📈 I tested 47 AI tools. Only 3 didn't waste my time.

Hey it's Oliver here.

Here's the thing: AI should make your life easier, not more complicated. But with 15,000+ AI tools launching every month (yes, really), it's no wonder most people feel lost.

After testing dozens of tools over the past month, I found something interesting. The best AI tools aren't the flashiest ones with the biggest marketing budgets. They're the ones that solve one problem really, really well.

So I'm sharing 3 tools that passed my "15-minute test" — if they can't prove their worth in 15 minutes or less, they're not worth your time.

P.S Only a few spots remain in our AI Education Hub waitlist. Instead of drowning in thousands of random tools, you'll get a personalized AI toolkit curated specifically for your role and goals. Click below to reserve your spot before we close the waitlist.

🎯 Perplexity AI – Google, but it actually understands what you need

Try Perplexity AI (Click to check it out)

Remember when you had to craft the perfect Google search, then dig through 10 different websites to piece together an answer? Perplexity cuts through that nonsense.

I tested it last Tuesday when I needed to understand the new EU AI regulations for a client project. Instead of opening 12 tabs and getting lost in legal jargon, I asked Perplexity: "What are the key compliance requirements for AI tools under the new EU AI Act that would affect a small marketing agency?"

In 30 seconds, I had a clear breakdown with sources. No fluff, no ads, just the exact information I needed.

Copy-Paste Prompts:

📋 For Market Research: "What are the latest trends in [your industry] for 2024, including specific data points and sources?" Use when: Starting a new project, writing proposals, or preparing for client meetings

📋 For Competitive Analysis: "Compare [Company A] and [Company B] in terms of pricing, features, and customer reviews. Focus on [specific area like customer service or product quality]." Use when: Evaluating competitors or making purchasing decisions

📋 For Quick Learning: "Explain [complex topic] to someone with a [beginner/intermediate] level understanding, including real-world examples and common misconceptions to avoid." Use when: You need to get up to speed on something fast

Best for: Research, fact-checking, getting quick expert-level summaries on complex topics.

🎨 Canva Magic Design – Turn ideas into visuals in seconds

Try Canva Magic Design (Click to check it out)

I used to spend hours staring at blank Canva templates. Now I just describe what I want, and Magic Design creates 4–5 options instantly.

Last week's test: "Create an Instagram post about productivity tips for remote workers, modern and clean style."

10 seconds later, I had 5 professional-looking designs. I picked one, tweaked the colors, and was done. Total time: 3 minutes instead of 30.

The real magic? It understands context. Ask for a "LinkedIn post about team collaboration" and it'll create something corporate-friendly. Ask for an "Instagram story about coffee" and you'll get something casual and engaging.

Copy-Paste Prompts:

📋 For Social Media: "Create a [platform] post about [topic] with a [adjective] and [adjective] style. Include space for [specific element like a quote or statistic]." Use when: You need social content fast but want it to look professional

📋 For Presentations: "Design a slide deck cover for a presentation about [topic] to [audience type]. Style should be [professional/creative/minimalist] with [color preference]." Use when: You have 5 minutes before a meeting and need a decent-looking deck

📋 For Marketing Materials: "Create a flyer for [event/service] targeting [specific audience]. Include sections for [key information]. Style should convey [emotion/feeling]." Use when: You need promotional materials but don't have a designer

📋 For Email Headers: "Design an email newsletter header for [business type] that feels [brand personality]. Include space for a logo and main headline." Use when: Setting up email campaigns or refreshing your newsletter design

Best for: Social media graphics, presentations, marketing materials when you need them fast.

📝 Notion AI – Your notes, but smarter

Try Notion AI (Click to check it out)

If you already use Notion, this is a no-brainer. If you don't, this might be your reason to start.

Here's what happened during my test: I had messy meeting notes from a brainstorming session. Usually, I'd spend 20 minutes cleaning them up and creating action items. Instead, I highlighted the notes and asked Notion AI to "extract action items and assign priority levels."

Boom. Clean action items with deadlines, organized by priority. Then I asked it to "write a summary email to send to the team." Another 30 seconds, professional summary ready to send.

The best part? It works within your existing workspace, so there's no copying and pasting between apps.

Copy-Paste Prompts:

📋 For Meeting Cleanup: "Extract all action items from these notes and organize them by priority (high/medium/low). Include who's responsible if mentioned." Use when: You have messy meeting notes and need to send follow-up emails

📋 For Content Planning: "Turn this rough outline into a detailed content calendar for [time period]. Include topics, formats, and suggested posting times for [platform]." Use when: You know what you want to create but need structure and timing

📋 For Project Summaries: "Create a professional project status update from these notes that I can send to stakeholders. Focus on progress, challenges, and next steps." Use when: You need to update your boss or clients but your notes are scattered

📋 For Research Organization: "Organize this research into main themes with key takeaways and supporting evidence for each theme." Use when: You've collected information but need to make sense of it all

📋 For Email Drafting: "Write a [tone] email to [recipient type] about [topic] based on these bullet points. Keep it under [length]." Use when: You know what to say but need help with the right tone and structure

Best for: Note organization, meeting summaries, content planning, project management.

Quick Start Challenge

Pick ONE of these tools and spend exactly 15 minutes with it this week. Don’t overthink it — just solve one small problem you have today.

Try This Week:

• Perplexity: Research something you've been meaning to look up for work
• Canva Magic Design: Create one social media post you've been putting off
• Notion AI: Clean up those messy notes from your last meeting

Then hit reply and tell me which one you tried and what happened. I read every response and use your feedback to find even better tools.

Pro Tip: Screenshot your before/after results. You’ll be amazed at the difference, and it'll motivate you to use these tools more often.

Just before you go

Hope you enjoyed this edition of Brain Bytes. Got feedback, suggestions, or cool AI tools to add?

You can always reply directly to this email — I read everything you send.

Also quickly before you go, would you like short personalized Brain Bytes demo videos?

• ✅ Yes, that would be great!
• ❌ No, not for me

See you later this week, — Oliver