These AI Instruments Upped My Productiveness, Here is How

Benjamin Franklin as soon as stated, “Misplaced time is rarely discovered once more.” Whereas that isn’t precisely essentially the most optimistic quote, it’s sadly true. Till scientists work out time machines or immortality, we’re caught with adopting strategies to stay productive and higher use our time.

We are able to’t deny AI’s cultural renaissance. It has turn into part of on a regular basis workflows and conversations. HubSpot’s AI Proof & Positioning Report discovered that employees are most involved about shedding their jobs as a consequence of AI, and the #1 purpose they don’t use AI is as a result of they fear about turning into too reliant on it.

Whereas I perceive how unsettling it will possibly really feel to have a software that appears to do your job higher than you (the skilled), I’ve acknowledged that AI is definitely simply serving to me do my job higher and quicker.

Nonetheless skeptical? Learn on for extra knowledge from our AI Proof & Positioning Report and The HubSpot Weblog’s State of AI Report, which surveyed 1100 entrepreneurs.

Desk of Contents

AI instruments assist entrepreneurs shortly sift by way of massive quantities of data and current it much less complexly. I can attest that, as a marketer, AI instruments like ChatGPT and Grammarly have helped me streamline analysis, current textual content clearly and concisely, and improve my skill to multitask throughout a number of campaigns.

Professionals who’ve applied AI and automation into their workflow share that these instruments assist them get menial duties finished quicker, enhance the effectivity of their duties and targets, and release time that may very well be higher spent on essentially the most crucial tasks.

On this means, AI shouldn’t be solely bettering productiveness but additionally serving to to make your job extra pleasurable.

Listed below are some survey outcomes from actual business professionals who see the worth of AI of their each day workflows.

1. 75% of respondents both considerably agreed or strongly agreed that AI helped save time on guide duties.
2. AI instruments give advertising and marketing groups 12.5 hours again per week, which equates to 25-26 further working days per 12 months. This permits entrepreneurs to deal with strategic duties, artistic work, and other people administration.
3. 84% of bloggers/SEOs state that AI and automation have impacted their search engine optimization technique.
4. 83% of entrepreneurs say that AI helps them create considerably extra content material than they might with out.
5. 85% of salespeople utilizing AI and automation say it makes their prospecting efforts simpler.
6. 72% of companies which have applied AI instruments state that AI and automation make their staff extra productive.
7. 68% of enterprise leaders say that AI can assist their firm scale in a means unattainable with out it.
8. 53% of entrepreneurs who use generative AI to write down copy say they solely have to make minor edits to the textual content afterward.

Whereas I particularly utilized them to my work as a author, I can verify that, as a marketer, I already use among the instruments under or would fortunately implement them in my day-to-day job at Nickelodeon. In any case, 35% of entrepreneurs say they already use AI and automation instruments each day.

Jasper is an AI software that helps write all kinds of enterprise-marketing-style content material, from press releases to web site touchdown pages to, sure, weblog posts. It’s the second-most well-liked AI software for advertising and marketing.

I used the “Model Voice” function to hyperlink one in all my current HubSpot weblog posts. This function helps the software set up your “voice” so it will possibly greatest match that when producing textual content.

Subsequent, I clicked “Create Content material” and toggled to “Create a weblog put up.” The put up you’re studying is greatest served as a listicle, so I selected “Listicle” as my kind of put up. Jasper then requested me to fill within the matter, viewers, and description.

After filling on this fast info, I hit “Generate now.” Look ahead to your self how Jasper sprung to the take a look at.

I didn’t anticipate the put up to be able to ship after Jasper wrote it since AI content material shouldn’t be full sufficient to publish by itself about 96% of the time. I used to be appropriate in my considering as a result of the put up was far too quick and a bit too stiff.

However that’s okay since solely 5% of entrepreneurs use generative AI to write down total items of content material. Extra folks merely use it to spark inspiration (35%), create an overview (33%), or get just a few paragraphs to broaden upon (25%).

