I didn’t use AI tools until someone told me, as a writer and creative, I should learn to work alongside them. Since embracing AI, I’ve enhanced my workflow, boosted my creativity, and optimized my time. Here are the tools I actually use daily.
Grammarly Premium
I started using Grammarly (available on Windows and iOS) before AI became a huge, hot topic on every techie’s lips. Grammarly has essentially been my assistant editor for years now, and it helps me catch minor mistakes, misplaced commas, and make my writing a little more concise. Frankly, it is a godsend for someone who hates editing but also hates bad grammar. I use it on both desktop and browser. It’s quite helpful when I’m drafting emails, working on a draft in Google Docs, or editing content in content management systems like WordPress. Not to mention, I write short stories on the side, and it’s endlessly helpful when I want to ensure my work is typo-free.
At first, I made do with their free version. Their free version is still perfectly acceptable, and I suggest trying it out before committing to the premium membership. The free version still lets you use it in your browser and directly on your Windows PC, where you can get basic spelling and grammar checks, see the tone of your writing, and generate up to 100 AI prompts.
I switched to Grammarly Premium in 2021 and haven’t gone back since. This also provides me with suggestions for adjusting my writing tone, rewriting sentences for clarity and flow, and conducting a plagiarism check to ensure I have appropriately cited my work. I opt for the $12 per month paid annually in one lump sum of $139.95, as it’s significantly cheaper than the month-to-month price of $30. Still, not everyone will need to pay for Premium, but if you do a lot of writing and editing, it’s well worth the price.
ChatGPT
When I say ChatGPT is my go-to brainstorming partner, I’m not joking. When I hit a creative wall, I just launch the ChatGPT app (available on Windows and iOS) and write a quick prompt asking for an outline or list of ideas. I used to pay for ChatGPT Plus ($20 per month) until I quickly realized I didn’t have to.
Their free version still gives me access to ChatGPT 5, but it switches to an older version if I’ve reached my data limit. I use ChatGPT to write outlines, suggest edits for lengthy sections of text when I need to lower the word count, and summarize research documents. In fact, I recently had difficulty understanding a type of chart used in a psychological study, so I asked ChatGPT to explain it to me. I got my answer much faster than I would have if I had turned to Google, and it probably saved me around 20 minutes of my time.
I’ve also used ChatGPT to help brainstorm ideas for a tattoo design and to ideate actionable plans for my creative side hustles. The potential is endless, really. And yes, I really do use it every single day.
Sudowrite
I mentioned previously that I dabble in writing fiction. While I would never condone anyone using AI text and claiming it as their own, I do condone using an AI tool like Sudowrite (available in browser or as a PC and iOS app) to help you out when you’re having a bout of writer’s block. (This goes the same for people who want to copy and paste from ChatGPT, shame for shame!)
Jokes aside, Sudowrite isn’t going to write your short stories or novel for you, and nor should it! But you can use it to help you out, which is what I do. I use the integrated Brainstorm tool to help me when I feel stuck, as it spits out suggestions for character traits, plot twists, and scene ideas. I also like to paste a scene from my work to see what the “Expand” feature suggests for enriching my text with more details, or to review the AI suggestions that highlight text weaknesses, such as a lack of detail or clarity. There’s also a great Story Engine feature I use to generate an outline of my work.
Unfortunately, Sudowrite isn’t free. However, if you’re a hobbyist writer, the lowest tier is only $10 per month.
Quillbot
In my work, I sometimes have to spend hours conducting research. When I need to save time and get to the point of a text, I use QuillBot (available in the browser or as a Windows or iOS app). This handy little AI app helps me simplify complex or lengthy research and get to the main points. Using QuillBot’s summarizer tool, I can quickly pull out the main points. Then, if I need to return to the original research study, I can use my keyboard shortcut to search for a specific section of text and cross-check the information to make sure what I have is accurate.
QuillBot has some other handy features, such as a paraphraser tool, that I occasionally use to highlight the key points of an expert quote. Although this app is relatively simple, it saves me a lot of time when I’m stuck in a quagmire of research and start to feel like my brain is going to explode.
QuillBot has both a free and paid version ($8.33 per month). I have used both the free and paid versions. I find their Microsoft Edge browser extension to be invaluable.
