Walk into almost any office right now, and you’ll hear the same conversation: “Have you tried that new AI tool yet? It’s a game-changer.”
The truth is that the market is buzzing with promise and noise. A recent McKinsey survey showed that 78% of companies now use AI in some form, and that number is climbing.
Why AI feels different this time
AI, of course, isn’t new. However, something has shifted over the last two years. Models have become better at understanding context, generating content, and even juggling multiple formats at once. Under the hood, the big three technologies driving this shift are:
Machine Learning (ML)
These are the systems that improve with every dataset they touch. It’s what makes recommendation engines get eerily accurate over time.
Natural Language Processing (NLP)
The bit that lets a machine understand your request when you type, “Can you pull the latest metrics from that report?” and not just spit out a keyword search.
Generative AI
The creative side of AI that builds something from scratch: a paragraph, a code snippet, an image, or even a full video.
The tool categories worth knowing
This is by no means an exhaustive list but will get you started on what is possible. *
Chatbots and virtual assistants
- ChatGPT now handles images, audio, and real-time conversation, and remembers your preferences.
- Google Gemini slots directly into Gmail, Sheets, and Docs. It is handy if you already live in Google Workspace.
- Grok AI leans toward problem-solving and data-heavy reasoning, pulling in live info when needed.
Search and research
- Perplexity AI blends live search with AI summaries so you’re not guessing about accuracy.
- Arc Search speeds up web research with on-the-fly summaries.
Productivity and collaboration
- Notion AI and Mem: Used to surface the right knowledge at the right time.
- Asana, Any.do, and BeeDone: Project tools used to schedule and keep track of tasks
- Fireflies and Avoma: These meeting assistants can take notes so your team can actually talk.
- Reclaim and Clockwise: These calendar managers make meetings less of a Tetris game.
Content creation
- Jasper AI: Aimed squarely at marketers, with built-in SEO and formatting help.
- Anyword: Used to tweak tone for specific audiences.
- Writer: Used to keep enterprise- level brand voice consistent.
Image and Design
- Midjourney is the favourite for striking, artistic visuals.
- Stable Diffusion gives you full creative control.
- DALL·E 3 is simple to use inside ChatGPT for quick edits and iterations.
- Google Imagen 3 is precise and can handle prompts in multiple languages.
- Adobe Firefly keeps everything legally safe and feeds straight into Photoshop.
Video and storytelling
- Runway ML combines AI image generation with video editing.
- Descript and Filmora handle editing, transcription, and polishing without requiring a pro studio.
A final thought (and a note of caution)
The current lineup of tools can be incredibly powerful, but they’re not magic. The magic still happens with rational, human thought and imagination, so start there.
Challenge yourself to try one experiment before the end of the year. Small steps now will make bigger moves easier later.
Contact us for help figuring out which AI tools make sense for your business and which ones you can safely skip.
TLDR; AI amplifies thinking, not replaces it—experiment strategically, not reflexively.
1300 002 001 | sales@symsafe.com.au
⚠️ Please note Symsafe Pty Ltd is not endorsing any of the above-mentioned products, they are merely suggestions and it is up to you to perform your own due diligence. If you choose to use any AI tools, always do so with the utmost caution and clear them with your IT team before use. Never share sensitive information through insecure or unknown channels.
This article was crafted in collaboration our AI sidekick, Toolip 🤖
*To dig deeper and find a tool fit for purpose you can search over 42 000 tools at TheresAnAIforThat.com.
