I tried 50+ AI tools this year. Most were just wrappers around ChatGPT that cost $20/month. These are the only three that earned a permanent spot in my workflow.
1. The Second Brain: Notion AI
I used to have notes everywhere. Apple Notes, Google Docs, scraps of paper. Notion AI organizes it all.
- The Killer Feature: "Ask AI." I can type "Summarize my meeting notes from last week" and it finds them. It turns my messy brain into a searchable database.
- Cost: $10/month add-on.
2. The Secretary: Otter.ai (or Fireflies)
I hate taking notes during meetings. It distracts me from listening. Otter joins my Zoom calls, records the audio, and sends me a summary with action items 5 minutes after the call ends.
- The Killer Feature: "Action Items." It automatically detects when someone says "I'll send that by Friday" and lists it.
- Cost: Free tier is good; Pro is $10/month.
3. The Editor: ChatGPT Plus (GPT-6)
I don't use it to write for me (it sounds like a robot). I use it to edit me. I paste a messy rough draft and say: "Critique this. What is missing? Is the tone right?"
- The Killer Feature: Voice Mode. I can brainstorm ideas while walking my dog, and it transcribes them perfectly.
- Cost: $20/month.
Summary Checklist
- Notion for organizing projects.
- Otter for meetings.
- ChatGPT for brainstorming and editing.
Final Verdict
Don't get distracted by the hype. You don't need 'AI for Slides' or 'AI for Email' unless you do those things 8 hours a day. Start with Notion AI. It is the best bang-for-buck productivity upgrade I've found.
What we like
- Saves roughly 5-10 hours/week
- Reduces cognitive load
- Cheap compared to hiring an assistant
What could be better
- Learning curve for Notion is steep
