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The AI Tools I Actually Use Every Day in 2026

Cutting through the hype: here are the AI tools that have genuinely improved my daily workflow after testing dozens of options.

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Advanced Intelligent •
The AI Tools I Actually Use Every Day in 2026

I’ve tested over 50 AI tools in the past year. Most were abandoned within a week. Here are the ones that stuck—and why.

My Daily AI Stack

For Writing: Claude

After trying ChatGPT, Gemini, and various writing-specific tools, I settled on Claude for most writing tasks.

Why it works:

  • Follows instructions precisely without over-explaining
  • Maintains context across long conversations
  • Writes in a natural, non-robotic style
  • Handles nuanced requests well

What I use it for:

  • Drafting emails that need careful tone
  • Editing and improving existing content
  • Brainstorming article structures
  • Explaining complex topics simply

For Coding: Cursor

I was a VS Code loyalist until I tried Cursor. Now I can’t go back.

Why it works:

  • Understands entire codebase context, not just the current file
  • Tab completion that actually anticipates what I want
  • Chat that can edit multiple files at once
  • Feels like VS Code (because it’s built on it)

What I use it for:

  • Writing boilerplate code
  • Refactoring across files
  • Understanding unfamiliar codebases
  • Debugging with context

For Research: Perplexity

Google search feels primitive now. Perplexity gives me answers, not links.

Why it works:

  • Sources are always cited
  • Follow-up questions work naturally
  • Pro search goes deeper on complex topics
  • No ads or SEO-optimized spam

What I use it for:

  • Quick factual lookups
  • Researching topics I don’t know well
  • Finding recent news on specific subjects
  • Comparing products or services

For Images: Midjourney

Despite trying DALL-E, Stable Diffusion, and others, Midjourney consistently produces the best results.

Why it works:

  • Aesthetic quality is unmatched
  • Understands artistic styles well
  • Community and resources are excellent
  • v6.1 handles text and details better

What I use it for:

  • Blog post illustrations
  • Concept visualization
  • Presentation graphics
  • Creative brainstorming

For Automation: Zapier with AI

Connecting apps with AI-powered logic has been transformative.

Why it works:

  • Natural language to configure workflows
  • AI can make decisions within automations
  • Integrates with everything
  • Reliable and well-documented

What I use it for:

  • Email triage and categorization
  • Content pipeline automation
  • Data transformation between apps
  • Scheduled research summaries

Tools I Stopped Using

ChatGPT (for most things)

Switched to Claude for writing and Perplexity for research. ChatGPT became the jack-of-all-trades I don’t need.

Notion AI

The AI features felt bolted-on. I still use Notion, just not its AI.

Various “AI-powered” apps

Most apps adding AI features don’t actually improve. They’re checking a marketing box.

What I Learned

Specialization Beats General

Tools built for specific tasks (Perplexity for research, Cursor for coding) outperform general-purpose AI trying to do everything.

Integration Matters

An AI tool that doesn’t fit your workflow won’t be used, no matter how good it is.

The Best AI Feels Invisible

The tools I use most are ones where I forget AI is involved. They just make my work better.

My Advice

  1. Try tools for real work, not demos
  2. Give each tool a week before deciding
  3. Pay for tools that save significant time
  4. Don’t force AI into workflows where it doesn’t fit
  5. Revisit abandoned tools every few months—they improve fast

What AI tools have stuck in your workflow? I’m always looking for recommendations.