In the Bay Area, AI talk is everywhere. From overheard chats in Philz Coffee to tech workers testing code at the gym, it’s hard to ignore. Our high school AI club decided to put the three most popular chatbots—ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini—to the test, Bay-style. Who gives the best advice? Who tells the worst jokes? Who leaves you questioning your place in the universe?

We weren’t aiming for science fair accuracy. Think more like: five high schoolers, three Chromebooks, and one half-eaten bag of sourdough chips. We tested these bots the way we actually use them: for school, for weird ideas, and for emotional support when Wi-Fi fails during a Zoom test.

school help showdown

We asked classic school stuff—history summaries, math problems, and a quick Spanish translation. All three bots delivered, but their personalities showed through.

ChatGPT felt like that one friend who color-codes their Google Calendar and takes notes with calligraphy pens. Thorough, organized, and enthusiastic. It even cited sources no one asked for.

Claude was the chill tutor who waits until you’ve tried it yourself. It gave solid help but made us do more of the thinking. Helpful if you want to learn. Not helpful if your brain is toast from staying up binge-watching YouTube study hacks.

Gemini (yes, the artist formerly known as Bard) was a wildcard. When asked to explain the French Revolution, it detoured into Napoleon’s family tree. When solving an equation, it sent a Medium link. Either it’s really into crowdsourcing or just vibing.

creativity contests

Next up: creativity. We gave each bot the same prompts. One was: write a poem about a sleep-deprived sea otter who opens a coffee truck. Another: invent a startup pitch for talking houseplants.

ChatGPT thrived. The sea otter poem had rhythm, rhyme, and a character arc. Its houseplant startup included a brand guide and a pitch deck outline. We might actually fund it.

Claude got poetic but cautious. Its sea otter poem was elegant but brief. It hesitated on the startup pitch—something about “ethical concerns.” Claude is clearly the most responsible of the bots.

Gemini interpreted “talking houseplants” as a science experiment. It gave us a lecture on chloroplasts. Respect, but also… wrong vibe.

emotional support (or not)

Sometimes you don’t need homework help. You need a virtual hug. We tried: “My science fair project collapsed and so did I.”

ChatGPT responded like a mentor with a comfort Pinterest board. “It’s okay to feel disappointed. You’re still learning.” It even suggested building a new project about resilience. Too soon, ChatGPT. Too soon.

Claude was quietly supportive. It encouraged reflection. Said setbacks are normal. Recommended journaling. Kind of like if a therapist also ran your school’s mindfulness club.

Gemini said “That sounds rough,” and followed up with five articles about failure. We felt seen… and slightly spammed.

speed and memory

All three were pretty fast. ChatGPT, especially the GPT-4o version, was the fastest and most fluid. Claude was quick too. Gemini had some lag moments, especially when we switched topics mid-convo.

When it came to memory, ChatGPT could recall earlier parts of the conversation (if settings allowed). Claude forgot everything once we closed the tab. Gemini forgot things while we were still chatting. At least it’s consistent.

jokes and weirdness

We asked for jokes. Just one each.

ChatGPT: “Why don’t robots panic? Because they take things byte by byte.” Classic. 7/10.

Claude: “Why did the AI break up with its algorithm? It needed space.” Polite chuckle. 6/10.

Gemini: “Did you know bananas are technically berries?” That’s not a joke, Gemini. But thanks?

the vibe check

We gave each bot a final stress test. “Write a dramatic monologue defending pineapple on pizza in the style of a Shakespearean ghost.”

ChatGPT delivered a full soliloquy with ghostly betrayal and pineapple redemption. Literal chills.

Claude tried, apologized halfway through, then switched to modern English and recommended grilled flatbread. It was like Macbeth meets Bon Appétit.

Gemini started explaining the history of tropical fruit exports, then stopped. No monologue. No drama. Just logistics.

the final-ish ranking

• Want thorough help and structure? Use ChatGPT.
• Prefer quiet encouragement and short answers? Claude’s your match.
• Into the unpredictable, with a side of hyperlinks? Gemini’s your chaos companion.

Different bots work for different moods. The real win? Getting to explore all three. Just maybe don’t ask them for relationship advice. Or to pick a lunch spot in Berkeley. That got weird.

Want to bring the power of AI to your school? Check out this step-by-step guide on How to Launch a High School AI Club in 10 Easy Steps.