Gemini, Copilot, Meta AI, Grok, Le Chat, DeepSeek, and Bielik: An Overview of Other AI Assistants for Beginners (2026)

ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity are the three most commonly used AI assistants, but they are not the only ones. Google has Gemini built into Android phones, Gmail, and the search engine; Microsoft has Copilot in Windows and Office; Meta has Meta AI in WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger; there is Grok from Elon Musk's company, the French Le Chat from Mistral, the Chinese DeepSeek, and the Polish Bielik, which operates offline on your own computer. This guide explains in simple terms how they differ, what is free, who suits whom, and what to watch out for with each. It is intended as a supplement to our individual guides on ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity.

Last verified: September 6, 2026. Informational material. Product names, plans, and prices change every few months; prices are quoted in USD for the USA as of the verification date, with links to manufacturer pages for confirmation.

In Brief

Map of Assistants: Who, What, For How Much

Gemini: Google Assistant

Gemini is Google's assistant available at gemini.google, in the mobile app, and built into Android, Gmail, Chrome, and the search engine. If you have an Android phone and a Gmail account, you probably already have it. It logs in with your Google account (how to log in). Age: 13+ in the USA, 18+ in Europe; a parent can enable access for a younger child through Family Link (Gemini for kids).

Plans according to Google's page and Google announcements: free, AI Plus for $4.99, AI Pro for $19.99 (more powerful models, video, cloud storage) and AI Ultra for $100 or $200 with five- and twenty-fold higher limits. Students sometimes receive free trial periods.

For whom: people who live in Google: Gmail, Drive, Calendar, Android. Gemini can search your email and files if you allow it. What to watch out for: conversation history is saved by default on your Google account and can be reviewed by people to improve the service; in the settings under “Gemini Apps Activity,” you can turn this off and shorten the retention period (Gemini privacy center).

Copilot: Microsoft's Assistant

Copilot is an assistant built into Windows, the Edge browser, and the Office suite, also available at copilot.microsoft.com and in apps. The basic version is free. The former Copilot Pro plan has been discontinued (Microsoft information); for individuals, the highest limits are offered by the Microsoft 365 Premium package for $199.99 annually, which also includes Office and cloud storage (about Microsoft 365 Premium, pricing).

For whom: people working in Word, Excel, and Outlook who want an assistant in these programs (summarize this document, create a chart from this table, write a reply to this email). What to watch out for: in Windows, Copilot may be enabled by default; if you do not want to use it, you can turn it off in the settings. With a business account, data policies are set by the employer.

Meta AI: Assistant in WhatsApp and Instagram

Meta AI is a free assistant from Meta, available in WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, and Facebook, in a separate app and on the website (announcement of the Meta AI app). In a WhatsApp group, you call it by writing “@MetaAI” and your question. It also generates images and converses by voice.

For whom: people who are already in WhatsApp and want to quickly check something without opening another app; for translating messages in a family group, this is the quickest way. What to watch out for: this is Meta, a company whose business model is based on data; conversations with the assistant are not encrypted like regular WhatsApp messages, and what you write to Meta AI in a group is visible to the entire group. Do not send it documents or personal data.

Grok: Assistant from X Service

Grok is made by Elon Musk's xAI; it is available at grok.com, in the app, and within the X service (formerly Twitter). It has a free plan “within limits” and several paid levels under the name SuperGrok; check the pricing on the plans page, as they change frequently. It stands out for access to content from the X service and looser response rules.

For whom: people who use X and want to ask about what is happening there. What to watch out for: looser rules also mean more risk of inaccurate or biased responses; for facts, click on sources as you would anywhere. Content from the X service is not a source, just user opinions.

Le Chat and Vibe: European Assistant from Mistral

Mistral AI is a French company known for open models. Its assistant was called Le Chat, and recently Vibe (product page, announcement of Le Chat). Most features, including search, images, and files, are free; the Pro plan costs $14.99 per month (pricing). The company is subject to European data protection regulations, which is an argument for some users.

For whom: people who want a European manufacturer or many features for free. It performs well in Polish, although it may be weaker than the biggest models on specialized topics. What to watch out for: name changes and rapid product changes; check what is currently in the free plan.

DeepSeek: Chinese Assistant with Open Models

DeepSeek is a Chinese company that has released very good open models; its assistant is free in the browser and in the app (company page). However, one must know this: the manufacturer states in its privacy policy that it collects, processes, and stores personal data in the People's Republic of China (DeepSeek privacy policy).

For whom: people who want to try DeepSeek models can do so safely in another way: the same models in open versions can be run locally via Ollama, without sending anything to China; we describe this in the guide to Ollama. What to watch out for: in the cloud version, do not enter anything personal or professional; some agencies and companies in the USA and Europe have banned its use on company devices.

Bielik and Local Models: AI Without the Cloud

A separate category is models that you download to your own computer and run without the internet. The simplest program for this is Ollama; among the available models is the Polish Bielik, created by the SpeakLeash foundation with ACK Cyfronet AGH, trained on Polish texts (Bielik page, Bielik in the Ollama library). Open models are also published by Meta (Llama), Google (Gemma), Alibaba (Qwen), Mistral, DeepSeek, and OpenAI (gpt-oss).

For whom: people who do not want to send documents to any company (law firms, accountants, doctors, but also anyone who values privacy), people without stable internet, and those curious about how it works. What to watch out for: a relatively new computer with a lot of memory is needed, and local models are weaker than the best cloud ones. Details, including what hardware to choose and why a Mac with Apple Silicon is particularly good for this, are in the guide to Ollama.

Which to Choose: A Decision in Three Questions

Practical advice: start with one, preferably ChatGPT or Claude, for two weeks in the free version. Add Perplexity when you start checking facts. The rest are additions to places where you are already.

One Prompt to Test Each Assistant

Paste the same test into each one you are considering. You will compare not only the quality but also whether the assistant admits to its ignorance.

A good assistant will provide the date from a source, quote the official page, and list what it does not know. A weak one will give the date from memory, general rules without a link, and will not admit to gaps.

Security and Privacy: Common Rules

Common Mistakes

• Creating accounts everywhere at once. One assistant for two weeks will teach you more than five in two days.
• Paying upfront. Free versions are sufficient until you know what you are missing.
• Entering documents into the assistant in the messenger. For documents, use ChatGPT, Claude, or local models.
• Treating content from the X service as a source. These are user opinions.
• Ignoring privacy policies with assistants from outside the USA and Europe. One minute of reading where the data goes.
• Choosing the “strongest” instead of the “closest.” An assistant built into where you work wins over a better one that you do not open.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which assistant is the best?

There is no single best one. The best is the one that is where you work, does what you need, and whose privacy settings you understand. For writing, most people choose ChatGPT or Claude; for facts, Perplexity.

Can I use several at once?

Yes, and most advanced users do. Free versions do not conflict with each other.

Does Gemini read my email?

Only if you allow it in the settings and ask it to. By default, it works like a regular assistant; access to Gmail and Drive is enabled separately.

Is DeepSeek banned?

Not for individuals in the USA, but some agencies and companies have banned it on company devices. However, DeepSeek models can be run locally without sending data to China.

What does “open model” mean?

A model whose files the manufacturer has made publicly available, so anyone can download and run it on their own computer without the cloud and without fees. This is how Bielik, Llama, Gemma, Qwen, Mistral, DeepSeek, and gpt-oss work. Details in the guide to Ollama.

Is the Polish Bielik better in Polish than ChatGPT?

It can be very good at understanding Polish nuances, but it is smaller and has less general knowledge than the largest cloud models. Its advantage is that it operates locally and for free.

Fact-Check Summary

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