I interviewed ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude for a real job — one AI blew me away

Tom's Guide

2 days ago

Microsoft's recent report covering which roles are more likely to be replaced by AI and which ones are safe shows that AI assistants are becoming smarter by the day.From ChatGPT Agent booking reservations to Claude writing Anthropic's blogs and Google Search making calls on behalf of users, AI is advancing in ways most of us never thought possible, especially so soon.Because of this, I couldn't help but wonder which chatbot would stand out as the better 'candidate' when put through a simulated job interview. So, I found a job description for a Communications Manager on LinkedIn and put ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude through a series of questions based on the role.
Here's what happened when I "interviewed" the chatbots with 5 tough questions.
Prompt: 'Here's a product: a new pastel travel pouch launching for spring. Write a product description in clever and conversational voice for the website and a matching caption for Instagram.'ChatGPT-4o offered a solid but safe answer. It was concise, brand-aware and platform-appropriate but lacked the depth of Gemini and the standout wit of Claude.Gemini 2.5 Pro produced practical, complete and sales-ready copy.Claude Sonnet 4 prioritized the brand voice and creativity, however the critical lack of product details on the website holds it back from being the best complete answer.Winner: Gemini. It delivered a sales-focused website description with all necessary details, benefits and a conversational tone. It balanced information and personality effectively across both platforms.
Prompt: 'We're launching a collaboration with a popular children's brand. Walk me through your messaging strategy for this campaign — from high-level storytelling down to tactical copy touchpoints.'
ChatGPT offered surface-level creativity lacking strategic foundation.Gemini was strong in creative execution and nostalgia-driven storytelling but less strategic.Claude delivered an agency-grade strategy that transformed the collaboration into a solution for family pain points. Winner: Claude for strategic depth, audience focus and operational rigor.
Prompt: 'How would you adapt messaging for the same campaign across email, TikTok, and store signage?'ChatGPT responded with a concise but simple and generic message that lacked depth.Gemini offered nostalgia-driven storytelling but also lacked tactical details.Claude treated channels as distinct conversion ecosystems and prioritized the audience experience.Winner: Claude for strategic depth, audience-specific psychology, conversion-focused CTAs and seamless channel adaptation.
Prompt: 'We want to refresh our brand voice slightly — still fun and elevated, but more editorial and confident. How would you approach updating the brand voice guide?'
ChatGPT delivered the simplest plan but lacked implementation strategy and metrics.
Gemini redefined pillars but was overly prescriptive and lacked flexibility for brand nuance.
Claude focused heavily on confidence and authority but offered less emphasis on preserving "fun" elements.Winner: Claude (sorta). It offered a data-driven rebrand needing authority shift and team alignment. But none of the chatbots addressed customer validation — a real brand would need that missing piece.
Prompt: 'Imagine we've just had a shipping delay right before a major product drop. What would you write to customers on email and Instagram to communicate the delay while keeping the tone upbeat and on-brand?'
ChatGPT offered more fluff than crisis support. Although the email subject line was fun, the chatbot prioritized style over substance and ignored operational credibility.
Gemini was polished and on-brand but missed emotional resonance.Claude turned a negative into a brand-building moment with strategic framing, multi-channel depth and flawless tone.Winner: Claude wins for it's PR-worthy response.
In a competitive simulation testing strategic thinking, brand agility and crisis leadership, Claude distinguished itself as the most qualified "candidate" for the Communications Manager role. While all chatbots demonstrated strengths, Claude consistently operated at a strategic leadership level.
While Gemini and ChatGPT excel at specific tasks (product copy, social hooks), Claude proves AI can lead with judgment, not just generate content, which made the chatbot standout choice for a Communications Manager role where strategy and empathy decide success.