I asked 5 AI tools which is best for KYC:
here's what they said!
Which AI tool do you use for KYC?
It’s one of the most common questions I hear from compliance professionals. ChatGPT? Claude? Copilot? And what’s the actual difference between them?
I decided to flip the question. Instead of ranking them myself, I asked the tools directly. I posed exactly the same question to five AI Tools:
“How are ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot and Perplexity used in practice for KYC research? What can each tool do, and where do they differ? Which tool is missing from this lineup? And if you had to rate them — how would they compare?”
The answers were surprisingly consistent. And they all pointed to the same conclusion: there’s no single tool that does everything. The real value lies in how you combine them.
In this blog I share what the five tools said about themselves and about each other — including the tool they all said was missing.
1️⃣ ChatGPT — The generalist
Best for structuring KYC files, summarising UBO chains, generating checklists and templates. Integrates well via API, n8n and Zapier — but can hallucinate about lesser-known entities — particularly non-US SMEs and entities outside major business databases.
Use it for: “Summarise this UBO structure in 5 bullets.”
2️⃣ Claude — The risk analyst
The strongest model for long documents and deep reasoning. Handles annual reports, organisational charts and sanctions analyses with a 1M-token context window and fewer hallucinations than ChatGPT — though sometimes more cautious than professionals would like.
Use it for: “Analyse these 40 pages of accounts for red flags.”
3️⃣ Gemini — The OSINT collector
Tight integration with the Google ecosystem makes it strong on fact-checking, cross-referencing and adverse media when you supply the sources. Less effective on long complex documents and sometimes lighter on legal nuance than Claude.
Use it for: “Summarise these 10 news articles into an adverse media paragraph.”
4️⃣ Microsoft Copilot — The workflow automator
The clear winner inside Office 365: Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams. Excellent for turning research notes into clean reports and cleaning up transaction data. Weaker on pure reasoning, and output quality depends heavily on your Microsoft tenant.
Use it for: “Turn these notes into a structured KYC report in Word.”
5️⃣ Perplexity — The missing link
Real-time web search with direct source citation for every claim — crucial for Wwft files where every assertion needs a verifiable link. Ideal as the first step in OSINT and adverse media screening, but not for deep document analysis or specialised sanctions databases.
Use it for: “Find all negative coverage of [person] from the past 2 years with sources.”
How they work together: the AI Toolkit for KYC
| Tool | Role | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | The generalist | Structuring files, summarising UBO chains, checklists, automation via API/n8n | Can produce inaccurate information about lesser-known companies; sometimes too ‘creative’ to be reliable |
| Claude | The risk analyst | Long documents, deep reasoning, risk articulation, 1M-token context window | Not a workflow engine; sometimes overly cautious |
| Gemini | The OSINT collector | Google-native research, fact-checking, cross-referencing public sources | Less deep on long documents; lighter on legal analysis |
| Copilot | The workflow automator | Office 365 integration, report drafting, table cleanup | Weaker reasoning; quality depends on your Microsoft 365 setup |
| Perplexity | The missing link | Real-time search with direct source citations, adverse media | Not for deep analysis; no replacement for sanctions/PEP databases |
Notable: all five tools spontaneously named Perplexity as the tool most clearly missing from the lineup.
The same practical division of labour emerged from all five answers:
- Perplexity → gather facts and sources (OSINT)
- Claude → analyse, reason, UBO chains and risk assessment
- ChatGPT → structure, summarise, checklists and templates
- Copilot → reporting, audit trail and internal distribution
- Gemini sits in between — particularly useful if you work within the Google ecosystem or need to process multiple documents at once.
This isn’t a theoretical model. This is how compliance professionals who use AI seriously already work in practice.
The comparison at a glance
| Tool | OSINT | Document analysis | Reporting | Recency | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claude |  | | | | 8.5 |
| Perplexity AI | | | | | 8.8 |
| ChatGPT | | | | | 8.3 |
| Gemini | | | | | 8.0 |
| Copilot | | | | | 7.5 |
Score based on analytical capability, currency and reliability (sources: Gemini, ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude, Perplexity — April 2026)
Note: the total score reflects average performance across criteria. But for KYC work, specialist strengths matter more than averages. Perplexity scores highest overall thanks to its real-time data, but Claude remains the strongest at deep document analysis — which is often the heaviest task in a KYC file. Use the table as a starting point, not a verdict.
One important caveat: privacy
All five tools flagged the same risk: never paste personal data into consumer versions of these tools. That includes citizen service numbers (BSN), passport copies, or sensitive client information.
For KYC work, the rule is simple: use Enterprise versions or API connections with a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) in place. In consumer versions, your inputs may be used for model training — which is not GDPR-compliant for client data.
That’s exactly why automated KYC processes — like the ones we use at KYC-Checks.nl— run via API and not through the user interface.
Conclusion: there's no winner — there's a Toolkit.
All five tools arrived at the same conclusion: the question isn’t which AI tool to choose. The question is how you combine them.
- Claude is the strongest analyst for complex KYC files
- Perplexity is the best starting point for OSINT and adverse media
- ChatGPT is the best all-rounder for day-to-day compliance work
- Gemini is strongest in Google-driven document workflows
- Copilot is essential if you live in Microsoft 365
And the real value? It lies in the combination. Just as a good KYC analyst can’t only read, write or judge — a good AI stack needs more than one specialist.
Next week: how to build a practical AI workflow for KYC research — step by step.
About KYC-Checks.nl
KYC-Checks.nl helps compliance professionals and businesses with due diligence research. We combine OSINT methodology with AI tools to generate fast, structured and substantiated KYC reports.
www.kyc-checks.nl | info@kyc-checks.nl
Start Your First Verification Now
Fill in the details below to request your KYC report. Our team will review the information and contact you within 2 business hours to confirm the scope and finalize the process.
Before submitting, please choose the level of review that matches your risk profile:
Basic Check (€175)
Standard ownership, sanctions, PEP and adverse media screening.
Advanced Check (€250)
Includes enhanced structure analysis via external intelligence providers, extended PEP and adverse media screening, and import/export plus geographic risk assessment. Recommended for complex or higher-risk international transactions.
Your info
Your company details
- Required to identify the requesting entity and prevent misuse of due diligence services.
- Helps us assess the commercial rationale for the relationship between your company and the target company, and the related risk exposure.
Target company info
- Improves accuracy and prevents false matches.
- Used for sanctions, PEP, and adverse media screening.
SOURCES
- OFAC / US Treasury — Sanctions Advisory: Sham Transactions (March 31, 2026)
- FATF — Guidance on Beneficial Ownership and Transparency
- European Commission — EU List of High-Risk Third Countries
- FIU-Nederland — fiu-nederland.nl — Reporting Entities and Reporting Procedures