AI tools libraryUpdated
The assistants, agents, and creative tools I recommend to leaders and teams right now. This field moves fast, so I keep this page current.
01AI assistants
The assistants worth your time
Every major lab now ships a family of models. Here is where I start with each one, and where I go when the work gets harder.
Claude
Anthropic- My pick
- Claude Opus 5.5The best place to start for writing, analysis, and building documents, decks, data, and code.
- Step up
- Claude Fable 5.1For the hardest reasoning and long, multistep projects. Slower, and worth it when quality matters most.
The free plan includes Sonnet and Haiku. Opus and Fable start with Pro at $20 a month.
Try ClaudeChatGPT
OpenAI- My pick
- GPT-6 AstraOpenAI’s strongest model, built for computer use, coding, and long multistep workflows.
- Everyday
- GPT-6 SolFaster and lighter. It became the everyday model on paid plans in October.
Astra comes with Plus, Pro, Business, and Enterprise. The free plan uses GPT-6 Luna.
Try ChatGPTMeta Muse
Meta Superintelligence Labs- My pick
- Muse WonderMeta’s first frontier model, released October 12. Strong at coding and at remembering what you tell it over time.
- Step up
- Muse Wonder FullThe full-strength version behind most of Meta’s benchmark wins.
Available now in Muse Code, Meta’s coding agent, and the Meta Model API. Wonder Full requires the Power or Maximum plan. Wonder comes to the Muse app soon.
Try Muse CodeGrok
xAI- My pick
- Grok 4.6Real-time answers from X, quick takes on breaking news, and capable multistep research.
- For builders
- Grok 4.7The newest model, available in Cursor, Grok Build, and the xAI API but not yet in the Grok app.
02Personal AI agents
Agents that do the work
Chatbots answer. Agents act. These assistants run their own browser, phone, or computer to book, buy, file, and follow up for you. They are early, so start with low-stakes errands.
Grok Bot
xAI
An AI teammate with its own cloud computer. It learns a task by watching you once, runs it on a routine, and several Bots can work together in a group chat.
- Reach it
- Message it on desktop or mobile
- Access
- Included with paid Grok and Cursor plans
Muse
Meta
A proactive agent with its own private cloud computer and browser. It can send email, book travel, fill out forms, and shop, and it asks before sensitive steps.
- Reach it
- Muse app, the web, and WhatsApp
- Access
- Free tier with weekly limits, plus $20 and $100 plans. US adults only.
Instinct
Instinct, founded by Noah Shinn
Text it or call it, and it uses its own phone and computer to run errands: canceling subscriptions, calling restaurants that are not online, and disputing bills.
- Reach it
- Text message or phone call
- Access
- Invite-only beta with a waitlist. Pricing not yet published.
Hark Pro
Hark, founded by Brett Adcock
A proactive assistant that suggests tasks before you ask, then completes them in the browser with Handoff, Hark’s computer-use agent.
- Reach it
- Web, iPhone, and Android
- Access
- Free, with $20 and $100 plans for more usage
03Vibe coding and app builders
Build software by describing it
Describe what you want, and these tools write, run, and ship the code. The first two are agents for people comfortable in a terminal; the rest work in a browser.
- Claude CodeAnthropic · runs on Opus 5.5Agentic coding in your terminal or editor, from quick fixes to full projects.Paid
- CodexOpenAI · runs on GPT-6.1 SolOpenAI’s coding agent across the desktop app, command line, editor, and cloud.Paid
- LovablePrompt-to-app builderFull-stack web apps from a chat prompt, with hosting built in.Free tier
- ReplitAgent 4Builds and hosts web apps, mobile apps, and dashboards right in your browser.Free tier
- CursorNow part of SpaceX, alongside xAIAn AI code editor with cloud agents. Check which models your plan includes.Free tier
- Cloudflare AgentsAgents SDK and Workers AIFor developers who want to deploy their own AI agents on Cloudflare’s network.Free tier
04Text-to-video AI
Video from a sentence
Text-to-video improves every month, but it can still be hit or miss. Plan on a few retakes, and keep a human in the edit.
- Google FlowGemini Omni FlashCinematic clips and edits by conversation. Gemini Omni replaced Veo 3.1 as the newest video model in Flow.Paid
- RunwayGen-4.5 and Aleph 2.0Generation and editing in one studio, with partner video models built in.Free tier
- SynthesiaExpress-3 avatarsStudio-quality avatar presenters for training and explainer videos.Free tier
- HeyGenAvatars and LiveAvatarAvatar videos plus real-time avatars, the technology behind my Adam Smith and Mary Wollstonecraft builds.See plans
- Grok ImaginexAI · Video 1.5Fast, short clips with sound, generated in seconds.Paid
05Text-to-image AI
Images with real control
General assistants make good images now, but specialized tools still give you more control and stylistic precision.
- Nano Banana 2Google · updated to 2.1Fast photo edits, legible text in images, and consistent characters. Nano Banana Pro is now paid only.Free
- MidjourneyV8.2Artistic, stylized images with a look all their own.Paid
- Adobe FireflyFirefly Image 5Commercially safe images inside Adobe’s apps, with partner models built in.Free tier
- Muse ImageMeta · replaced ImagineQuick social images inside Meta AI, Instagram, and WhatsApp.See plans
06Text-to-audio AI
Sound that sounds professional
AI audio already delivers professional results for voice, music, and cleanup.
- Sunov6Full songs with vocals from a text prompt. The free plan uses v6-mini.Free tier
- ElevenLabsEleven v4Lifelike speech, voice agents, and dubbing.Free tier
- Adobe PodcastEnhance Speech v2Cleans up echo and background noise in voice recordings.Free tier
- LANDRLANDR StudioAI mastering and distribution for musicians.Paid
07Local and private AI
Run your own AI, privately
- Free, with full ownershipOpen-source apps and open-weight models you control.
- Local-firstNo internet needed after the download.
- Private files stay privateWork with your own documents without uploading them anywhere.
- JanOpen sourceThe easiest ChatGPT-style app that runs entirely on your computer.Free
- LM StudioDesktop appBrowse, download, and chat with open models, or serve them to other apps.Free
- OllamaFor developersA simple command-line tool and local API for running open models.Free
Models to try: Gemma 4 from Google (small sizes fit a laptop), Qwen 3.5, and OpenAI’s open-weight gpt-oss-20b.
08Prompt injection challenge
Can you trick an AI agent?
Lakera’s prompt injection game teaches how attackers manipulate AI, and it is a quick way to see why agents need guardrails. The classic Gandalf link now opens Agent Breaker, Lakera’s newer challenge for hacking AI agents.
09AI speaking, training, and consulting
Turn these tools into results
A list of tools is a starting point. I help leaders and teams pick the right ones, use them well, and build what is missing.
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AI consulting
Turn uncertainty into opportunity
Practical AI strategies, solutions, and automations for leaders and teams, including where personal agents fit and where they do not.
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AI keynote speaking
Inspire your audience with what is possible
Talks that demystify AI and show audiences how to use it to lead, grow, and win.
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Executive AI training
Real skills and the right tools
Bespoke, interactive sessions that take your team from everyday assistants to agents they can trust.
Prices, plans, and versions change often. Last checked .