AI tools that are actually useful

Ever feel like your solo business is running you into the ground? Solopreneurs don’t have the luxury of handing off tasks to a team. Everything lands on your plate, and there’s never enough time. 

AI won’t run your business for you (despite what some of the big AI companies would have you believe). But it can give you back hours every week. Some tools are AI-first, meaning their primary job is to perform an AI-driven task. You can also look at adding AI features inside tools you’re already using.

I rely heavily on AI in my solo business. I can get more done in less time, without sacrificing quality in any of my work. 

Here are a few AI tools that can make a huge difference in a solo business.

Meeting notetakers

An AI notetaker was the first AI-first tool I added to my business. My notetaker auto-joins my calls, records the conversations, transcribes everything, and sends me a recap with action items. Instead of scrambling to remember what a client said three months ago, I have a searchable archive of every meeting.

This solves a real problem: You can be fully present during the conversation rather than taking notes by hand. You also don’t risk missing something important, which can happen with manual note-taking.

Tools: Otter, Fireflies, Fathom

Knowledge systems

Over time, solopreneurs accumulate a mountain of valuable material: proposals, client emails, blog drafts, research notes, and random thoughts. Most of it gets buried in folders (or notebooks), which makes it hard to track through your thinking or find related ideas.

A personal knowledge system changes that. It creates a searchable “second brain”—like your own Wikipedia. Add AI into the mix, and you can “chat” with your own content instead of digging through your notes and files. Think of AI as a personal research assistant who has read everything you’ve ever written.

Tools: Google NotebookLM, Tana, Notion AI, Reflect

Standard operating procedures

Even if you work alone now, you might eventually bring on help (like a virtual assistant, a subcontractor, or a specialist for a specific project). When that happens, you’ll need documented processes. The problem is that writing step-by-step instructions for everything you do is tedious. Most solopreneurs never get around to it.

AI tools solve this by recording your screen as you complete a task and automatically generating written documentation. You walk through a process once, and the tool creates a standard operating procedure (SOP), complete with screenshots and written instructions—without any extra effort on your part.

SOP tools are uncannily good. I usually only need to make small tweaks to the written version, and sometimes don’t need to make any edits at all. I store them on my Google Drive so I can easily share them if needed.

Tools: Loom AI, Scribe, Tango

A business coach

One of the hardest parts of working solo is not having colleagues to bounce ideas off of. You make decisions about pricing, clients, marketing, etc., without a gut check from anyone else.

AI chatbots can serve as an on-demand sounding board. They won’t replace your judgment, since they can’t understand the nuance of the real world and human relationships. But they’re useful for thinking through options, drafting difficult emails, or walking you through the different angles of an idea you might have.

In Claude, I’ve created a “Business Coach” project. I’ve uploaded a lot of files so Claude has context, including information about who I am, the work I do, my brand, and the potential clients I’m targeting. When I’m trying to think through something, Claude asks me questions. By responding, I clarify my own thinking.

The key is prompting well. The more context you give about your business, your situation, and any constraints (like your time or finances), the more useful the output.

Tools: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini

AI features embedded in existing tools

Every company has been rushing to add AI features to its products. Some are good. Some are included with your existing subscription, while others treat AI as an add-on.

For example, I rely on Airtable to run the “back-end” portion of my business. AI-powered “field agents” have been able to accomplish a lot of tasks I used to do manually. 

A few other ideas:

• AI-powered transaction matching in accounting software like QuickBooks or Kick can categorize your expenses and spot anomalies.
• AI scheduling assistants in tools like Motion or Reclaim can help you plan your day and protect your calendar from too many meetings.
• AI email features in apps like Superhuman or Spark can draft replies or prioritize your inbox.

The tools you already pay for are getting better. If AI has been added since you originally signed up, the features are worth exploring.

Start with one new tool

AI fluency is becoming a baseline skill, like knowing how to use a spreadsheet. And it’s becoming ubiquitous: Apps will keep adding AI features to make work easier and faster.

But you don’t need to master everything at once. Pick the tool that solves an obvious problem or can complete a task that drains a lot of time from your day. Figure out how to get the most out of it before adding the next thing.

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