The generative AI boom may have started with the release of ChatGPT, but the technology is now being integrated into all kinds of productivity platforms designed to facilitate everyday workflows.
When people hear about the use of AI in the workplace, many of them fear that the technology will replace them. However, the tools I am talking about here are not going to do your work for you, but rather: your Work productivity.
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These AI tools can help you complete small but necessary daily tasks, saving you a lot of time in the long run, so you can spend less time on administration and more time doing the things you love and that are more valuable to your work.
Even before the current AI boom, I have been covering and testing various AI tools at ZDNET. Once I learned about the capabilities of a particular tool, it was hard to stop using it. As a result, I started incorporating some of these tools into various aspects of my daily workflow.
Here are my favorite AI tools that I use most on a daily basis: Interestingly, only one of these lifehack technologies is an AI chatbot.
1. Chat GPT
Let's start with the most talked about AI tool – chatbots. I have tested most of the AI chatbots on the market and ChatGPT has recently become my favorite and an essential part of my workflow. Here's why:
While ChatGPT was undoubtedly great when it launched, it had some major flaws, such as limited knowledge and an outdated GPT model. However, in May, OpenAI upgraded the chatbot to address these issues, adding features that are usually limited to ChatGPT Plus users, such as browsing, vision, data analysis, file uploading, and GPT. This upgrade makes the free ChatGPT a comprehensive work-oriented AI tool worth leveraging.
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I primarily use the tool as a conversational search engine in my workflow: if I have a question, I use ChatGPT instead of Google because instead of filtering through hundreds of results like you would if you followed a Google query, I get one simple, conversational answer that directly answers my question.
If ChatGPT has to browse the web for an answer, it will also include the source where the chatbot got the answer from. This allows you to review the information provided and learn more about the topic, making it a great tool when working on research or work projects.
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ChatGPT helps me proofread grammar, rewrite texts with imperfect expressions, and even write messages, suggestions, and other content from scratch. I don't use these features for work or articles, but I find them extremely useful when writing personal correspondence.
Perhaps one of the most valuable new features is the ability for users to upload screenshots, photos, and documents. PDFs often contain a lot of information that can be difficult to understand, and once these are uploaded to ChatGPT, it can answer questions about the document, generate summaries, and create content based on it.
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As a reporter covering the rapidly evolving world of AI, I frequently have to read new research, including many academic journal articles. After reading the full study, I use ChatGPT's summary to review the findings and ask further questions about anything that remains unclear to me.
Another valuable perk of ChatGPT is its ability to assist you in writing code, generating Excel formulas, creating charts and tables, etc. I haven't tested it myself, but I know there are several professionals out there who use it regularly.
2. Canva Pros
Canva has just about every AI tool available for graphic design, including its own AI image generator. However, if you create visual content daily like me, you don't necessarily benefit from image generation. Instead, you need a tool that lets you create social media posts, invitations, flyers, and presentations easily and quickly. That's where Canva Pro comes in.
Canva Pro comes equipped with a variety of graphic design tools, including Magic Edit, Magic Design, Magic Eraser, and Background Remover. All of these features complete a variety of tasks and automate almost all of your visual design needs.
Plus: The best AI image generators of 2024: tests and reviews
My personal favorite tool, and one that I use every day, is Canva's AI Background Remover. Sound like a basic feature? It certainly is, but if you've ever had to isolate an item in a photo, you know how tedious the process can be in Photoshop, and how some automated tools can mess up the task.
Canva lets you separate images with the touch of a button, and the AI produces accurate results every time. I use this feature regularly to create hero images for articles, product images for ZDNET's Best of lists, and even Instagram posts.
a Canva Pro personal account After the 30-day free trial period, it costs $120 per year.
3. Otter
If you've ever tried to hand-transcribe a conversation, you know it's a time-consuming and tedious task.
The great thing is that AI can help. Whether you are a student recording lectures, a professional creating meeting notes and highlights, or someone who records interviews every day, Otter This will save you a lot of time.
Otter.ai allows you to import audio recordings and get a full transcript of the conversation in minutes. The AI assistant includes speaker designations, timestamps, and highly accurate transcriptions.
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As a reporter, I conduct many interviews as part of my daily work. Reviewing the audio recordings of these interviews (which can be as short as 15 minutes or as long as an hour and a half), transcribing the conversations word for word and noting timestamps of the parts that stand out to me, can be very time-consuming. With Otter.ai, I can simply upload my audio file and generate a transcript in seconds.
I have used other transcription services in the past, but Otter.ai stands out for its accuracy and efficiency.
Otter.ai does offer a free plan, but it's limited to 300 minutes of transcription per conversation per month for all conversations recorded on the platform itself, and the free account only offers three lifetime imports, so if you record conversations that need to be transcribed elsewhere, the free plan may not be suitable.
If you want unlimited imports and advanced search like me, Otter.ai subscription fees are$8.33/month Billed annually. Time is money, so for the time Otter.ai saves me, I think this is a worthwhile investment.
4. Grammar
grammar has been around for quite some time now, and AI has become an integral part of its services. The platform is known for its ability to check the spelling, grammar, conciseness, and more of your everyday writing, and for good reason: it's reliable and useful.
My favorite way to use this tool is to: Grammarly for Chrome With the extension turned on, the AI works in the background to help catch mistakes you might have missed, which is especially useful when composing a quick email on the go.
I went to journalism school, so I'm confident I can avoid most grammatical mistakes, but sometimes I miss small details when writing a quick email or message, and that's where Grammarly helps me polish my writing.
And don't wait for AI in iOS 18. ChatGPT now offers the same four features:
In addition to basic grammar assistance, the tool can also provide more advanced assistance as it integrates generative AI features that provide shortcuts to everyday tasks.
For example, Grammarly allows you to write or rewrite texts, provide ideas, identify gaps in your writing, change the tone of your text, generate quick replies, create outlines, etc. You can also choose your voice with format and tone options to create messages for different platforms like LinkedIn and email.
While I don’t use the burn-in or rewrite features in my own workflow, I can see the value in implementing it into someone else’s daily writing process.
