AI Tools

Best AI tools for small business

Small teams should start with broad AI tools before buying narrow apps. The first goal is not novelty; it is reducing repeated writing, research, planning, and customer support work.

Recommended shortlist

• ChatGPT: best general assistant for drafting, planning, and internal workflows.
• Claude: strong for long-form writing, document analysis, and thoughtful revisions.
• Perplexity: useful for citation-oriented research and market scans.
• Descript: best when audio and video repurposing is part of the content process.

Buying advice

Pay for AI only when it becomes a daily workflow. If a tool is used once a week, the free tier or a monthly trial is usually enough until the work volume is proven.