#297 Tools

A collection of AI tools that I’ve either used or would like to check out at some point.

Notes

Given how hot the topic of AI is these days, this list will go out of date immediately. It is not trying to be comprehensive - just a collection of tools I have come across and either use, tried, or would like to check out at some point.

See also:

• AI Stash - the AI Tools directory.
• FREE Prompts Library ~ Sabrina Ramonov

Developer Tools

• GitHub Copilot
• make.com

  From tasks and workflows to apps and systems, build and automate anything in one powerful visual platform.

• Cursor

  Built to make you extraordinarily productive, Cursor is the best way to code with AI.

  • suited to experienced developers, similar to GitHub Copilot

    Cursor is made for developers. It assumes you’ve coded before and want to refine your projects with AI assistance. It’s powerful, especially when paired with models like Sonnet 3.5, but you’ll need to handle deployment on your own. Great for JavaScript, Node.js, and full-stack devs who need an AI assistant, not a crutch.

• Replit

  Build software faster - Replit is an AI-powered software development & deployment platform for building, sharing, and shipping software fast.

  • suited for developing simple apps without any coding experience

    Replit is perfect for beginners or hobbyists looking to jump into coding fast. It offers a seamless way to build and deploy small apps right from your browser. However, it’s not suited for complex projects—especially when dealing with authentication or debugging tricky errors.

• Pythagora

  Pythagora is a dev tool that builds apps from scratch by talking to you

  • suited to non-technical small-medium business users for building productivity tools

    Pythagora is ideal for non-developers or small businesses that need reliable, production-ready applications without writing code. Think business apps like accounts receivable software for a trucking company. It simplifies deployment and automated bug fixing but is more rigid compared to others.

• bolt.new

  Prompt, run, edit, and deploy full-stack web apps.

  • suited to freelancers building wide range of app types or prototypes

    Bolt offers a hybrid experience for technical freelancers or small-scale projects. It provides browser-based full-stack development with easy deployment and a flexible approach for non-technical users like photographers who want to create a quick website or project. It’s perfect for solo entrepreneurs who want to build small but functional apps without the hassle of learning to code deeply.

See also:

• quick breakdown of four popular AI-powered development tools: Replit, Cursor, Pythagora, and Bolt

Chat LLMs

• https://openai.com/chatgpt/

• https://writesonic.com/chat

  the ChatGPT Team alternative for enterprises, offering real-time web search, PDF, image and website engagement. One App multiple LLMs

Research and writing Tools

NotebookLM

https://notebooklm.google/

NotebookLM is an AI-powered research and writing assistant that works best with the sources you upload

NotebookLM is your personalized AI research assistant powered by Google’s most capable model, Gemini 1.5 Pro.

Example: Overview of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)

Sources I provided:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Liberation_Army_Navy
• PLAN Ships.pdf - China Files Peoples Liberation Army Navy Ships

It generated this pretty decent audio overview: https://soundcloud.com/pratalife/overview-of-the-peoples-liberation-army-navy-plan

The analysis it provided of the sources, with citations, was very impressive and would make learning any new topic so much easier.

Text/Content Tools

• creaitor
  • “Save hours on writing content and get out of the idea jam”
• designrr
  • “Create eBooks & Leadmagnets to Reach More People”
  • “Transform your Blog posts, Podcasts, Videos and PDFs into eBooks, Show Notes, Dynamic Flipbooks, Transcripts, PDFs and Web pages.”
• https://rytr.me/
  • “Rytr’s AI generates original and compelling content that sounds like you, not a robot.”
• Writesonic
  • “Unified AI Content Creation & Advanced SEO toolset for Marketers, Agencies, and Enterprises”
  • https://writesonic.com/ai-article-writer-generator
    • “Write Factually Accurate Articles with Real-Time Data”
• https://www.slidesai.io/
  • “Create Presentation Slides with AI in seconds”
• https://www.beautiful.ai/aipresentationmaker
  • “AI presentations that mean business”
• https://prezi.com/features/ai/
  • “Make a great presentation in no time”
• https://www.tldrthis.com/
  • “TLDR This helps you summarize any piece of text into concise, easy to digest content so you can free yourself from information overload.”
• https://www.deepl.com/en/translator
  • “Translate texts & full document files instantly. Accurate translations for individuals and Teams. Millions translate with DeepL every day.”
• https://gamma.app/
  • “Beautiful presentations, documents, and websites. No design or coding skills required.”
  • Example 1:
    • I got it to generate a presentation based on https://leap.tardate.com/electronics101/windbellkit/
    • With little customisation, it generated this presentation:
      • https://gamma.app/docs/Wobbly-Wind-Bell-Kit-A-Mesmerizing-LED-Oscillator-Project-mgmij0rqk877858?mode=doc
      • PDF

