✳A slightly opinionated directory

Useful tools.
No magic tricks.

A field guide to apps that can help you learn, research, make, and code. Each entry includes an idea for trying it and a link to its official home.

YOUR MILEAGE MAY VARY. YOUR TABS WILL NOT.

8 tools on the list. Your mileage may vary.

General assistant

ChatGPT

A flexible assistant for questions, explanations, drafts, brainstorming, coding, and working with files or images.

Try it forTurn a confusing topic into a short lesson, then ask for a quiz and explain what you got wrong.
Free access; features and limits varyOfficial site ↗
Writing & analysis

Claude

An AI assistant for writing, analysis, coding, and working through long or complex material.

Try it forGive it a document and ask for the argument, the assumptions, and the parts that need a fact-check.
Free and paid plans; limits varyOfficial site ↗
Web research

Perplexity

A web-focused answer and research tool with sources you can follow up on.

Try it forGet a quick landscape of a topic, open the citations, and read original sources before repeating anything.
Free core use; paid options availableOfficial site ↗
Source-based study

NotebookLM

A research and study assistant that works from documents, notes, and links you provide.

Try it forAdd your own reading list, then ask questions that need answers grounded in those materials.
Availability and limits may varyOfficial site ↗
Google AI assistant

Google Gemini

Google’s assistant for writing, learning, planning, research, and supported Google experiences.

Try it forAsk it to explain a concept in different ways or organize ideas already living in your Google workflow.
Free and paid options; features varyOfficial site ↗
Coding assistant

GitHub Copilot

Coding help in GitHub and supported development environments, from suggestions to chat and agent workflows.

Try it forAsk for an explanation of unfamiliar code or a first draft of a small function; review and run every change.
Free and paid plans; features varyOfficial site ↗
Image generation

Midjourney

A tool for generating and iterating on images from text prompts, useful for visual exploration.

Try it forExplore a visual direction with a few prompt variations, then refine the composition deliberately.
Paid plans; check current optionsOfficial site ↗
The human part

Your own judgment

Not technically an AI product. Still the most important tool in this directory, annoyingly enough.

Try it forCheck important claims against trustworthy sources. Understand data settings before sharing sensitive information.
Works offline. Mostly.AI risk guide ↗
The fine print (tiny but sincere)

Useful assistant.
Not an oracle.

These are suggested ways to try each tool, not promises that every feature is available on every plan or in every country. Software enjoys character development.

Check each official site for current features, pricing, and privacy controls. Treat generated answers as a starting point, especially when the stakes are higher than choosing a font.

← Read the lessons behind the list