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The Best AI Tools I’m Using Right Now

AI

And Why They’re Changing Everything

Most businesses are dangerously unaware of what AI is doing to their industry. For several decades, Google has consistantly sent customers to local and national websites without fail, but these last few months, something has changed and it has local chamber of commerces worried.

I’ve spent 27 years watching the internet evolve — from dial-up to social media to mobile-first everything. Nothing has moved as fast, or hit as hard, as AI.

As an AI SEO consultant and web designer, I live and breathe digital tools. And right now, artificial intelligence isn’t just a trend I’m watching from the sidelines — it’s embedded in how I work, how I build, and how I help my clients grow. If you’re still wondering which AI platforms are worth your time, I’m breaking down the ones I actually use and trust in 2025.

What Is AI, Really?

Artificial intelligence refers to technology that enables computers to learn, reason, and perform complex tasks in ways that once required human intelligence. But that clinical definition doesn’t capture what it feels like to use it. AI feels like hiring a brilliant assistant who never sleeps, never complains, and never runs out of ideas.

The tools below are the platforms reshaping how individuals, businesses, and entire industries operate. I’ve tested them all. Here’s what you need to know.

1. Claude by Anthropic — The Best AI for Deep Thinking

Claude is quickly becoming my go-to for complex, high-stakes work. Built by Anthropic with safety and accuracy as core design principles, Claude handles nuanced tasks that other AI tools stumble on — long-form analysis, technical writing, coding, and strategic planning. If you need an AI that actually thinks through a problem rather than just pattern-matching a response, Claude is where I consistently land. It’s the AI I trust when I can’t afford to be wrong.

2. ChatGPT — The Everyday Powerhouse

ChatGPT from OpenAI is the platform that put AI on the map for most people, and for good reason. It’s fast, versatile, and remarkably good at everyday tasks — drafting emails, brainstorming content ideas, explaining complex topics in plain language. I use it as a first-pass research and ideation tool. Whether you’re a student, entrepreneur, or marketer, ChatGPT lowers the barrier to entry for AI-powered productivity in a way few platforms have matched.

3. OpenAI — The Research Engine Behind the Revolution

Before there was ChatGPT, there was OpenAI — the research organization whose mission is to ensure artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity. OpenAI’s work on large language models, image generation, and AI safety has set the standard for the entire industry. If you want to understand where AI is headed at the frontier level, following OpenAI’s research is essential reading. Their developer tools also power a massive ecosystem of AI applications used by millions of businesses worldwide.

4. Google Gemini — Google’s Answer to the AI Race

Google didn’t sit quietly while the AI revolution happened around them. Gemini is Google’s flagship AI assistant, built directly into the Google ecosystem. What sets Gemini apart is its deep integration with Search, Gmail, Docs, and the broader Google Workspace. For anyone already living in Google’s tools — which is most of us — Gemini feels like a natural extension rather than a separate app. I especially appreciate its ability to pull real-time information, giving it an edge for research-heavy tasks.

5. Google AI — The Bigger Picture

Beyond Gemini, Google AI represents Google’s broader commitment to enriching knowledge and solving complex global challenges through artificial intelligence. From healthcare applications to climate modeling to accessibility tools, Google AI is working at a scale that goes well beyond chatbots. For anyone interested in how AI is being applied to real-world problems at an institutional level, this is a fascinating window into what the technology can actually do when pointed at meaningful challenges.

6. Perplexity AI — The Search Engine Reimagined

Perplexity is one of the most exciting AI tools I’ve started recommending to clients who are tired of sifting through ten blue links to find an answer. It’s a real-time AI-powered answer engine that pulls from live sources and cites them directly — so you can trust what you’re reading and trace it back to the original. For research, competitive analysis, and staying current on fast-moving topics, Perplexity has genuinely changed how I start my research process. It’s free, fast, and remarkably accurate.

7. Z.ai — The All-in-One AI Agent Worth Watching

Z.ai is a newer name in the space but one that’s caught my attention. Powered by advanced GLM models, Z.ai positions itself as a free AI-powered assistant that can build websites, create slides, analyze data, and answer questions in real time. The breadth of what it aims to do in a single interface is ambitious — and for users who want one tool to handle multiple types of tasks without paying multiple subscription fees, it’s worth exploring. Keep an eye on this one as it continues to develop.