What I Like

• The “Model Voice” function permits you to add or hyperlink to your or your model’s writing samples so Jasper can pump out content material that meets your distinctive model. Many writers, like myself, are very protecting of our voices, so this function made me really feel comfy and assured that the textual content might keep true to me.
• Your content material takes simply seconds to be written up. You merely have to fill in some transient details about the content material, resembling matter, audience, or name to motion, and Jasper will shortly use that info to draft a comparable piece. My jaw dropped at how briskly the software pumped out a model — albeit shorter and fewer pleasant — of this very weblog put up.
• Jasper does an awesome job of staying throughout the standards you request. For my weblog put up, for instance, I listed the precise headline titles and variety of instruments I needed to include, and the software made certain to comply with these guardrails.
• You’ll be able to create a Marketing campaign to maintain all of your content material in a single place. If I have been utilizing this software for my job at Nickelodeon, I might set up social and print advertisements, e mail newsletters, Instagram put up copy, and press releases for a similar new youngsters’ collection marketing campaign throughout the similar folder.

What Wants Enchancment

• Regardless that I linked to a current HubSpot weblog put up to assist set up my voice, the AI-generated put up was much less private, a lot shorter, and extra formal than my writing often is. The thought of “Model Voice” is sensible, however it might require a number of writing samples earlier than Jasper acknowledges your model.

Pricing

• Creator plan: $39/month ($468/12 months) – 1 consumer
• Professional plan: $59/month/seat ($708/12 months) – as much as 6 customers
• Marketing strategy: Should contact Jasper group for pricing.

2. Grammarly

Grammarly is a software I’ve been utilizing since school earlier than AI had a reputation. I’ve all the time been obsessive about phrases and grammar (very cool, I do know), so I turned equally as obsessive about a software that might enhance my writing in real-time.

I’ve the free Grammarly for Chrome extension, which presents recommendations on numerous writing-related points, together with correctness, tone recommendations, full sentence rewrites, readability, engagement, and supply.

How loopy is that? You’ll be able to see how Grammarly can present dwell suggestions when you kind. It’s a vital software for content material creators of all types. Irrespective of how quick or lengthy your textual content is, having an AI co-creator wanting over your shoulder like an AP English instructor is useful.

Why I Like It

• You’ll be able to obtain writing recommendations as you go (like I do with the Grammarly extension), or when you’d reasonably kind up your textual content and acquire suggestions on the finish, you may add a doc or copy and paste a whole physique of textual content immediately into the Grammarly software.
• Grammarly analyzes your piece for the subject and argument and makes use of its “Enhance your impression” function to recommend learn how to meet these targets. This elevates the software from a spelling and grammar checker to an end-to-end writing companion in seconds.
• The facility continues to be in your arms as the author; whereas Grammarly presents suggestions on the whole lot from rephrasing a sophisticated sentence to choosing a extra substantial synonym, you make the last word resolution. I do know my writing greatest, so I select to train my artistic liberty when Grammarly’s recommendations are much less technical.
• College students and professionals alike can use the “Test for plagiarism” function to make sure you haven’t unintentionally borrowed some phrases from one other supply.
• The AI software can simply be built-in into different instruments, web sites, and apps, resembling Microsoft Suite, Google Drive, iOS, Android, and even Hubspot, so you may guarantee your writing improves throughout all platforms.

What Wants Enchancment

• As a lot as I like this software, I have to admit it will possibly generally be visually distracting. I’m continually sifting by way of dozens of multi-colored, underlined phrases and phrases, which might turn into tedious.
• As is true for all AI instruments, Grammarly can’t be trusted to be 100% excellent. It’s all the time greatest to make use of your experience as a author (or that of a trusted colleague or good friend) to provide your writing a once-over and guarantee Grammarly doesn’t miss an incorrect verb tense or pointless capitalization.

Pricing

• Free plan: $0
• Premium plan: $12/month, billed yearly (or $30/month, billed month-to-month)
• Marketing strategy: $15/month, billed yearly (or $25/month, billed month-to-month)

3. ChatGPT

We’ve all heard of it — one of many forerunners within the AI business. In 2022, OpenAI developed ChatGPT, a chatbot and digital assistant, and it has shortly turn into a trusted software for data, solutions, concepts, and assist. You’ll be able to chat about numerous subjects, as seen from the prompt prompts under.

53% of entrepreneurs who use AI instruments use chatbots. For this weblog put up, I used to be interested in what differentiates ChatGPT from different chatbots, so I requested.

