Introduction: Why AI is the New Best Friend
Ever get curious as to how some people pull off getting so much in a day while you feel buried under your tasks? Well, here’s a little secret: some of them are probably using AI. Indeed, artificial intelligence has never been just for computer nerds and billion-dollar companies. Be it a student, content creator, business owner, or just anyone trying to hang in there, AI is your productivity sidekick extraordinaire.
I could never even begin to put a number on the hours I have put into testing various AI tools, and let me tell you, they feel like superpowers. But remember, not all AI tools are built equal, and if used wrongly, many will just create an even bigger mess. So, I am sharing with you 12 different practical ways of using AI that will incredibly simplify your life (and no, this is not all about ChatGPT).
1. Let Your AI Do the Writing (But Never Let It Steal Your Voice!)
Ever spent an entire day staring at a blank screen, trying to come up with words for the right email, or the best social media or blog post? Writing tools like ChatGPT, Jasper, and Copy.ai can take your gibberish ideas and convert them into polished content in a matter of seconds.
But the trick is this—never copy-paste what AI presents to you! Get ideas from it, but make it your own. Otherwise, you will sound like a robot, and who likes that?
Pro Tip: Be specific with your AI prompt! Instead of saying, “Write a blog about productivity,” say, “Write a conversational, fun blog about AI productivity tools, with real-life examples and humor.” The more, the merrier!
Pricing:
- ChatGPT: Free; Pro Plan $20/month
- Jasper: Starts at $39/month
- Copy.ai – Free; Pro Plan $36/month
2. Hit Your Deadlines with the Help of AI Scheduling
There is always a friend who will always be late. But in case it is you, AI can rescue your neck! Applications like Motion and Reclaim.ai work hand in hand with analyzing calendar events, deadlines, and even work habits to put your tasks on the calendar for maximum efficiency.
Pro Tip: I gave that a shot, and voila! I stopped double-booking, forgot meetings, and wasted time on pointless activities. I pretty much had an assistant without paying one!
Pricing:
- Motion: Starts at $34/month
- Reclaim.ai is Free; the Pro Plan starts at $8/month
3. Research More Smartly, Not Harder
Google may be good enough, but AI-directed research engines like Perplexity AI and Elicit.org do take things to a whole new level. Instead of scrolling through 50 different articles, they summarize key insights, suggest relevant sources, and answer any follow-up queries.
Pro Tip: Use of the AI research tools can cut research time in half by relying on these AI-based tools to organize her thesis. Just imagine what you could do with all that time saved!
Pricing:
- Perplexity AI: Free; Pro Plan $20/month
- Elicit.org: Free with limited searches; Pro Plans available
4. Allow AI to Support Note-Taking (While You Engage in Listening)
Ever tried taking notes in a fast hurry of a meeting or lecture, only to finish with a little incomprehensible mess of half-written sentences? An AI transcription app like Otter.ai or Fireflies.ai digitizes conversations on the fly, taking the grunt work out of it.
Pro Tip: Use Otter.ai, which allowed you to really listen without stressing too much about writing every detail. Later, you could easily refer back to a clean transcript—so cool!
Pricing:
- Otter.ai: Free; Premium Plan $8.33/month
- Fireflies.ai: Free; Business Plan: $18/month
5. A Boss’s Guide to Automation in Social Media
Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook are best posted manually, but that is so very 2010. Ocoya, Buffer, and similar AI social media management apps will schedule your posts, analyze engagement trends, and put together strong suggestions for the next content ideas.
Pro Tip: If a business or personal brand operates in a huge space, this becomes a ‘need to have’ program! How about thinking of designing your whole posting schedule for a month in one day, while AI takes care of the best times to post and optimize engagement?
Pricing:
- Ocoya: Starts at $19/month
- Buffer: Free; Pro Plan $6/month
6. Stop Wasting Time on Emails, Please!
HubSpot AI, Salesflare, and such AI email tools would follow up with regulars, create professional emails, and predict whether a certain lead is worth your time. Finally, you don’t have to spend hours polishing emails!
Pro Tip: Have AI generate templates for you to customize. No one likes the sound of robotic emails!
