AI Tool Classification and Selection

Before choosing AI tools, we need to understand different types of AI tools and their application scenarios:

  • Text Generation: ChatGPT, Claude, Ernie Bot, etc., suitable for writing, translation, Q&A
  • Image Generation: Midjourney, DALL-E, Stable Diffusion, etc., suitable for design and creation
  • Video Production: Runway, Pictory, etc., suitable for video editing and animation
  • Office Productivity: Notion AI, Grammarly, etc., suitable for document processing and grammar checking
  • Programming Assistance: GitHub Copilot, TabNine, etc., suitable for code writing and debugging

Text Generation AI Tools

1. ChatGPT

Developer: OpenAI

Price: Free version + GPT-4 subscription ($20/month)

Core Features:

  • Natural language conversation and Q&A
  • Article writing and content creation
  • Code writing and debugging
  • Language translation and text rewriting
  • Data analysis and chart generation

User Experience: ChatGPT is currently the most popular AI conversation tool. The GPT-4 version performs excellently in logical reasoning and creative expression. It's particularly suitable for content creators, students, and knowledge workers.

2. Claude

Developer: Anthropic

Price: Free version + Pro version ($20/month)

Core Advantages:

  • Enhanced safety and reliability
  • Support for longer text input (200K tokens)
  • Excellent performance in analysis and summarization
  • Better understanding of multiple languages

Recommended Scenarios: Suitable for professional users who need to process long documents and conduct in-depth analysis.

3. Ernie Bot

Developer: Baidu

Price: Free to use

Localization Advantages:

  • Better Chinese language understanding
  • Aligned with domestic usage habits
  • Integration with Baidu search data
  • Voice conversation support

Image Generation AI Tools

4. Midjourney

Platform: Discord bot

Price: $10-60/month subscription

Key Features:

  • Extremely high-quality artistic style image generation
  • Powerful style control capabilities
  • Support for image variations and detail adjustments
  • Community sharing and learning

Use Cases: Artistic creation, advertising design, concept art production

5. DALL-E 3

Developer: OpenAI

Access Method: Through ChatGPT Plus

Key Advantages:

  • Deep integration with ChatGPT
  • Accurate understanding of complex prompts
  • Fast generation speed
  • Support for multiple image sizes

Office Productivity AI Tools

6. Notion AI

Price: $10/month (add-on feature)

Integration Advantages:

  • Deep integration with Notion workspace
  • Smart document summaries
  • Automatic to-do item generation
  • Meeting notes organization

7. Grammarly

Function: AI writing assistant

Price: Free version + Premium version ($12/month)

Core Features:

  • Grammar and spelling check
  • Writing style optimization
  • Tone and clarity suggestions
  • Plagiarism detection

Video Production AI Tools

8. Runway ML

Specialty: AI video editing

Price: Free version + Subscription ($12-76/month)

Innovative Features:

  • Text-to-video generation
  • Green screen background removal
  • Video style transformation
  • Motion recognition and tracking

9. Pictory

Specialty: Text-to-video conversion

Use Cases:

  • Blog articles to video conversion
  • Social media content creation
  • Educational training videos
  • Marketing promotional videos

Programming Assistance AI Tools

10. GitHub Copilot

Price: $10/month or $100/year

Powerful Features:

  • Real-time code completion
  • Intelligent function and class generation
  • Multi-language support
  • Automatic code comment generation

Efficiency Boost: Can significantly improve programming efficiency, especially suitable for repetitive code writing tasks.

Audio Processing AI Tools

11. Mubert

Function: AI music generation

Application Scenarios:

  • Video background music
  • Podcast accompaniment
  • Meditation music
  • Game sound effects

12. Otter.ai

Specialty: Speech-to-text conversion

Core Features:

  • Real-time meeting transcription
  • Automatic meeting summary generation
  • Multi-speaker voice recognition
  • Keyword search functionality

Design Assistance AI Tools

13. Canva AI

Integration Platform: Canva design tools

AI Features:

  • Smart design suggestions
  • Background removal and replacement
  • Text effect generation
  • Color scheme recommendations

14. Figma AI

Professional Design: UI/UX design assistance

Smart Features:

  • Automatic layout adjustment
  • Intelligent component recognition
  • Design consistency checking
  • Prototype interaction generation

Learning & Education AI Tools

15. Khan Academy AI

Education Platform: Personalized learning assistant

Key Features:

  • Personalized learning paths
  • Real-time Q&A assistance
  • Learning progress tracking
  • Knowledge point correlation recommendations

AI Tool Selection Guide

Choose Based on Use Case

Content Creators: ChatGPT + Midjourney + Grammarly

Programmers: GitHub Copilot + ChatGPT + Claude

Designers: Midjourney + Figma AI + Canva AI

Business Professionals: Notion AI + Otter.ai + ChatGPT

Students: ChatGPT + Khan Academy AI + Grammarly

Video Creators: Runway ML + Pictory + Mubert

Cost Control Recommendations

  • Try Free Versions First: Most tools offer free trials - experience before deciding to pay
  • Select Core Tools: Choose 1-2 core tools for deep usage based on primary needs
  • Watch for Package Deals: Many platforms offer annual discounts or student pricing
  • Team Collaboration: Team usage can split costs and improve cost-effectiveness

AI Tool Usage Tips

Prompt Optimization

Be Clear and Specific: Provide detailed background information and specific requirements

Role Setting: Set professional roles for AI, such as "As a senior designer"

Example Guidance: Provide specific examples to illustrate expected output format

Iterative Optimization: Continuously adjust and optimize prompts based on output results

Workflow Optimization

  • Tool Combination: Use multiple AI tools together to form complete workflows
  • Template Creation: Establish standardized prompt templates for common tasks
  • Quality Control: AI-generated content requires human review and optimization
  • Continuous Learning: Stay updated on tool updates and best practice sharing

Future Development Trends

AI tool development trends show the following characteristics:

  • Multimodal Integration: Unified processing capabilities for text, images, audio, and video
  • Professional Specialization: Specialized AI tools for specific industries and scenarios
  • Enhanced Collaboration: Interconnectivity between AI tools
  • Continued Cost Reduction: Usage costs will gradually decrease as technology matures
  • Personalized Customization: Personalized services based on user habits

Conclusion

AI tools are profoundly changing our work and lifestyle. Choosing the right AI tools not only significantly improves efficiency but also inspires creative thinking. We recommend readers start from their actual needs and gradually try and master these tools. Remember, AI tools are assistants, not replacements - the final creativity and judgment still require human wisdom.

Practical Recommendations

  • Choose 1-2 core tools for deep learning rather than trying many superficially
  • Join relevant communities to learn from others' experiences
  • Regularly follow tool updates to master new features promptly
  • Pay attention to data privacy and security, handle sensitive information carefully
  • Maintain critical thinking and verify the accuracy of AI-generated content