As you may see, ChatGPT is exclusive as a result of it has data of a variety of topics and might perceive and talk in a human-like method. It’s made to converse, so that you don’t have to formalize your writing, and it will possibly sometimes comprehend minor spelling and grammar errors, as I examined under:

Why I Like It

• ChatGPT presents priceless help to professionals. You’ll be able to practice your ChatGPT to fulfill your particular skilled wants, resembling conducting market analysis or discovering concepts for buyer surveys, by inputting your model pointers into the “Customized Directions” function, constructing templates for prompts, and extra.
• It simply integrates with different instruments and web sites, providing alternatives for personalization, AI-fueled conversations with shoppers, and environment friendly streamlining of data and knowledge throughout platforms. I just lately used the Expedia app’s AI assistant, which has ChatGPT know-how, to plan a visit to Charleston.
• You’ll be able to depend on ChatGPT for a lot of use circumstances which will in any other case should be cut up up throughout a number of AI instruments. I’ve used it to search out out what sorts of influencers are hottest in worldwide markets, uncover synonyms for widespread phrases, and even discover ways to dissipate leftover produce in my fridge.

What Wants Enchancment

• ChatGPT can not be taught in real-time, so its data solely exists up till the final time it was up to date (at present January 2022). Which means a few of its info could be barely outdated or not factual.
• Whereas it will possibly talk like a human, it’s not human. ChatGPT would possibly generally miss the context for or misread your prompts or questions. It could additionally present biased or incorrect info, so its phrase can’t be relied on as legislation.

Pricing

• Free plan: $0
• Plus plan: $20/month
• Group plan: $25/consumer/month, billed yearly (or $30/consumer/month, billed month-to-month)
• Enterprise plan: Should contact ChatGPT group for pricing.

4. Reclaim

“Reclaim” your time with Reclaim, an AI calendar scheduling app that optimizes your (and your group’s) schedules to extend private and group productiveness, all whereas prioritizing your work-life stability.

Reclaim boasts providing you with again an additional work day each week, with 7.6 extra productive hours, which I do know I might definitely use.

I accomplished a superb chunk of this put up on a rolling foundation however discovered myself a few days earlier than the due date with roughly 8 hours of writing left. I used Reclaim to assist me optimize my time round my morning exercises, Nickelodeon working hours, and night social plans to get my put up finished in time.

Reclaim additionally presents quite a lot of skilled and private behavior templates to select from, and it’ll routinely match the behavior into your calendar for nonetheless lengthy and at no matter cadence you favor.

My work calendar shortly fills up with conferences, so I’d use Reclaim to arrange Focus Time all through my week to work on tasks and Mindfulness breaks to make sure I take quick walks and time away from my display screen.

Entrepreneurs spend roughly 5 hours each day on guide, administrative, or operational duties. AI instruments like Reclaim can assist the typical marketer save practically 2.5 hours each day on these duties and spend extra time on the issues that matter most.

Why I Like It

• It’s laborious to schedule time for private actions resembling studying, exercising, or having a correct lunch in the course of the workday. Reclaim encourages you to find time for this stuff and routinely provides these habits to your calendar.
• The “Sensible Conferences” function analyzes your total group’s schedules and finds one of the best time for recurring conferences, so that you don’t have to manually lookup calendars, e mail colleagues, and handle scheduling conflicts.
• The “Calendar Sync” function helped me mix my Nickelodeon, HubSpot, and private calendars to maximise my time and effectively prioritize all my commitments.

What Wants Enchancment

• The app isn’t as user-friendly as different AI instruments I examined. It took a while for me to get acquainted with the varied options and to determine one of the simplest ways to optimize Reclaim for my HubSpot Weblog writing wants.
• Reclaim works greatest in a piece setting if all of your group members additionally use it. In any other case, you’re unable to train among the greatest options, like “Sensible Conferences.”

Pricing

• Lite plan: $0 – 1 consumer
• Starter plan: $8/consumer/month – as much as 10 customers
• Marketing strategy: $12/consumer/month – as much as 100 customers
• Enterprise plan: $18/consumer/month – over 100 customers

5. ChatPDF

48% of entrepreneurs at the moment use generative AI instruments like ChatPDF to conduct analysis. ChatPDF has revolutionized the thought of “skimming” into an AI-powered machine. You merely add any PDF and look ahead to ChatPDF to soak up the data.

