--- title: "Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Perplexity & the AI Tool…" description: "Master Gemini, Microsoft 365 Copilot and Perplexity, build integrations and agents, and design a lean, safe multi-tool AI stack" url: https://optimizeall.com/learn/gemini-copilot-perplexity-and-more updated: 2026-10-05 --- AI · Intermediate · 504 minutes · free · updated Sep 2026 # Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Perplexity & the AI Tool Landscape Master Gemini, Microsoft 365 Copilot and Perplexity, build integrations and agents, and design a lean, safe multi-tool AI stack - **Lessons:** 19 in 7 modules - **Video lectures:** 19 lectures, 154 minutes - **Updated:** Sep 2026 ## Tools you'll use - Google Gemini - Gemini Notebook - Gemini API - Google Apps Script - Microsoft 365 Copilot - Copilot Studio - Perplexity - Perplexity Sonar API - Comet - Ollama - LM Studio - Hugging Face - ElevenLabs - Midjourney - Adobe Firefly - n8n [Start the course](https://optimizeall.com/learn/gemini-copilot-perplexity-and-more/mapping-the-ai-tool-landscape) ## About this course There is no single best AI tool. Professionals who get the most from AI know which tool fits which job, and why. This course, updated for September 2026, maps the landscape beyond a single assistant and teaches each major platform hands-on: **Google Gemini** in Workspace, long-context and multimodal work, Gems, Deep Research, Canvas and **Gemini Notebook** (formerly NotebookLM); **Microsoft 365 Copilot**, Copilot Chat, permissions governance and agents built with **Copilot Studio**; and **Perplexity** for cited research, Spaces, the Comet browser and the Sonar API. Integration lessons include working code for the Gemini API and Google Sheets (Apps Script), a declarative agent manifest, and an automated competitor digest. You will also understand open-weight models and run AI locally, choose image, voice and video tools responsibly, compare outputs with a reusable test set, weigh cost, privacy and lock-in, and design your own AI stack with a data rules card. Every lesson includes a narrated lecture and a practical activity. ## What you will learn - Map AI tools into durable categories and evaluate any tool on your own tasks with a fair, blind test - Use Gemini in Workspace, Gems, Deep Research and Gemini Notebook, and integrate the Gemini API with Sheets - Use Microsoft 365 Copilot effectively, govern permissions and build narrow agents with Copilot Studio - Run cited research in Perplexity, organise it in Spaces and automate digests with the Sonar API - Explain open-weight licences and run a model locally with an OpenAI-compatible API - Choose image, voice and video tools responsibly, with consent, provenance and disclosure - Design a lean AI stack using cost per useful output, vendor data terms and portability ## Course content ### The AI tool landscape Map AI tools into durable categories, understand the big 2025–2026 shifts, and evaluate any tool on your own tasks in 30 minutes. - [Mapping the AI tool landscape in 2026](https://optimizeall.com/learn/gemini-copilot-perplexity-and-more/mapping-the-ai-tool-landscape): 15 min - [How to evaluate any AI tool in 30 minutes](https://optimizeall.com/learn/gemini-copilot-perplexity-and-more/how-to-evaluate-an-ai-tool): 15 min ### Google Gemini Use Gemini in Workspace and for long-context multimodal work, build Gems, run Deep Research, use Gemini Notebook, and integrate the Gemini API with your tools. - [Gemini in Google Workspace](https://optimizeall.com/learn/gemini-copilot-perplexity-and-more/gemini-in-google-workspace): 16 min - [Gemini's long context and multimodal skills](https://optimizeall.com/learn/gemini-copilot-perplexity-and-more/gemini-long-context-and-multimodal): 15 min - [Gems, Deep Research, Canvas and Gemini Notebook](https://optimizeall.com/learn/gemini-copilot-perplexity-and-more/gems-deep-research-and-gemini-notebook): 16 min - [The Gemini API and Google Workspace integrations, hands-on](https://optimizeall.com/learn/gemini-copilot-perplexity-and-more/gemini-api-and-workspace-integrations): 20 min ### Microsoft Copilot Use Microsoft 365 Copilot across Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel and PowerPoint, govern work copilots through permissions, and build narrow agents with Copilot Studio. - [Microsoft 365 Copilot and Copilot Chat in daily work](https://optimizeall.com/learn/gemini-copilot-perplexity-and-more/copilot-in-microsoft-365): 16 min - [Grounding, permissions and governance for work copilots](https://optimizeall.com/learn/gemini-copilot-perplexity-and-more/copilot-grounding-and-governance): 16 min - [Copilot Studio and agents: extending Microsoft 365 Copilot](https://optimizeall.com/learn/gemini-copilot-perplexity-and-more/copilot-studio-and-agents): 19 min ### Perplexity and research engines Use cited answer engines for fast research, run a repeatable workflow from question to verified brief, and scale research with Spaces, Comet and the Sonar API. - [Perplexity: the cited answer engine](https://optimizeall.com/learn/gemini-copilot-perplexity-and-more/perplexity-cited-answer-engine): 15 min - [Research workflows: from question to verified brief](https://optimizeall.com/learn/gemini-copilot-perplexity-and-more/research-workflows-and-verification): 16 min - [Perplexity for teams: Spaces, Comet and the Sonar API](https://optimizeall.com/learn/gemini-copilot-perplexity-and-more/perplexity-api-comet-and-spaces): 18 min ### Open-weight models and local AI Understand closed vs open-weight models, their licences and trade-offs, and run AI privately on your own computer. - [Open-weight models explained](https://optimizeall.com/learn/gemini-copilot-perplexity-and-more/open-weight-models-explained): 16 min - [Running AI locally: a practical introduction](https://optimizeall.com/learn/gemini-copilot-perplexity-and-more/running-ai-locally): 17 min ### Image, voice and video tools Choose and use image, voice and video AI tools effectively, with provenance, consent and disclosure built in. - [Image generation tools: choosing and using them well](https://optimizeall.com/learn/gemini-copilot-perplexity-and-more/image-generation-tools-compared): 16 min - [Voice and video AI: ElevenLabs, HeyGen, Veo and beyond](https://optimizeall.com/learn/gemini-copilot-perplexity-and-more/voice-and-video-ai-tools): 16 min ### Choosing tools and building your stack Compare outputs with a reusable test set, weigh cost, privacy and lock-in, and design a lean personal or team AI stack with clear data rules. - [Comparing outputs side by side](https://optimizeall.com/learn/gemini-copilot-perplexity-and-more/comparing-outputs-side-by-side): 16 min - [Cost, privacy and lock-in trade-offs](https://optimizeall.com/learn/gemini-copilot-perplexity-and-more/cost-privacy-and-lock-in): 16 min - [Building your personal AI stack](https://optimizeall.com/learn/gemini-copilot-perplexity-and-more/building-your-personal-ai-stack): 16 min ## Certificate: Certified Multi-Tool AI Strategist The holder can navigate the 2026 AI tool landscape with confidence: using and integrating Google Gemini, Microsoft 365 Copilot and Perplexity, governing permissions and agents, understanding open-weight and local models, selecting image, voice and video tools responsibly, running fair side-by-side evaluations, and designing an AI stack that balances quality, cost, privacy and portability. - **Final assessment:** 25 questions, 40 minutes - **Passing score:** 80%