Pricing:
- HubSpot AI: Free (Basic); Premium starts at $50/month
- Salesflare: Starts at $29/month
7. Achieve Flawless Grammar Without the Need to Think About It.
If you have to put pen to paper, whether it’s for an email, blog post, or report, you require Grammarly and the Hemingway Editor in your life. These AIs will fix embarrassing grammatical mistakes, provide spell-check suggestions, and tell you when you sound a little too frilly.
Pro Tip: Grammarly can save you from many disasters; a time when you wrote public instead of public in an important document taught you always to proofread!
Pricing:
- Grammarly: Free; Premium Plan $12/month
- Hemingway Editor: Free (Online); Desktop App $19.99 (One-time purchase)
8. Edit photos and videos within minutes (Absolutely No Photoshop Needed!)
You needn’t be an artist to create enthralling visuals. Tools like Canva AI and Runway ML instantly do away with all background-removing hustles, image enhancements, and even text-to-video. AI comes into use.
Pro Tip: If you need a professional-looking YouTube thumbnail in 5 minutes. Canvas happened to ace it!
Pricing:
- Canva AI – Free; Pro Plan $12.99/month
- Runway ML: Free; Pro Plan starts at $15/month
9. AI Chatbots 24/7 for customer Handling
While you sleep, Tidio, Chatfuel, and other AI chatbots can answer customer queries in real time. This leaves happier customers and less time for you to answer repetitive questions.
Pricing:
- Tidio: Free; Pro Plan starts at $29/month
- Chatfuel: Free; Pro Plan starts at $11.99/month
10. AI Robots Can Manage Money.
Budgeting is super uncool, but AI takes the sting out of it a bit. Money-managing apps like Cleo and YNAB AI analyze your bills and expenses, help you increase savings, and suggest ways to cut unnecessary expenses.
Pro Tip: On average, AI-economic apps have helped an additional 20% of the saving activities of their users.
Pricing:
- Cleo – Free; Pro Plan (Cleo Plus) $5.99/month
- YNAB (You Need a Budget): $14.99/month or $99/year
11. AI Even Helps You to Code (Or Learn to Code!)
If you are no coder, do not worry. Because GitHub Copilot and Tabnine suggest code in real time, it becomes easier to develop software even if you’re a beginner.
Pro Tip: One can successfully set up the whole website only through AI-assisted coding and won’t even aware of any coding prior to that!
Pricing:
- GitHub Copilot: $10/month for individuals; $19/month for businesses
- Tabnine: Free; Pro Plan starts at $12/month
12. How AI Can Create Music and Art (Even for You)
Want to make music or digital pictures but know nothing about how to do it? With AI tools like Soundraw and Deep Dream Generator, it’s possible to have something that emanates from deep within your person become a proper piece of artwork.
Pro Tip: I’m playing around with Soundraw and taking a few minutes to get a custom track for my video project.
Pricing:
- Soundraw: Free; Pro Plan $16.99/month
- Deep Dream Generator: Free; Premium Plans start at $19/month
You can also check out our blog on 7 AI Tools That Will Free Up 1000 Hours and Supercharge Your Productivity in 2025
Conclusion: AI Is Not Out to Replace; It Is to Assist!
If you haven’t already embraced the use of AI to increase the productivity of your business, you are certainly missing out on a lot. But the fact remains that AI itself is still just a tool, not an outright magic trick. Magic happens when you combine AI with your creativity rather than replace your creativity.
You could just try some AI strategies and see for yourself how much more productive you can be during that time today. So much so that you might even have the time left to watch that favorite show on a binge without a guilt trip!
Which AI tool are you most eager to try? Let me know in the comments!
FAQ’s
Not at all! Most AI tools are designed with user-friendly interfaces. Many offer drag-and-drop features, pre-built templates, and guided setups, making them super easy—even for non-tech users!
Many AI tools offer free versions or trials, but advanced features usually require a paid plan. Free plans often have limitations on usage, word count, or storage. Always check before committing.
No! AI is great for automating repetitive tasks, but it still needs human creativity, judgment, and oversight. Think of it as an assistant that helps you work smarter—not a replacement for your skills.
It depends on the platform. Most reputable AI tools encrypt user data and follow strict security protocols. However, always read the privacy policy and avoid sharing sensitive information with AI.
It depends on your needs! If you’re a writer, ChatGPT or Jasper are great. For time management, Motion or Reclaim.AI work wonders. Businesses might benefit most from Tidio (chatbots) or HubSpot AI (email automation).