Then, you’re dropped at a chat web page, the place you may ask any questions concerning the PDF. The chat function is extremely useful for college students and professors trying to summarize prolonged academic supplies.

Nevertheless, it additionally has countless potentialities for professionals. Acquired a 50-slide presentation from a consumer that it’s essential to sift by way of by the morning? Or a 30-page report from a client survey that may present insights on your subsequent marketing campaign? ChatPDF has your again.

As you may see, ChatPDF helps you digest massive quantities of data and select no matter knowledge factors and conclusions are crucial on your work. I take pleasure in utilizing this software as a fact-checker or second set of eyes.

I learn by way of the HubSpot Weblog’s State of AI Report, a 33-page PDF, to analysis some key AI productiveness stats and knowledge. Then, I used ChatPDF to double-check my work and guarantee I included an important materials on this weblog put up.

Why I Like It

• This software is an ideal instance of how AI can assist us do our jobs higher with out truly doing our jobs. ChatPDF doesn’t offer you any new info; as an alternative, it helps you chop by way of the noise and get the precise knowledge you want.
• The software may be very straightforward to make use of. Its look is easy, which works nicely for this kind of AI software. Even essentially the most technologically challenged particular person can work out ChatPDF.
• You’ll be able to add a PDF in any language. That is particularly useful for me, as I work in Worldwide Advertising and marketing. Somewhat than asking my regional advertising and marketing groups to translate their PDFs into English earlier than sending them to me, I can settle for the unique format and summarize it myself.
• I recognize that, reasonably than merely summarizing the contents of a PDF, this AI software introduces a chatbot function. This manner, you ask for exactly what you need, which works twofold — you aren’t slowed down by unneeded info and are compelled to have some semblance of the contents since it’s a must to know what to ask for. It prevents us from getting negligent with our work.

What Wants Enchancment

• The software has a really area of interest goal. In contrast to ChatGPT, which can be utilized for numerous private {and professional} duties, ChatPDF has a restricted workflow. It does what it does nicely, however you could not want to make use of it each day.

Pricing

• Free plan: $0
• Plus plan: $5/month
• Premium plan: $15/month

6. DreamStudio

Stability AI is the proprietor of quite a lot of AI merchandise for text-to-image and video technology. Entrepreneurs who use AI to generate written and visible content material save a mean of greater than 3 hours per piece, so I used to be wanting ahead to testing DreamStudio, the web-based app model of Secure Diffusion 3.

I’m not a pure artist or designer, however at Nickelodeon, I sometimes transient our artistic groups on a brand new collection (from principal characters to animation model to areas), which they then use to tell the creation of the collection key artwork.

Instruments like DreamStudio would assist me shortly visualize my advertising and marketing technique, which the artistic group might use as a diving off level.

I made a decision to check this software to generate a picture I might use inside this weblog put up (see How I Examined the Greatest AI Instruments for Work).

This immediate was an awesome instance of the capabilities of this text-to-image generator. I added numerous prompts and filters to hone in on the precise kind of picture I needed.

Studying learn how to write sturdy prompts that information picture technology is the best means to make use of text-to-image generative instruments. Chatbots can assist with that by drafting a particular immediate on your desired picture, which might then be plugged into DreamStudio.

Why I Like It

• As I discussed, this can be a nice method to visually carry your concepts to life. Like a written define earlier than a weblog put up, DreamStudio can give you a picture define that you should utilize as inspiration on your design or pictures work.
• You’ll be able to generate imagery to again up a pitch at work. If I had an thrilling concept for a Nickelodeon activation, I might use AI-generated imagery to carry my concept to life and assist my group visualize it.
• Not all picture mills have a “Adverse Immediate” function, however it is extremely useful to share not solely what you wish to see but additionally what you wish to keep away from in your picture. You can even play with the side ratio and the variety of pictures you obtain.
• Somewhat than a month-to-month subscription, as with different AI instruments, DreamStudio permits you to purchase credit per picture, which presents extra flexibility.

What Wants Enchancment

• The pictures generated weren’t all the time correct. One of many instances I examined my above immediate, the pictures on the laptop computer display screen resembled scenes from a fantasy film reasonably than AI-related imagery. Whereas promising, this software could take some trial and error to lock down precisely what you’re on the lookout for.

Pricing

• 25 free credit
• $10/1,000 credit: Roughly 5,000 pictures