I tried over 15 AI tools this year. These are the ones I still regularly use.

AI Overviews is a tool I use almost every day. I like that it enhances the search experience without making me open another application.

AI Overviews gives me the TLDR without me having to ask for it. It's especially helpful when I'm looking for a short answer, like contact info for a company or the release date of a product. Before AI Overviews, I had to dig through different pages to find the small bit of information I was looking for. AI Overviews not only brings it to the top of my search, but it also provides source links so I can fact-check.

Google has nailed down the concept of personalized AI with its Audio Overview feature. Powered by the Gemini 1.5 large language model, NotebookLM's "Deep Dive" conversation allows users to generate a podcast featuring two AI hosts. The roughly 10-minute discussion is based on material you upload, such as articles, YouTube links, and documents.

While I'm an avid podcast listener, I like the idea of curating an episode with sources that I upload. I often use this tool as a supplement when learning about a new topic or as inspiration if I need to present information in a conversational way.

NotebookLM also creates other content based on the sources you upload, including study guides, briefing documents, and fact sheets. I don't use these tools quite as often, but if I were still in school, I could see these features being more helpful.

I love the conversational element of speaking with ChatGPT, and it never fails to impress an audience when I use it. I have had family members go back and forth with it for 15 minutes just for their entertainment.

I don't use ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Mode to get quick answers, but it serves its purpose when I have a complicated inquiry or simply don't want to type a whole paragraph. The feature sounds shockingly human-like, and it's usually accurate, although it doesn't provide the level of detail the chatbot might provide in a written response.

Otter.ai is an AI transcription service. The free version provides users with 300 monthly minutes and the ability to transcribe 30 minutes at a time. In addition to its high level of accuracy, it generates a summary of the recording and provides action items and an outline.

The ability to record and transcribe in real time has helped me be more efficient. Rather than sift through hours of recordings and search for a keyword in every file, you can also ask Otter.ai's chatbot to find when a certain topic was discussed.

I referred to Amazon's AI shopping assistant Rufus as a "game changer" when I tried it out in July — and that still holds true. I use Rufus almost every time I open Amazon. It has helped me make purchasing decisions on mirrors, fitness trackers, espresso machines, and even books. It's not perfect, and it's not as useful as ChatGPT or Gemini for everyday use, but it definitely provides useful information and summarizes reviews. It also features suggested prompts on the product page.

I recently started using Rufus to help me find items from my purchase history. I share my Amazon Prime account with my family, and our order history is flooded with different products. If I'm checking on an item or want to reorder a product, I ask Rufus about it instead of scrolling through pages of orders.