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0.1

The Account Sprint

Estimated time: 45 minTool: All AI services
After this drill, you can:

After this drill, you have active accounts on all five AI services and understand what each one is for.

Why this matters

You can't compare tools you've never touched. The AI landscape is fragmented — Claude is best for deep reasoning and writing, Perplexity for research, Gemini for Google ecosystem tasks, ChatGPT for breadth, Grok for real-time information. Knowing which tool to reach for is a skill, and you can only develop it through direct experience. This drill gives you the access you need for everything that follows.

How to do it

  1. 1

    Create accounts in this order — do not skip ahead

    Open each link in a new browser tab. Use your Gmail account everywhere it's offered — it speeds up sign-up and keeps your accounts linked.

  2. 2

    Claude (claude.ai) — free account, then upgrade to Claude Pro ($20/mo)

    Claude Pro is required for Modules 1–5. The free tier is too limited for consistent work. If you use an Icelandic credit card, use a billing address in Reykjavík — Stripe occasionally needs the full address.

  3. 3

    ChatGPT (chatgpt.com) — free tier is sufficient

    You only need the free tier for comparison drills.

  4. 4

    Google Gemini (gemini.google.com) — sign in with your Google account

    No additional setup needed — Gemini is bundled with your Google account.

  5. 5

    Grok (grok.com or via X/Twitter) — free tier sufficient

    Grok's real-time information access is what makes it worth having in the toolkit.

  6. 6

    Perplexity (perplexity.ai) — free tier sufficient

    Perplexity cites sources automatically. It's your AI research partner for Module 1.

  7. 7

    Verify: you can send a message in each tool without error

    Send "hello" to each. If any fails, troubleshoot before moving on.

Success criteria

  • ✓You can open claude.ai and send a message
  • ✓You have Claude Pro active (not just free tier)
  • ✓You can send a message in ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, and Perplexity
  • ✓You know what each tool is primarily used for

Common mistakes

Skipping Claude Pro to save money

→ The free tier hits rate limits within minutes of real use. Claude Pro is required for Modules 1–5 — it's built into the course cost model at $20/month.

Creating a new email for each service

→ Use one Gmail account everywhere it's offered. Simpler to manage and faster to sign in.

Not verifying each account actually works before moving on

→ Send a test message in every tool. Fix problems now, not mid-drill in Module 1.