ChatGPT, Gemini or Grok? UAE user guide to make best use of AI chatbots

Compare features, strengths and limits of the top AI chatbots to find your best 2025 pick

Last updated: August 12, 2025 | 14:56

3 MIN READ

An illustration photograph taken on February 19, 2025 shows Grok, DeepSeek and ChatGPT apps displayed on a phone screen.

AFP

Dubai: Artificial intelligence assistants are no longer just futuristic concepts — they’re part of everyday life in the UAE.

From helping you draft an email in seconds to finding the latest deals on gadgets, AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and Grok are competing to be your go-to digital helper.

These platforms are updating at breakneck speed, with new tools, smarter models, and advanced “agent” features launching almost weekly. But which one should you actually use in 2025?

Also Read: Should you ask AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini to manage your salaries better?

Here’s a breakdown — tested across real-world tasks — so you can decide which AI deserves a spot in your digital toolkit.

ChatGPT

Free plan: Access to GPT-4.1 mini, limited GPT-4o, file uploads, basic deep research, voice mode, custom GPTs, and image generation.
Plus plan ($20/month): Higher usage limits, advanced reasoning models like o3, “Projects” for organising chats, limited Sora video generation, and the new ChatGPT Agent.
Pro plan ($200/month): Unlimited access to all models, extended Sora use, and early access to new features.

Performance highlights:

Web search: Detailed, accurate and well-structured answers.
Image generation: Best-in-class — followed prompts closely and produced high-quality visuals.
Deep research: Strong fact-checking (though not flawless).
Voice mode: Most natural-sounding, with conversational pauses and inflection.
Shopping: Found competitive prices with product cards and extra buying advice.

Verdict? If you need a versatile, reliable AI for writing, coding, research, and productivity — ChatGPT remains the most balanced choice. Especially strong for content creation and structured reasoning.

Gemini

Free plan: Gemini 2.5 Flash, limited 2.5 Pro, Imagen 4 image generation, Gemini Live voice mode, “Gems” (custom bots), Whisk image animator, and NotebookLM.
Google AI Pro: Higher feature limits, Deep Search in AI mode, limited Veo 3 video editing, Gemini in Docs and Gmail.
Google AI Ultra: Full Veo 3 video generation, higher limits, and Project Mariner — Google’s own AI agent.

Performance highlights:

Integration: Unmatched inside Gmail, Docs, Sheets, and other Google tools.
Long-context reasoning: Handles huge documents and extended conversations.
Web search: Accurate but sometimes missed details or lacked glanceable formatting.
Creative tasks: Images were good but not as precise as ChatGPT’s.
Deep research: Mixed results — strong in some fact-checking, but occasional inaccuracies.

Verdict? For UAE professionals already embedded in Google Workspace, Gemini is hard to beat. It’s secure, collaborative, and perfect for managing workflows directly in Docs, Sheets, or Gmail. But outside Google’s ecosystem, it feels less intuitive.

Also Read: How to use ChatGPT and other AI chatbots to write, invest, and plan your week

Grok

Free plan: Grok 3 model, Aurora image generation, anime-style avatars, research and writing tools.
SuperGrok ($30/month): Grok 4 model, voice mode with camera integration, Grok Imagine (image & video generation).
SuperGrok Heavy ($300/month): Grok 4 Heavy model, larger context memory, early feature access.

Performance highlights:

Web search: Tied with ChatGPT for completeness and clarity.
Instructions: Similar accuracy to others, but with its own quirks.
Image generation: Weakest of the three — struggled with prompt accuracy.
Tone: Informal, witty, sometimes snarky — very much in the style of Elon Musk.
Live updates: Real-time integration with X (formerly Twitter) for trending topics.

Verdict? If you’re into real-time commentary and social buzz, Grok is entertaining and fast. But it’s not built for in-depth research or professional writing — its casual style is part of the charm, but also the limitation.

Final take?

Best all-rounder: ChatGPT Pro — versatile, accurate, great for work and personal use.
Best for Google users: Gemini — seamless Workspace integration, secure, long-context reasoning.
Best for social updates: Grok — fun, fast, and connected to trending conversations.

While ChatGPT, Gemini, and Grok have long dominated the AI chatbot conversation, but a relatively new contender, DeepSeek, has quickly gained attention. Launched in January 2025 by a Chinese startup, DeepSeek has become one of the most viral AI releases of the year thanks to its lightweight design and affordability.

If affordability and openness are your priorities—especially for coding, logical tasks, or experimentation—DeepSeek is an exciting option. However, it remains early-stage, prone to errors, and is subject to censorship and data policy restrictions.

Remember: AI is still prone to “hallucinations” — confidently giving wrong answers. Even the best chatbot in 2025 isn’t perfect. Always double-check important information, especially for work, studies, or big purchases.

Justin VargheseYour Money Editor

Justin is a personal finance author and seasoned business journalist with over a decade of experience. He makes it his mission to break down complex financial topics and make them clear, relatable, and relevant—helping everyday readers navigate today’s economy with confidence. Before returning to his Middle Eastern roots, where he was born and raised, Justin worked as a Business Correspondent at Reuters, reporting on equities and economic trends across both the Middle East and Asia-Pacific regions.