Why These AI Tools Are Worth Using Today
AI has exploded in the past few years—and it’s not slowing down. What once felt like futuristic fiction is now available at your fingertips, many of them completely free to try today.
Whether you’re a creator, freelancer, student, or just someone looking to boost productivity, the best AI tools to start using today can help you automate tedious tasks, enhance your content, find better information, and do more with less effort.
Let’s dive into the tools that are making that possible.
Zapier: Automate Repetitive Tasks Effortlessly
If you hate doing the same thing over and over again—Zapier is your best friend. Zapier connects your favorite apps (like Gmail, Slack, Google Sheets, Notion, and thousands more) to automate workflows in seconds.
Let’s say you have a feedback form on your website. Instead of manually replying to each response, you can set up a “Zap” that automatically sends personalized thank-you emails when feedback comes in.
Other things you can automate with Zapier:
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Create Trello cards from emails
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Auto-update spreadsheets when sales come in
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Send reminders to Slack based on form inputs
Best of all? It’s free to start using and doesn’t require any coding. Just write what you want to automate, and Zapier does the rest.
Google AI Studio: Real-Time On-Screen Coaching
Google AI Studio is like having a live expert over your shoulder. It can analyze your screen in real time, understand what you’re working on, and give step-by-step instructions as you go.
Here’s how it works:
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Enable “stream real time” and share your screen.
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Ask a question, like “How do I make a pivot table in Excel?”
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Google AI Studio walks you through each step, like a live tutorial.
It’s perfect for learners, remote workers, and anyone who wants help without watching hours of YouTube tutorials. Imagine getting Excel tips, Photoshop help, or data insights—all in real time, while you work.
ChatGPT: Advanced Reasoning, Coding, Projects, and More
Yes, you’ve heard of ChatGPT—but did you know it now supports projects, documents, code, reasoning models, and even image analysis?
New features include:
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Canvas mode: Edit text, highlight paragraphs, and track version history.
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Reasoning model: Tackle complex problems and multi-step logic.
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Project management: Upload documents and maintain long-term context.
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Multimodal inputs: Upload images and ask ChatGPT to analyze them.
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Sora integration: Generate videos from text prompts.
It’s no longer “just a chatbot”—ChatGPT is now a productivity suite that can handle writing, coding, brainstorming, and creative work.
Udio: AI Music Creation for Creators
Want to create your own songs but don’t play an instrument? Udio is an AI-powered music generation tool where you can describe a style, write your own lyrics, and let the AI compose music based on your vision.
You can:
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Generate two versions of each song
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Customize structure (verse, chorus, bridge)
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Set song length and prompt strength
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Download and share your music instantly
Perfect for content creators, musicians, marketers, or anyone who wants to create original music without a studio.
ElevenLabs: Ultra-Realistic AI Voices and Dubbing
ElevenLabs is behind some of the most realistic AI-generated voices used in videos, podcasts, and commercials.
Inside the platform, you can:
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Paste your text and generate lifelike voiceovers
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Choose from different languages and accents
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Clone your own voice using “Voice Lab”
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Use the Voice Changer and Audio Translation tools
The dubbing feature is especially powerful—it translates audio into other languages while preserving the speaker’s voice. Mind-blowing stuff for video editors, YouTubers, and podcasters.
Perplexity AI: A Smarter Alternative to Google Search
Sick of digging through outdated blog posts or ads just to get a straight answer? Perplexity AI gives you research-backed responses with citations in real-time.
What makes it special:
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Choose where your answer is sourced from (Web, Academia, Reddit)
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View scientific citations and filter out irrelevant ones
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Follow up with context-aware questions
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No fluff—just solid answers and clean UI
If you’re a researcher, student, or fact-checker—Perplexity will save you time and frustration.
Descript: Edit Video Like a Word Doc
Descript completely changes how you edit video and audio. Instead of scrubbing timelines, you just edit the transcript like a document.
Features that will blow your mind:
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Delete filler words and long pauses with one click
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Overdub: Add new narration with your own cloned voice
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Auto-generate subtitles in any language
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Enhance sound quality with Studio Sound
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Remove background without green screen
For creators, coaches, and businesses making video content, this tool will make your life way easier.
Which Tool Should You Try First?
If you’re not sure where to start, here’s a quick guide:
Need | Try This Tool |
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Automate tasks & save time | Zapier |
Get real-time help with software | Google AI Studio |
All-purpose AI assistant | ChatGPT |
Make music | Udio |
Create voiceovers | ElevenLabs |
Smarter research & answers | Perplexity AI |
Edit video/audio like a pro | Descript |
FAQs
Are these AI tools free to use?
Most of them offer free versions or trials. Paid plans unlock more features.
Which AI tool is best for productivity?
Zapier and ChatGPT together are a killer combo for boosting productivity.
Is Google AI Studio available now?
Yes! It’s currently rolling out and available through select access—expect wider rollout soon.
Can I use these tools for content creation?
Absolutely. Udio, ElevenLabs, Descript, and ChatGPT are perfect for creators.
Do I need technical skills to use Zapier or ChatGPT?
Not at all. Both platforms are beginner-friendly.
Which tool helps most with research?
Perplexity AI is designed for quick, credible, and source-backed information.
Are These AI Tools Worth Using Right Now?
No question about it—yes. These AI tools aren’t just cool—they’re practical, powerful, and available today. They’ll save you time, enhance your skills, and maybe even help you make money doing what you love.
So why wait? Pick one, try it out, and upgrade how you work, create, and live—with AI by your side.