In November 2022, ChatGPT made a dramatic entrance onto the world’s stage. Powered by OpenAI, the viral language processing tool famously engages in human-like interactions with a chatbot that can explain quantum physics, write poetry and even have philosophical conversations. Ever since its futuristic capabilities struck a chord with pop culture, there’s been intensified intrigue over the elusive entity of artificial intelligence—and what, exactly, its existence means for humans. Mere months later, it feels like AI tools are all around us. And while their presence has prompted anxiety about job losses, many programs are tailored to help people in their work routines. Here, we’ve compiled a guide of AI tools that are meant to streamline your day-to-day tasks, from simplified job searching to automated brainstorming sessions.
Disclaimer: AI is evolving quickly. Some of these tools may look different, offer new features or have revised price points by the time you try them out. More than anything, we hope the following guide gives you a primer on this developing technology and allows you to familiarize yourself more with AI.
Midjourney AI
Best for: Creating images from text.
You’ve likely already come across AI images on your social media feed—does the Pope in a puffer jacket ring a bell?—and that’s because making them has never been easier. Creating images from scratch with only text input is what Midjourney AI does. Just enter a description (make it as detailed as possible for best results) and watch as the program creates an image based on your prompt. Over the course of a minute or two, the images become clearer and result in four different options, which can then be customized further to your liking.
Cost: Currently, the only way to use this tool is through Discord. After downloading the chat app, sign up for Midjourney. You can then pick your preferred plan, starting at $10/month.
Descript
Best for: Transcribing and editing video/audio files with ease.
If you can type, you can edit videos on Descript. Made to support video content and audio-only projects like podcasts, the platform uses AI to make the monotonous aspects of editing simpler. Instead of clip-by-clip cuts, it allows you to edit videos through transcribed text and easily re-arrange visuals to coincide with the finalized script. With this technology, it can automatically remove filler words like “you know,” “sort of” and “um.” Plus, it breaks up multi-person recordings into multiple tracks for optimal clarity. This is what the Girlboss Radio team uses to edit podcast episodes.
Cost: Free with a monthly limit of one hour. Paid plans start at $12/month.
Canva AI
Best for: Taking content creation tasks to the next level.
Content creation hub Canva has a host of AI tools made to streamline its effectiveness. Its Text to Image feature creates art for any project based on written concepts. Magic Write is a text generator that summarizes and paraphrases written content. It also writes its own copy, whipping up a first draft “in seconds” from a simple prompt. Magic Design is a visual generation tool that creates customized, context-informed templates from uploaded images, which you can then further edit.
Cost: Free basic package. Plans start at $111/year.
D-id
Best for: Creating your own AI avatar (yes, really).
Don’t feel like being on camera? With D-id, you can use an avatar. Simply upload an image, describe how you want your AI-generated entity to look, or take your pick of illustrated faces from a bank. Select a voice sound from over 100 languages/accents, and type or record what you want to say. The avatar will then speak in a video, complete with moving lips and blinking eyes. Download it as an MP4, and you’re off. According to D-id, this is intended (in part) for corporate communication, training videos and E-learning platforms.
Cost: Free 14-day trial. Plans start at $5.99/month.
TimeHero
Best for: Scheduling tasks without thinking twice.
Think of TimeHero as the virtual assistant in charge of divvying up your tasks. This AI schedule manager assesses your workload and to-do list and helps you figure out how to get it all done. Enter tasks with a due date and a tentative estimate of how long they’ll take, and TimeHero plans when you can work on them, based on other parts of your schedule like meetings and events. If plans change—say you take a day off or have an urgent task come up—it automatically updates your schedule to reflect that.
Cost: Free 7-day trial. Plans start at $4.60/month.
Notion AI
Best for: Making the most of your notes.
Notion, the organizational platform known for its task management, project tracking and to-do list features, implemented AI in November 2022 to help organize and streamline users’ writing, from the brainstorming level to the editing stage. Scribbled notes during a meeting but don’t feel like sifting through them for action items? Need to write the first draft of a report but not sure where to start? Want to change your tone to sound more confident? Notion AI can do that.
Cost: Free basic package. Plans start at $8/month.
Booth AI
Best for: Producing product imagery sans photography skills.
Product photography is an essential part of running an e-commerce business. Enter Booth AI, which uses artificial intelligence to generate high-res product photos quickly and easily. Just upload reference product images, then write a text prompt describing your vision, and it does the rest. The platform also recently launched an AI Scene Generator, which can produce custom background settings in addition to high-quality product imagery.
Cost: Starting at $199/month.
Looka
Best for: Generating top-notch logos.
Trying to market your business with zero design skills? Looka’s software uses AI to create a logo that matches your vision. Based on your company name and choice of colors and symbols, it generates “endless options,” which can then be tweaked and edited. The result? Almost-instant branding for things like T-shirts, business cards and social media kits.
Cost: Free to design. Pay to download—starting at $20.
Mem
Best for: Organizing your digital footprint.
Mem tackles digital clutter like emails, notes and calendar entries by using AI to organize a workspace personalized to you. Along with syncing your apps, messages and schedule, it automatically categorizes your saved website articles and quick-jotted notes without having you sort out where they go. It groups together similar content and subject matter, then re-surfaces it in the right context. For example: if you’re writing an article on a particular subject, it presents you with all your previously-saved documents relating to it.
Cost: Free basic package. Paid plans starting at $8/month.
Compose AI
Best for: Getting a writing flow going.
Dealing with writer’s block? Have a bland chunk of copy you’re struggling to get through? Looking to reply to overwhelming emails in one click? Compose AI is a Chrome extension that claims to cut writing time by 40 percent using AI-powered autocompletion and text generation. Currently available on Gmail and Google Docs, it suggests responses that are contextually aware, rephrases your writing and types its own messages based on your prompts. Over time, it personalizes itself to reflect your writing style and voice.
Cost: Free basic package. Paid plans start at $9.99/month.
Sonara
Best for: Doing the job search for you.
Sonara is part of a growing number of tools geared toward automating the job search. After filling out a survey and submitting your resume, Sonara’s AI technology tackles the tedious task of finding—and applying to—relevant roles. Sonara will fill out applications for you—with the option for you to review them before submitting them—and even generates a “customized” cover letter based on your experience.
Cost: Free 3-day trial. Plans start at $19.99/month.
Inflection AI
Best for: Having a built-in work best friend.
Inflection AI created an entity named Pi—short for “personal intelligence.” Part confidant, part assistant, part sounding board, Pi is a listening ear who offers advice. The biggest selling point? It gets to know you. Say you have a problem that you need help sorting through, you’re finding yourself creatively stumped, or you just want to vent, Pi can help by answering questions, having back-and-forth conversations and tailoring itself to your interests and needs over time.
Cost: Free.
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