New AI tools launch constantly, and trying to keep up with all of them is a losing game. A simple decision framework serves you better than an ever-growing tool list.
Start by naming the actual bottleneck
Before searching for a tool, be specific about what's actually slow or hard right now. "I need an AI tool" is too vague to search for effectively.
Check if a tool you already use can do it
Many tools you already have access to have added AI features that solve the problem without needing a new subscription or sign-up.
Prefer general tools until you hit a real limit
A general-purpose chatbot solves most tasks reasonably well. Only move to a specialized tool once you've genuinely hit that general tool's limits for your specific need.
Give any new tool one real task, not a test
The clearest signal of whether a tool is worth adopting comes from using it on an actual piece of your real work, not a toy example — toy examples make almost every tool look good.