02 — Choose an Assistant and Open a Chat

Your result here is an open conversation where you can type and receive a reply. Choose one service, not all three. An existing account is fine.

Choose a starting service

These are starting options, not a ranking or a requirement to use a particular provider. Availability depends on your region, age and account. Work or school accounts can have restrictions.

Start without buying an upgrade

  1. Open the official service link above in another browser tab. Keep this lesson open.
  2. If you already have an account, sign in. Otherwise follow the service's account-creation steps. You handle your own password, verification and terms; BLI does not need them.
  3. Choose the free route if offered. A trial or paid upgrade is optional. If the screen requires a purchase, stop and check the official plan information or try another supported service.
  4. After sign-in, find the message box. If you are in an old conversation, use the new-chat control: ChatGPT uses New chat; Claude has a new-chat button; Gemini uses New chat in its sidebar. The sidebar may need opening on a small screen.

Our classes are always free. An AI company's subscription is a separate purchase. If you later need higher limits or a specific tool, open that service's account/settings area, compare its current plans, billing period, price and renewal terms, and upgrade only if you want to. You can continue these basic text activities without that purchase. If a limit interrupts you, keep your draft locally and return when access resets or use another suitable assistant.

Your AI conversation happens on the assistant’s website. Keep that conversation and this lesson open in separate tabs. Send your messages in the assistant’s message box, then return to this lesson for the next instruction.

Find the basic controls

The message box is where you type. The send/submit button, often an arrow, sends it. A reply is the assistant's answer. A chat is the conversation containing your messages and replies. When lesson 03 gives you a message, click in this box, type or paste that message, then click send. You do not need to upload a file or configure a Project yet.

Next: lesson 03. If account setup blocks you, keep the exact non-private error message for optional community help. Never post a password, verification code or payment details.

Web directions checked October 13, 2026; controls and plans can change. Use the official service's help if a label differs.

This is alpha material. Report unclear instructions or errors through a public issue or email help@bigleverinstitute.org. Share only redacted or fictional material.