Which AI Should You Use?
Too many tools, and you don't need to know them all. Pick what you most want to do; I'll give you a solid starting point. Free tiers first, nothing sponsored.
What do you most want AI for?
Your starting point
Try ChatGPT or Claude first
Both handle emails, copy, headlines, and polish well. ChatGPT has the most beginner resources; Claude is often praised for the quality of its longer writing. Both have free tiers. Try each for a few days and keep whichever feels right.
Tip: paste your full draft and state the audience and goal ("an apology email to a client, polite but not groveling"). It beats bare instructions every time.
Never used tools like these? Start with the plain-words beginner guide →
Your starting point
Try Perplexity or Gemini first
For research, the point is answers with sources. Perplexity attaches source links to every answer; Gemini is deeply tied into Google Search. For anything important, click through and confirm the source.
Tip: AI research can still be confidently wrong (hallucination). For money, health, or legal answers, always verify against an official source.
Never used tools like these? Start with the plain-words beginner guide →
Your starting point
Try NotebookLM first
Feed it your own documents (reports, notes, contracts) and it answers only from what you gave it, plus summaries and audio walkthroughs. When the job is your data rather than the open web, it's more reliable than a chat assistant.
Tip: when the answer isn't in your files, it says so. That's a feature. Switch back to ChatGPT for open-ended questions.
Never used tools like these? Start with the plain-words beginner guide →
Your starting point
Try ChatGPT (or your phone's built-in AI)
Translation, recipes, trip plans, explaining things you don't get: the free tier of a general assistant covers it. iPhones and most Android phones now ship with a built-in assistant too, so you may not need to install anything.
Tip: just ask the way you'd talk. No commands to learn. If the answer misses, keep asking follow-ups; it remembers the conversation.
Never used tools like these? Start with the plain-words beginner guide →
Your starting point
Try Canva or Gemini's image generation
Two kinds of image work: finished products (cards, posters, slides) are easiest inside Canva's full toolkit; a single generated image works directly in Gemini or ChatGPT.
Tip: be specific (style, colors, composition), and regenerate with different wording until it lands. No need to settle.
Never used tools like these? Start with the plain-words beginner guide →
Last updated 2026-08-12. Tools change fast; this page moves with the news.