Since its November 2022 launch, ChatGPT has reshaped how hundreds of millions of people work, write, code, and think. The question in 2025 is no longer whether AI assistants are useful — it is whether ChatGPT specifically is still the best one to use.
After six weeks of daily use across writing, research, coding, image generation, and data analysis tasks, our answer is a qualified yes — with some important caveats.
GPT-4o: The Current Engine
The GPT-4o model powering ChatGPT Plus is genuinely impressive. It processes text, images, audio, and files natively in a single model — without the clunky context-switching that earlier multi-modal implementations required. In practice, this means you can drop in a screenshot, a spreadsheet, or a voice note and get a coherent, contextually aware response.
Where ChatGPT Leads
The plugin and integration ecosystem remains ChatGPT’s biggest structural advantage. With hundreds of verified plugins and deep integration into Zapier, Notion, Microsoft 365, and dozens of other tools, ChatGPT is the most connected AI assistant in the market. For enterprise teams already inside Microsoft’s ecosystem, Copilot (which runs on GPT-4) is a natural extension.
Where Rivals Have Caught Up
Claude 4 from Anthropic now outperforms ChatGPT on long-document analysis and nuanced reasoning tasks. Gemini’s Google integration is genuinely useful for users already inside Google Workspace. Grok 4 surfaces real-time information faster. None of these rivals unseat ChatGPT as the overall leader, but the gap is smaller than it was twelve months ago.
Pricing
The free tier provides access to GPT-4o-mini — a capable but clearly lighter model. GPT-4o access requires the Plus plan at $20/month. Teams and Enterprise plans are available with additional privacy and admin controls.
Verdict
ChatGPT is still the Swiss Army knife of AI assistants. If you can only subscribe to one AI tool, this remains the safest choice. But if you have specific heavy use cases — long document analysis, real-time research, creative image work — it is worth trialling the category specialist alongside it.
ChatGPT Review 2026: Is GPT-4o Still the Best AI Assistant?
ChatGPT on GPT-4o is still the most versatile AI assistant available. Its combination of breadth, tool integrations, and multi-modal capability is unmatched — even if individual rivals occasionally beat it in specific tasks.
