I Tested 5 Popular AI Tools So You Don’t Have To—Here’s the Honest Verdict
An AI researcher who spends time testing new tools, models, and emerging trends to see what actually works.
I didn’t set out to compare AI tools.
I set out to reduce friction in my work.
Like most people, I kept hearing the same promise: this AI tool will save you time. After a while, every tool started sounding the same. Faster. Smarter. More productive.
So instead of reading more reviews, I decided to do something simpler.
I picked five popular AI tools that professionals commonly talk about and used them the way real work happens—under time pressure, with imperfect prompts, and without trying to make them look good.
This isn’t a ranking.
It’s an honest verdict on what actually helps—and what quietly wastes time.
How I tested these tools (important context)
Before getting into results, here’s how this test was done:
- Used each tool during real work tasks
- No affiliate bias, no demos, no ideal scenarios
- Focused on daily tasks: writing, research, planning, summarizing
- Judged tools on workflow fit, not features
The question wasn’t:
“What can this tool do?”
It was:
“Would I keep using this when work gets busy?”
Tool #1: ChatGPT — powerful, but demanding
ChatGPT is still the most flexible AI tool I tested.
It handled:
- Drafting
- Brainstorming
- Explaining concepts
- Rewriting content
But flexibility comes at a cost.
To get good results, you have to:
- Provide clear context
- Refine prompts
- Review outputs carefully
What worked:
- Idea generation
- Editing rough drafts
- Breaking mental blocks
What didn’t:
- Maintaining context across tasks
- Consistent tone without guidance
Verdict:
ChatGPT is powerful, but it feels like a tool you have to manage, not one that disappears into your workflow.
Tool #2: Notion AI — helpful inside its lane
Notion AI shines when used exactly where it lives: inside Notion.
For:
- Summarizing notes
- Cleaning up internal documents
- Turning bullet points into readable text
…it works quietly and efficiently.
Outside that environment, its usefulness drops quickly.
What worked:
- Fast summaries
- Internal documentation
- Low-friction editing
What didn’t:
- Creative thinking
- Complex reasoning
Verdict:
Notion AI is a great support tool, not a general-purpose assistant.
Tool #3: GrammarlyGO — invisible but limited
GrammarlyGO doesn’t try to be everything.
And that’s its strength.
It helps with:
- Tone adjustment
- Clarity
- Polishing writing
But it doesn’t think for you.
What worked:
- Professional communication
- Reducing rewriting time
- Keeping tone consistent
What didn’t:
- Idea creation
- Structural thinking
Verdict:
If you already know what you want to say, GrammarlyGO makes it better. If you don’t, it won’t help you find it.
Tool #4: Perplexity — fast answers, shallow depth
Perplexity feels closest to an AI-powered search engine.
It’s excellent for:
- Quick explanations
- Surface-level research
- Getting oriented fast
But for deeper work, it hits a ceiling.
What worked:
- Speed
- Clear summaries
- Source-backed answers
What didn’t:
- Nuance
- Complex analysis
Verdict:
Perplexity is great for starting research, not finishing it.
Tool #5: Jasper — structured, but constrained
Jasper is built for teams that want consistency.
It excels at:
- Marketing copy
- Repeatable content formats
- Brand-aligned writing
But that structure can feel restrictive.
What worked:
- Template-driven writing
- Consistent tone
- Speed at scale
What didn’t:
- Flexibility
- Personal voice
Verdict:
Jasper works best when creativity is less important than uniformity.
The real takeaway no review mentions
After using all five, a pattern became clear.
No single tool solved everything.
The tools that helped most were the ones that:
- Reduced small, repeated friction
- Required minimal supervision
- Fit naturally into existing workflows
The tools that disappointed weren’t bad.
They just demanded too much attention.
What I would actually keep using
If I had to simplify:
- One flexible tool for thinking and drafting
- One embedded tool for notes or writing cleanup
- One lightweight tool for communication polish
Anything more starts adding complexity instead of removing it.
Final thought
AI tools don’t fail because they’re weak.
They fail when they add decisions instead of removing them.
The best AI tool isn’t the most powerful one.
It’s the one you forget you’re using.
This isn’t a list of winners and losers. It’s a reminder that productivity tools should adapt to work—not the other way around.
An AI researcher who spends time testing new tools, models, and emerging trends to see what actually works.