Getting started with free chatbots: Meta AI, ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude

Before you start

All four chatbots below are free, work on an ordinary smartphone and are available in Pakistan. Free versions have daily limits and paid versions add more. You do not need to pay for anything to try the tasks on this page.

Three rules apply to every chatbot:

1. Never type private details: CNIC number, bank or card details, passwords or one-time codes (OTPs). See what never to type into a chatbot.
2. Check anything important. Chatbots can be confidently wrong. See hallucination.
3. Use the real app. Download only from the official Google Play or Apple App Store listing, or use the website addresses on this page.

Meta AI in WhatsApp and Messenger

Website: meta.ai

Meta AI is built into apps many Pakistanis already use every day: WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram and Facebook. It arrived in Pakistan in April 2024.

In WhatsApp:

1. Update WhatsApp to the latest version from the Play Store or App Store.
2. On the Chats screen, look for the blue circle icon (Meta AI). Tap it.
3. A chat with Meta AI opens. Type your question as you would a normal message.
4. In a group chat, type @Meta AI followed by your question. Everyone in the group sees the answer.

In Messenger and Facebook: look for the same blue circle icon, or type Meta AI in the search bar, then start chatting.

Privacy: your normal WhatsApp messages stay end-to-end encrypted. Meta AI only sees what you send to it, or what you send to it with @Meta AI in a group. The Meta AI icon in WhatsApp cannot be removed completely, but you do not have to use it.

Language: Meta AI launched in Pakistan in English. Try writing in Urdu or Roman Urdu and see how well it replies.

Small things to try:

• Polish a message before you send it: "Make this message to my landlord polite and clear: ..."
• Settle a question in a family group: "@Meta AI what is the difference between a virus and bacteria, in simple words?"
• Write a greeting: "Write a short Eid Mubarak message for my colleagues, in English and Urdu."

ChatGPT (free version)

Website: chatgpt.com

ChatGPT, made by OpenAI, is the best-known chatbot. You can use the website without creating an account. Creating a free account (with an email address or Google account) keeps your past chats so you can return to them. There are official apps for Android and iPhone.

How to start:

1. Open chatgpt.com in your phone's browser, or install the ChatGPT app by OpenAI.
2. Type your question in the box at the bottom and press send.
3. Ask follow-up questions in the same chat: "Shorter", "In Urdu", "Explain point 2 more simply."

Privacy setting to change: go to Settings, then Data controls and turn off Improve the model for everyone. This stops your conversations being used to train OpenAI's models. On the app, open the sidebar, tap your profile icon, then Data controls. For a one-off sensitive question, use a Temporary Chat: it does not appear in your history and is not used for training (OpenAI may keep it for up to 30 days for safety reasons).

Small things to try:

• "Help me write a short job application for a sales assistant post. I have two years of experience in a mobile phone shop."
• "Here is my electricity bill text. Explain what each charge means in simple Urdu." (Remove your name and reference number first.)
• "Give me a weekly budget plan for a family of five, with simple headings."

Google Gemini

Website: gemini.google.com

Gemini is Google's chatbot. You sign in with a Google account: the same one you use for Gmail or your Android phone. Google lists Urdu among the languages Gemini supports, so it is a good choice if you prefer to read answers in Urdu. There is a Gemini app for Android and iPhone.

How to start:

1. Open gemini.google.com or install the Gemini app by Google.
2. Sign in with your Google account.
3. Type, speak or add a photo and ask your question.

Privacy setting to change: on the website, go to Settings & help, then Activity and turn off Keep Activity. Google then keeps new chats for up to 72 hours to run the service and they do not appear in your activity history.

Small things to try:

• "Mujhe Urdu mein samjhao ke inflation ka aam aadmi par kya asar hota hai."
• Take a photo of an English notice and ask: "What does this notice say? Explain in Urdu."
• "Summarise this long email in three points:" then paste the email (without private details).

Anthropic Claude

Website: claude.ai

Claude is made by Anthropic. You need a free account, which you can create with an email address or a Google account. There are official apps for Android and iPhone. Claude is particularly good with long documents: you can upload a PDF and ask questions about it.

How to start:

1. Open claude.ai or install the Claude app by Anthropic.
2. Create a free account with your email or Google account.
3. Type your question, or attach a document with the paperclip button and ask about it.

Privacy setting to change: go to Settings, then Privacy and turn off Help improve our AI models. New chats will then not be used to train future models.

Small things to try:

• Upload a public document, such as a scheme's terms and conditions and ask: "What are the eligibility rules? List them simply."
• "Check this letter for grammar and make it more polite, without changing the meaning:" then paste your letter.
• "Explain step by step how to calculate 15% of 2,400 rupees, so I can do it myself next time."

Which one should I use?

There is no wrong choice. Try the same question in two of them and see which answer you prefer.

Five small tasks to try today

1. Explain a word: "What does 'probation period' mean in a job offer? Explain in Urdu."
2. Improve a message: paste a message you are about to send and ask for a clearer version.
3. Plan something: "Make a simple timetable for my child's exam revision over two weeks."
4. Translate: "Translate this into simple English:" then paste a short Urdu paragraph.
5. Learn something: "Teach me the basics of saving money in five short points."

Each of these takes under a minute. They are the best way to learn what chatbots do well and where you still need to think for yourself.