Canva
I’ve used Canva frequently over the last year to make my own graphic designs. Canva has built-in AI features, some of which you can access with a free account, and others that you’ll need to have a Canva Pro ($15 monthly or $10 per month when you pay $120 annually) subscription to use. Canva refers to many of its AI features as “Magic” tools. These AI tools have a variety of uses, including helping with writing, generating images, automating design, translation, and video creation. If you’re starting entirely from scratch, you can also use Canva AI from the homepage, type in a prompt, and select a project type.
Over the past year, I’ve used Canva’s AI tools to design business cards, flyers, social media posts, brand logos, and more. Most of this work has been for side hustles or hobbies, but I’ve found the tools invaluable. For instance, when I designed business cards, I used their text-to-image feature to generate an illustrated condenser microphone (instead of having to search through stock images or commission an artist to make one for me).
Other useful tools I’ve used (some of which were available only with a paid subscription) include Magic Write to generate AI text, Magic Design to create a layout, a Magic Eraser tool to remove parts of an image, and a Background Remover tool to remove an unwanted background easily. I like to use the browser version, but you can also download the Canva app on Windows and iOS.
Notion AI
Notion AI is a helpful work tool for me, whether I’m using the browser version or the Windows app (it’s also available on iOS). I often use it when I have a lot of research to get through, because it does quite a good job at summarizing long articles and studies. I upload a PDF, ask Notion AI to generate a summary of the text for me, wait for it to generate a summary, and then go over the key points. It only takes a few seconds to generate a summary of a lengthy research article. From there, I organize it directly into my notes.
This app is also great for organizing my brainstorming sessions. If I have a page of haphazard notes for tech reviews or interview features, I can use Notion AI to structure those notes into a clear outline or bulleted list, making it easier for me to digest. I use the free plan. There’s also a paid plan for businesses, which costs $24 per month or $20 per month if paid annually.
Rev AI Transcription
I became familiar with Rev’s AI transcription while working as a staff journalist. Initially, I transcribed interviews myself. Then, the company began using Rev. From that moment on, I’ve never had to waste time transcribing interview audio again.
I’ve since used Rev as a freelancer. I often have to conduct lengthy interviews (about 20 to 30 minutes), which would eat up a lot of my time and profit if I had to transcribe them personally. Rev is super easy to use. I head to the website when I have some audio files to transcribe, log in to my account, and upload my files. I pay per file transcribed, rather than a monthly subscription fee; however, the company offers subscriptions for individuals or large teams. Paying per minute for files costs approximately 0.26 cents per minute of audio. For a 21-minute file I recently uploaded, this translates to $5.25.
The transcription claims to be 90% accurate, and that’s about right. What I also love about Rev AI transcriptions is that I can listen along with the audio and correct any text that isn’t right. I can’t tell you how many hours of work this AI transcription service has saved me. I use the browser version of this AI service, but Rev also has apps for Android and iOS devices.
I use Photoshop a lot for work purposes (I pay the monthly $22.99 subscription fee and use the Windows app, but you can also get it on iOS). However, I also use it for my hobbies. Photoshop was already a great photo editing program before the company added AI features. Now, it’s even better. The integrated AI tools in the latest version of the program have made my photo editing process a bit easier and quicker, allowing me to remove a background or fill in part of an image in just a few seconds.
Some of my favorite tools are its Generative Fill and Generative Expand. I use Generative Expand to expand a photo’s background after adding extra dimensions to the canvas. This helps me expand a photo to fit a new format, and has saved me many times when I have image resolution requirements. You get a few AI versions, so you can pick what looks best, and Photoshop’s AI usually does a great job matching textures, such as wood grain on a wooden table.
Generative Fill is also great. It’s similar to Generative Expand, but it works anywhere within the canvas. I use it to remove something from an image (say, a paper on a desk) and then fill it in (in this case, it would generate my desk’s surface).
And don’t get me started on the Remove Tool, which uses AI to remove an item and then fill in the gaps. This is great for removing sneaky pet hairs on electronics or blemishes on your face. Then, I touch up anything left undone by the AI.
Work With AI To Streamline Your Flow
While countless AI apps continue to emerge, these are the ones that have actually earned my loyalty. These tools can truly help creatives in any field take charge of their work and streamline their process. And hey, they’re great for side hustles and hobbies, too.