You’ve probably heard a lot about AI lately. Maybe too much. Most of the coverage is aimed at developers and tech companies, which isn’t very useful if you run a landscaping business or a dental office. So here’s a practical version: three tools you can actually use this week, and what they’re good for.
1. ChatGPT — Your First Draft Machine
ChatGPT is made by OpenAI and it’s the one most people have heard of. Think of it as a first draft machine.
Stuck writing a response to a difficult client email? Describe the situation to ChatGPT and ask it to draft a professional reply. You’ll edit it, but getting past the blank page is half the battle. Same goes for social media posts, service descriptions, FAQ pages, job listings, or really any text you’d otherwise procrastinate on.
What it’s good for: Writing, summarizing, answering questions, brainstorming.
Free tier: Yes. The free version uses an older model but handles most everyday business tasks fine.
Paid plan: $20/month (ChatGPT Plus) gets you access to GPT-5, OpenAI’s latest and most capable model — noticeably better at nuanced writing and complex questions.
Get started: chatgpt.com
2. Claude — For Longer, More Complex Work
Claude is made by Anthropic and tends to handle longer documents particularly well. If you need to paste in a contract, a report, or a long email thread and ask questions about it, Claude is especially good at this.
It’s also a little more careful than some alternatives — less likely to make things up and more likely to say “I’m not sure” when it isn’t. For business use where accuracy matters, that’s worth something.
What it’s good for: Reading and summarizing long documents, writing that requires a consistent tone, research help.
Free tier: Yes. Covers most casual use.
Paid plan: $20/month (Claude Pro), or less if you pay annually — annual billing is available and saves a bit if you know you’ll use it regularly.
Get started: claude.ai
3. Google Gemini — Already in Your Google Account
If your business uses Gmail or Google Workspace, Gemini is already available to you. It’s built into Gmail, Google Docs, Google Drive, and Google Sheets, which means you don’t have to copy and paste between tools.
You can ask Gemini to summarize an email thread, help draft a reply, pull information from files in your Drive, generate formulas in Sheets, or take notes from a Google Meet recording. It’s not always the most powerful of the three, but the convenience of having it inside tools you already use every day is real — and it keeps getting more capable.
What it’s good for: Working inside Gmail, Google Docs, Sheets, and Meet without switching tabs.
Free tier: Available in personal Google accounts. Google Workspace plans include additional Gemini features.
Get started: Already in your Google account — look for the Gemini icon in Gmail or Docs.
A Practical Starting Point
Pick one and try it for one real task this week. Write that email you’ve been putting off, or ask it to describe your services in three different ways and see which one sounds most like you.
The biggest mistake people make with AI tools is expecting them to be perfect on the first try. They’re not. They’re a starting point, and a pretty good one once you get the hang of prompting them.
Have questions about setting up AI tools for your business? Get in touch.
