Most people waste hours testing flashy apps that promise “AI superpowers.” Reality check: 90% are hype, broken, or overpriced.
Here’s the lean AI stack I actually use daily. It’s free (or dirt cheap) and takes 5 minutes to set up.
🧠 1. ChatGPT (or Claude / Gemini if you prefer)
What it does: Quick answers, outlines, rewrites, idea generation.
How to use it in 60 seconds: Open a doc → paste your draft → ask, “Make this sharper, more concise, and bold the key phrases.”
Why it matters: Cuts writing/editing time in half.
✂️ 2. TLDR This / Eightify (Summarizers)
What it does: Crunches long articles or YouTube videos into bite-sized notes.
How to use it: Install the Chrome extension → click once → you get a 10-second summary.
Why it matters: Stops you from drowning in 20-minute “thought leadership” videos.
📅 3. Motion / Akiflow (AI Scheduling)
What it does: Plans your day automatically. Drop in tasks, and it shuffles your calendar.
How to use it: Connect your Google Calendar → tell it your work hours → done.
Why it matters: Zero wasted time thinking “what’s next?”
🎙️ 4. Krisp (Noise-Canceling AI)
What it does: Kills background noise (kids, dogs, traffic) in real-time during calls.
How to use it: Download → one-click toggle in Zoom/Teams/Discord.
Why it matters: Saves embarrassment, keeps you sounding professional.
🔗 5. Zapier / Make (Automation Glue)
What it does: Connects your tools so work flows without you.
How to use it: Example: When I post a blog, send it to Twitter + Beehiiv automatically.
Why it matters: AI isn’t just answers — it’s automation.
⚙️ Why This Stack Works
Takes <5 minutes to set up.
Replaces hours of manual grind.
Each tool is either free or has a free tier.
The truth? You don’t need 100 AI apps. You need five that actually work together.
👉 Want the full breakdown (with my go-to templates + links)?
Get it free here: NovaTechTools.com
Stay sharp. Stay ahead.
Smarter Tech. Better Tools.