5.2 → Still the best all-rounder. It’s the Swiss Army knife of AI and OpenAI seem intent on keeping it that way with all the additions and updates they keep making. Start here if you're only paying for one.

Claude Opus 4.5 → BY FAR still the best writer, best for creative brainstorming, best coder. My personal weapon for anything creative or strategic.

Gemini 3.0 Pro → The context window king. Best if you live in Google's ecosystem (Gmail, Docs, Sheets integration is genuinely useful). Also unbeatable for processing massive documents, long videos, or hours of audio at once. NotebookLM is a hidden gem for learning!!

Now let's get into the details...

Yes, ChatGPT and OpenAI are surrounded by draaaama honey.

But once you get past the noise, it's still the most COMPLETE AI tool available.

Why ChatGPT 5.2 still wins:

The unfair advantages:

The catch: The writing in my opinion (as a copywriter that leverages AI every single day for creative writing) is still very AI-ish, very AI-pattern-heavy and not as creative as it can be. Which is where our next contender enters...

I’ve said this all throughout 2025 and I feel more strongly about this now than ever: Claude writes 10x better and is more creative than ChatGPT (and any other AI model out there).

If you’re a writer, content creator, copywriter or do any sort of creative work - I strongly recommend that you choose Claude over ChatGPT every.single.time.

And with Opus 4.5, Anthropic upleveled Claude even more:

The writing difference is INSANE:

I've fed Claude and ChatGPT the same prompts hundreds of times. Claude's output reads like a super creative human wrote it. ChatGPT's reads like a human asked a really smart computer to write it.

(Subtle difference, mahoosive impact on engagement and your time.)

Secret weapon: Claude excels at refactoring and debugging. If you're building anything technical and something's broken, Claude will find the problem faster.

Use it if: You write, code, or need deep analytical thinking. Or if you want content that doesn't scream "AI wrote this."

Skip it if: You want an all-in-one AI playground with images and voice.

I personally use Claude for all things work (I work in a creative field) and ChatGPT for all things personal life.

Remember when Gemini was the joke of the AI world?

Yeah, Gemini 3.0 Pro now tops the LMArena leaderboard (first model to break 1500 Elo). It achieved 91.9% on GPQA Diamond - that's PhD-level scientific reasoning that actually surpassed human experts.

That’s AI-benchmark speak for it’s really bloody good.

Why Gemini 3.0 is suddenly incredible:

The Google Drive game-changer: Gemini in Gmail doesn't just write emails - it finds old emails from vague descriptions, summarises threads, and even schedules meetings by checking everyone's calendars. It's like having a ridiculously efficient assistant.

Still annoying:

Secret weapon feature: Upload 50 documents to NotebookLM and it creates a conversational podcast about your topic. Amazing for learning while walking.

Use it if: You live in Google's ecosystem or need serious research power

Skip it if: You want the best standalone AI experience

I’d love to know which model you use most frequently on a daily basis - hit reply and let me know!

I’m working a done-for-you content ideation, creation, management and publishing system to help you leverage AI to 12x your content creation (without losing your authenticity in the process).

It’s called the AI Content Multiplier and the waitlist is now open - join now and I’ll send you a 30% off early bird discount as soon as it launches (which is soon).

Use this in any of these 3 AI models (making sure web search is toggled on) when you're not sure which tool to use for a task:

Billionaire Mark Cuban sparked a firestorm on X when he told creators they should "LOVE AI" because "it allows creators to become exponentially more creative." He argued AI can help creatives develop a product "in minutes" rather than spending hours or weeks. But creatives shot back hard. "Mark, you're assuming that creating art is like running a business. You're not looking for efficiency. Sometimes the best work happens during the process," one X user posted. A film concept artist asked Cuban: "All you can see is dollar signs and 'value' instead of theft, exploitation, and job displacement." The debate was sparked after OpenAI and Disney's $1 billion deal allowing 200+ Disney characters to appear in Sora. What’s your take on this?

Read more →

Instagram rolled out "Your Algorithm," an AI-powered tool that gives you direct control over your Reels tab. When you watch a Reel, tap the icon in the upper right corner (two lines with hearts) to open Your Algorithm. You can see your top interests, tune your preferences by typing topics you want more or less of, and share your algorithm to Story. Instagram says this is only the start and plans to bring the same control to Explore and other parts of the app. For the first time, you can actually tell Instagram what you want to see instead of hoping the algorithm reads your mind. No more random Reels you didn't ask for.

Read more →

"Slop" is Merriam-Webster's 2025 word of the year - AI-generated soulless content that has crept into slide decks, social media, news outlets, and real-estate listings. "Slop oozes into everything. Like slime, sludge, and muck, slop has the wet sound of something you don't want to touch," the editors wrote. A backlash has begun: iHeartMedia rolled out a "guaranteed human" tagline, promising no AI-generated personalities or music. 90% of its listeners want their media created by humans. In Hollywood, Apple TV's "Pluribus" credits read "This show was made by humans." Across NYC, subway ads for the AI device "Friend" have been vandalised with messages like "AI is not your friend." The internet is drowning in AI slop, and people have already had enough.

Read more →

When Disney signed its $1B OpenAI deal, handing over Mickey Mouse, Simba, and Luke Skywalker to Sora, it said nothing to animators. Former Disney animators are now speaking out. Aaron Blaise, who animated the Beast in Beauty and the Beast, recalls emoting at his sketch pad - if the Beast was angry, he would snarl. "That's what it takes to bring these characters to life." He feels conflicted about the Beast being available on Sora: "It degrades it for the filmmakers." Dana Terrace, creator of "The Owl House," called the deal "extremely exploitative" and "soulless." "Art is created with intent, with heart, and with meaning. AI doesn't have any of that." She says Disney TV animators are "miserable" and "scared for their jobs."

Read more →

If you enjoyed today's newsletter AND got to the end of it, I’d love a quick click on the poll below to let me know what you think 💜.

See you next Tuesday,

Jess xx