The Only AI Tools Worth Your Time Right Now
We've tested everything. Most tools are noise. Here are the ones that actually change how much you get done — and why they made the cut.
There are hundreds of AI tools. Most of them aren't worth your time.
After testing practically everything, the tools that actually change how much you get done share one thing: they reduce friction on work you're already doing, rather than adding new workflows you have to learn.
Claude is the one we use most. It thinks clearly, writes well, follows complex instructions and handles long documents. For research, writing, planning and analysis — it's the one.
Cursor changed how we build. If you write code, or work with people who do, it's worth understanding.
For note-taking and thinking, Obsidian with AI plugins has become essential. The ability to talk to your own notes changes how you develop ideas.
Everything else is situational. The mistake most people make is collecting tools instead of building fluency with one. Pick the tool closest to your actual work. Get good at it. The rest can wait.