5 AI Tools We Tested This Month (July 2023)

AI tools are launching faster than ever. Here’s what caught our attention this month.

1. Claude by Anthropic

What it is: A ChatGPT competitor focused on safety and helpfulness.

Our take: Claude impressed us with longer context windows and thoughtful responses. It handles nuanced questions well and admits when it’s uncertain. For certain tasks, it outperforms ChatGPT.

Verdict: Worth trying, especially for complex writing tasks.

2. Runway Gen-2

What it is: Text-to-video generation.

Our take: The future is here, sort of. Gen-2 creates short video clips from text prompts. Quality varies wildly, but when it works, it’s magical. Best for creative exploration, not production work yet.

Verdict: Exciting technology, but not ready for professional use.

3. Gamma

What it is: AI-powered presentation maker.

Our take: Type your content, get a polished presentation. Gamma genuinely saves hours on deck creation. The designs are modern, and the AI suggestions are surprisingly good.

Verdict: A real time-saver for frequent presenters.

4. Descript

What it is: Audio and video editing with AI transcription.

Our take: Edit audio by editing text. Remove filler words automatically. This tool changed how we produce podcasts and videos. The learning curve is minimal for basic use.

Verdict: Highly recommended for content creators.

5. Notion AI

What it is: AI features built into Notion.

Our take: Having AI directly in your notes is convenient. Summarize meeting notes, brainstorm ideas, improve writing - all without leaving Notion. Not revolutionary, but genuinely useful.

Verdict: Worth the $10/month if you already use Notion.

The Trend

AI is moving from standalone tools to embedded features. The best tools this month aren’t just doing AI - they’re integrating AI into workflows we already use.

What should we test next month? Let us know.

Follow along with our monthly roundups for the latest AI tool discoveries.