Why This Matters for Your Business

The AI platforms above aren’t toys — they’re infrastructure. The businesses and professionals who learn to use them strategically right now will have a compounding advantage over those who wait. I’ve already seen this play out with my own clients: the ones who leaned into AI tools a year ago are producing more content, ranking faster, and scaling with smaller teams than ever before.

As someone who has built websites and SEO strategies since 1999, I can tell you: this shift is bigger than mobile. It’s bigger than social media. And the entry point has never been lower — most of these tools are free to start.

The question isn’t whether AI will change your industry. It already has. The question is whether you’ll let it work for you.

Q: What is artificial intelligence (AI)?

Artificial intelligence is a set of technologies that enables computers to learn, reason, and perform advanced tasks that previously required human intelligence — including understanding language, recognizing images, making decisions, and solving complex problems.

Q: How does AI actually work?

AI systems are trained on massive datasets, learning patterns and relationships within that data. When you ask an AI a question or give it a task, it uses those learned patterns to generate a response or take an action. Large language models like those behind ChatGPT and Claude are trained on billions of text examples to understand and produce human-like language.

Q: Is there any AI I can use for free?

Yes — several leading AI platforms offer free access. ChatGPT (https://chatgpt.com), Claude (https://claude.ai), Perplexity AI (https://www.perplexity.ai), Google Gemini (https://gemini.google.com), and Z.ai (https://z.ai) all have free tiers that give you meaningful access without a subscription.

Q: What are the main types of AI?

The five primary types of AI are: reactive machines (respond to inputs with no memory), limited memory AI (learns from past data, like ChatGPT), theory of mind AI (still in development, understands emotions/intent), self-aware AI (theoretical, not yet achieved), and narrow vs. general AI — most tools today are narrow AI, designed for specific tasks.

Q: What can I actually use AI for in my daily life?

AI has practical applications across almost every area of life: writing and editing, research and summarization, coding and debugging, scheduling and task management, creative brainstorming, data analysis, customer support, language translation, image generation, and even medical diagnosis support.

Q: What are the benefits of artificial intelligence?

AI saves time, reduces human error, enables personalization at scale, accelerates research, improves accessibility, and opens opportunities for small teams and solo entrepreneurs to compete with much larger organizations. For businesses, AI can triple productivity in areas like content creation, customer service, and data analysis.

Q: What are the ethical concerns around AI?

Key ethical issues include bias in training data leading to discriminatory outputs, job displacement, privacy and data security risks, spread of misinformation via AI-generated content, lack of transparency in AI decision-making, and questions around accountability when AI systems cause harm. Responsible AI development — like Anthropic’s safety-first approach with Claude — is actively trying to address these challenges.

Q: Which jobs are safest from AI automation?

Jobs requiring deep human empathy, complex physical dexterity, creative judgment, and high-stakes interpersonal relationships are considered most resilient. These include healthcare providers, skilled tradespeople (plumbers, electricians), therapists, teachers, and creative directors. However, even these roles are being augmented — not necessarily replaced — by AI tools.

Q: Does the Bible mention AI?

No — the Bible predates modern technology by thousands of years and contains no direct reference to artificial intelligence. However, many theologians and philosophers are actively exploring AI through ethical and spiritual frameworks, examining questions of consciousness, soul, and what it means to create intelligent systems in the image of human thought.

Q: What is the difference between ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini?

All three are large language model-based AI assistants, but they differ in design philosophy and strengths. ChatGPT (OpenAI) excels at everyday versatility and creative tasks. Claude (Anthropic) is designed with a strong emphasis on safety, nuance, and handling complex, long-context tasks. Gemini (Google) integrates deeply with Google’s ecosystem and has strong real-time search capabilities. Choosing the right one depends on your specific workflow.

Q: What is generative AI?

Generative AI refers to AI systems that can create new content — text, images, audio, video, or code — rather than just analyzing existing data. Tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and image generators like DALL·E are all examples of generative AI.

Source:

Google AI

https://ai.google

Claude

https://claude.ai

Z.ai

https://z.ai

Perplexity AI

https://www.perplexity.ai

Google Gemini

https://gemini.google.com

Google Cloud

https://cloud.google.com/learn/what-is-artificial-intelligence

ChatGPT

https://chatgpt.com

OpenAI

https://openai.com