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Best AI Tools by Task

The AI tools we actually recommend, organised by Productivity, Design, Research, and Automation, ranked by usefulness, updated as the landscape changes.

Show
⚡

Productivity

Spreadsheets
Productivity
🥇 Best
Claude Excel Plugin
🥈 2nd
ChatGPT for Excel
🏅 Also good
Copilot for Excel
Image Generation
Productivity
🥇 Best
ChatGPT / Codex
🥈 2nd
Google Gemini
💡 For consistent style across images, use JSON style specs
Video Generation
Productivity
🥇 Best
Google Gemini Omni Google's flagship multimodal video model
🏅 Also good
HeyGen Best for AI avatar-led videos
Slide Generation (PowerPoint)
Productivity
🥇 Best
Claude PowerPoint Plugin
🥈 2nd
Gamma
Slide Generation (other)
Productivity
🥇 Best
NotebookLM Unique Google tool: outputs interactive presentations
💡 Use JSON specs to keep style consistent
🎨

Design

Brand Management
Design
🥇 Best
Claude Design
🔍

Research

Research & Information
Research
🥇 Best
NotebookLM
🥈 2nd
Perplexity
🏅 Also good
ChatGPT Claude
🤖

Automation

Computer Use — Mac
Automation
🥇 Best
Codex (Computer Use) ⚠ Not available in UK, EU or Switzerland Computer Use plugin
🥈 2nd
Perplexity Comet
Computer Use — Windows
Automation
🥇 Best
Perplexity Computer MacOS only as at last updated date
🥈 2nd
Perplexity Comet
Browser Use
Automation
🥇 Best
Claude in Chrome
🥈 2nd
Perplexity Computer MacOS only as at last updated date
Google Mail
Automation
🥇 Best
MCP Integration Connect Claude or Codex via an MCP connector
Diary & Calendar Management
Automation
🥇 Best
MCP Integration Connect Claude or Codex via an MCP connector

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