AI toolkit: the 7 best free AI tools for everyday life
Seven friendly AI tools anyone can try for free: for answering questions, planning your week, studying, designing and even identifying plants with your camera.
There are thousands of AI tools out there, and new ones seem to arrive every week. It’s easy to feel you’re missing out, or to not know where to begin.
The good news: you don’t need many. Here are seven friendly tools that each do one everyday job really well. All of them have a free version, and none of them need any technical knowledge.
1. ChatGPT: your all-round helper
Best for: questions, ideas, explanations and first drafts.
ChatGPT is a chat assistant from OpenAI. You type (or speak) a question, and it answers in plain language. It’s a great place to start because it can help with almost anything: planning a birthday party, explaining a confusing letter, or suggesting a recipe for what’s left in your fridge.
Try this: “I have eggs, spinach and half an onion. Suggest three quick dinners, with steps.”
2. Google Gemini: help inside the apps you already use
Best for: people who use Gmail, Google Docs, Maps or an Android phone.
Gemini is Google’s AI assistant. Alongside chatting, it can connect with Google apps when you allow it, so it can help summarise a long email thread or plan a day trip with places from Maps.
Try this: “Plan a relaxed Saturday in [your town] with a park, a café and a museum, and keep travel time short.”
3. Microsoft Copilot: a helper on your Windows PC
Best for: people who use Windows, Edge or Microsoft Office.
Copilot is Microsoft’s AI assistant. It’s built into Windows and the Edge browser, so it’s often only a click away. It can answer questions, summarise a web page you’re reading, or help you write a polite reply.
Try this: open a long article in Edge and ask Copilot, “Summarise this page in five bullet points.”
4. Perplexity: answers with sources
Best for: looking things up when you want to check where the answer came from.
Perplexity works like a search engine that writes you a short answer, then lists the websites it used. Being able to click through to the original source makes it easier to check facts, which is always a good habit with AI.
Try this: “What are the health benefits of walking 30 minutes a day? Include sources.”
5. NotebookLM: learn from your own notes
Best for: students, book clubs and anyone with lots of reading.
NotebookLM from Google lets you upload your own documents, such as class notes, PDFs or articles, and then ask questions about them. Its answers point to the exact part of your documents they came from. It can even turn your notes into a friendly, podcast-style audio summary to listen to on a walk.
Try this: upload a long report and ask, “What are the three main points, and what should I do next?”
6. Google Lens: ask questions with your camera
Best for: curious minds, travellers and gardeners.
Point your phone camera at something and Google Lens tells you about it. It can name a plant or a bird, translate a menu in another language, or copy text from a sign into your notes. It’s built into the Google app and many Android cameras.
Try this: next time you’re on a walk, point your camera at a flower you don’t recognise.
7. Canva: design in minutes
Best for: invitations, posters, social posts and presentations.
Canva is a design website with friendly AI features (called Magic Studio). You can describe an image you’d like, resize a design for different platforms, or get help writing the text. It’s lovely for school projects, small businesses and family events.
Try this: “Make a cheerful invitation for a garden picnic on Saturday at 2pm.”
Honourable mentions
- Claude: a thoughtful chat assistant from Anthropic, especially good for writing and working through long documents.
- Merlin Bird ID: a free app from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology that identifies birds from their song. A real joy on a morning walk.
- Be My Eyes: a free app that uses AI and volunteers to help blind and low-vision people with everyday tasks.
How to choose
You really only need one or two to start:
| If you want to… | Start with |
|---|---|
| Ask anything and get ideas | ChatGPT, Gemini or Copilot |
| Check facts with sources | Perplexity |
| Study your own documents | NotebookLM |
| Learn about the world around you | Google Lens |
| Make something that looks good | Canva |
A few friendly safety tips
- Double-check important facts, especially about health, money or the law.
- Keep private details private. Avoid sharing passwords, bank details or other people’s personal information.
- Look at the settings. Many tools let you choose whether your chats are saved or used to improve the service.
- Free versions have limits. That’s fine for everyday use; you can always decide later if a paid plan is worth it.
Common questions
Are these tools really free? Yes, each one has a free version. Some limit how much you can use them each day, or keep newer features for paid plans.
Do I need to install anything? Most work in your web browser. Google Lens, Merlin and Be My Eyes are easiest to use as phone apps.
Which one is the best? The best tool is the one that fits your everyday job. Try one this week, and keep it if it saves you time or brings you joy.
Try it this week
Pick one tool from this list and use it for one small task each day for a week. Notice what it does well and where you still prefer to do things yourself. Then come and tell me on LinkedIn which one you chose!
A quick note: these are my own friendly picks, and nobody paid to be included. Product names belong to their owners, and AIERA-TS isn’t connected to any of these companies. Features and free plans change over time, so check each tool’s website for the latest details.