Image

• DALL·E 3
• https://openart.ai/home
• https://writesonic.com/photosonic-ai-art-generator
  • “AI Art Generator”
• https://getimg.ai/
  • “Generate images from text in seconds, edit photos with words, expand pictures beyond their borders, animate images or train custom AI models”
• https://cleanup.pictures/
  • “Remove any unwanted object, defect, people or text from your pictures in seconds”
• https://clipdrop.co/cleanup
  • “Remove object, defect, people, or text from your pictures in seconds”
• https://www.pixelcut.ai/cleanup-pictures
  • “Remove objects, text or people from your images to get clean photos!”
• https://www.meshy.ai/
  • “Create stunning 3D models with AI”

https://ideogram.ai/

text to image model with industry leading capabilities in generating realistic images, graphic design, typography, and more

At least a basic plan is required for:

• Download original quality PNGs
• Upscale
• Custom aspect ratios

At least a plus plan is required for:

• Private generation
• Image deletion

On copyright:

We do not claim any ownership rights over the images generated, nor do we restrict your ability to use them. You are free to use the images as you wish. However, you are responsible for ensuring that your content does not violate any laws or third-party rights or our Terms of Service.

A quick test with a generic prompt:

a sad robot walking down a cyberpunk alleyway in some dystopian future

Quick test with a very specific prompt:

an Aichi E13A Jake floatplane coming in to land at Deboyne Lagoon. Use an accurate representation of an Aichi E13A. Show the plane at the point it is touching down to land.

Not bad, generated convincing action and environment, but the plane is completely wrong.

https://flux-ai.io/flux-ai-image-generator/

Create stunning images with Flux.1 Pro, Flux.1 Dev and Flux.1 Schnell models.

On copyright: Paid users own their image rights. A paid plan is required for:

• non-public
• Commercial Right

A quick test with a generic prompt:

a sad robot walking down a cyberpunk alleyway in some dystopian future

Quick test with a very specific prompt:

an Aichi E13A Jake floatplane coming in to land at Deboyne Lagoon. Use an accurate representation of an Aichi E13A. Show the plane at the point it is touching down to land.

The result has convincing detail about the action of a float plane coming into land, but the landscape and plane model are totally wrong:

https://www.recraft.ai/

• “AI for Pro Designers: Premium image generation and editing tool.”

A paid plan is required for:

• Generated images are private
• Full ownership and commercial rights to any generation

Background removal: tested with an image from https://leap.tardate.com/kraft/ijn/kamikawamaru/:

Generating vector art with prompt:

Market scenes in contemporary Lao paintings, reflecting the gradual shift towards a market economy and the revival of economic activity

https://klingai.com/

• “Next Generation AI Creative Suite”

Prompt:

Kamikawa Maru seaplane tender is at anchor in Deboyne Lagoon. We see the crew winching an Aichi E13A Jake float plan aboard using the ship’s crane.

an Aichi E13A Jake floatplane coming in to land at Deboyne Lagoon. Use an accurate representation of an Aichi E13A. Show the plane at the point it is touching down to land.

Even when selecting for “relevance” over “creativity”, the AI does not seem to understand the specifics of the prompt. Or perhaps has not been trained on IJN equipment, or has this content filtered?

It seems to do much better with more generic prompts. For example:

a sad robot walking down a cyberpunk alleyway in some dystopian future

https://betterimage.ai/

AI Upscaler For Better Images

Per https://betterimage.ai/term-of-service 2.2.2,2.2.3, you retain all rights and ownership, but grant a license “for the purposes of operating or improving the Services and Software”

Sound and Music

• https://www.beatoven.ai/
  • “Create unique background music that you can call your own”
• https://play.ht/
  • “Generate AI voices, Indistinguishable from Humans”
• https://writesonic.com/ai-voice-generator
  • “Realistic Text to Speech in 30+ Languages”

Video

• https://www.heygen.com/
  • “AI-powered video creation at scale”
• https://pictory.ai/
  • “Create highly engaging videos in minutes using the power of AI. No video editing experience required.”
• https://videogen.io/
  • “Generate professional videos in one click.”

Applications

• https://layla.ai/
  • “Hi, I’m Layla, your personal travel agent”
• https://home.by.me/
  • “Find inspiration to furnish and decorate your home in 3D”