AI Tools Panorama

Since 2023, the number of AI tools has grown exponentially.

There are AI writing assistants for writing articles, AI painting tools for drawing, AI programming assistants for coding, and even dedicated AI tools for making PPTs and editing videos.

Faced with hundreds of AI tools, many people's first reaction is: Where do I start? Which one suits me?

This chapter will establish a cognitive framework for AI tools—understanding what categories exist, what representative tools are in each category, what their pros and cons are, and what scenarios each should be used in.

You don’t need to try every new tool that comes out. Just find 3–5 that work for you and use them well—that’s enough.

Tools serve people. Don’t use tools for the sake of using tools. Be clear about what problem you want to solve, then find a tool that can solve that problem.

Text generation tools

The most mature and widely applied category of AI tools. Writing emails, writing reports, writing code, translating, summarizing, brainstorming—all of these can be done with text generation tools.

Divided by international and domestic, each has its advantages.

Mainstream international text generation tool

Mainstream text generation tools in China.

Recommendations for choosing a text generation tool.

If you are using AI for the first time, we recommend starting withChatGPTorClaudestart—they represent the highest level of current text generation.

If you mainly handle Chinese content, domestic tools may be more convenient—they usually have better understanding and generation of Chinese.

If you need to process ultra-long documents (e.g., reading a book, a several-hundred-page report), Claude or Kimi are good choices.

Suggestion: first choose 1-2 mainstream tools, become proficient, then consider trying others. Depth of usage is more important than breadth.

Image generation tools.

Generating images from text descriptions is one of AI's most visually impactful applications. It can be used for design, illustrations, prototyping, and asset generation.

Comparison of mainstream image generation tools

Recommendations for choosing an image generation tool

If you prioritize results and ease of use, just chooseMidjourney—Although it requires payment, the results are truly good.

If you are a designer wanting full control, or have privacy concerns, you can look intoStable Diffusion—It can run on your own computer, and you can modify it however you like.

If you need to generate images with text (e.g., posters, logos), Ideogram is the specialty.

Note: AI-generated images may involve copyright risks. Before commercial use, please confirm each tool's license terms.

Code assistant tools

AI's productivity boost for programmers is one of the most significant. Code completion, code explanation, bug finding, refactoring, and even generating projects from scratch—all of these can be handled by AI.

Comparison of mainstream code assistants

Usage example of the code assistant.

Take Cursor as an example, it is a code editor specifically designed for AI.

In Cursor, you can collaborate with AI like this:

Scenario 1:Ask AI to generate a example tutorial page.

You just need to input:

创建一个简单的 Python 入门教程网页，包含标题、代码示例、说明

AI will directly generate a complete HTML file for you.

Scenario 2:Ask AI to explain code.

Select a piece of code you don't understand, press Cmd+K (Mac) or Ctrl+K (Windows).

Then input:

Explain what this code does

AI will analyze the code logic line by line and explain each step of the execution process.

Scenario 3:Ask AI to fix bugs.

Select the code that reports errors.

Then input:

This code has errors. Help me find the problem and fix it.

AI will locate the cause of the error and provide a runnable fix.

Scenario 4:Refactor code.

Select the code that needs optimization.

Then input:

This code is too messy. Help me refactor it to be clearer and add comments.

AI will optimize the code structure, split responsibilities, and automatically add necessary comments to improve readability and maintainability.

GitHub Copilot is more like a super autocomplete — you write a comment, it writes code for you; you write halfway, it completes it for you.

Suggestions for Choosing a Code Assistant

If you are a student or just entering the field,GitHub Copilot（https://github.com/copilot）It is a must-install — it can help you quickly get past the threshold of not knowing how to write.

If you want to experience smarter AI programming, tryCursor/Qoder/Trae— Use it to write a project once, and you'll know what programming in the AI era feels like.

Note: AI-written code may have bugs and may be insecure. You are the programmer; you are responsible for the code. Treat AI as an assistant, not an authority.

Search-enhanced AI

Traditional search engines give you a bunch of links, and you click in to find answers yourself. Search-enhanced AI directly gives you answers and also tells you where the answers come from.

Mainstream search-enhanced AI comparison

Use cases for search-enhanced AI

When should you use search-enhanced AI instead of a traditional search engine?

When you need to synthesize information: For example, "What are the important advances in AI in 2024?" — AI will synthesize information from various sources into a summary for you, rather than throwing dozens of articles at you.

When you need answers rather than links: For example, "How to send an email with Python" — AI will directly give you complete code examples and steps, instead of making you dig through a dozen blog posts.

When you need fact-checking: For example, "What are a certain company's financial report figures?" — AI will look up the latest official data, rather than giving you outdated information.

Tip: Even search-enhanced AI can make mistakes. Please cross-verify important information and don't rely on just one source.

Video and Audio AI

AI tools for video and audio are developing rapidly. Though not as mature as text-based ones, they can already help in many scenarios.

Video generation tool

Audio tool

Whisper usage example

Whisper is OpenAI's open-source speech recognition model, excellent for converting speech to text.

Note: AI audio tools may be misused. Please comply with laws and regulations. Do not clone others' voices without permission, and do not use AI-generated content for fraud.

Productivity tools category

Many everyday tools already have built-in AI features. You don't need to learn separate complex tools; making good use of the AI in the tools you already use is enough.

Comparison of mainstream productivity tools

Notion AI use cases

Notion AI is a typical example of integrating AI into workflows—you can have AI help you at any time while writing notes.

// 在 Notion 中输入 /ai 就可以唤出 AI

// 场景 1：写会议记录
// 输入："帮我生成一个会议记录模板，包含议题、讨论要点、行动项、负责人、截止时间"

// 场景 2：总结长文档
// 选中一篇长笔记，输入："总结这篇笔记，提取 5 个关键点"

// 场景 3：改写内容
// 选中一段文字，输入："把这段写得更简洁/更正式/更口语化"

// 场景 4：头脑风暴
// 输入："帮我 brainstorm 10 个关于 example 新课程的选题"

// 场景 5：翻译
// 输入："把这段内容翻译成英文/中文"

Basic principles for selecting tools

With so many tools available, how do you choose? Here are a few principles to help you make decisions.

Principle 1: Clarify the problem first, then find the tools.

Don't try a tool just because someone else says it's good. First, think clearly: what problem do you need to solve?

Do you want to write code faster? Then choose a code assistant. Do you want to create design mockups? Then choose an image generation tool. Do you want to improve writing efficiency? Then choose a text generation tool.

Tools are a means, not an end.

Principle Two: Master one first, then expand.

The mistake many people make is: trying every tool but not going deep into any of them.

A better approach is: pick one mainstream tool, spend a week or two getting familiar with it, and understand its boundaries—what scenarios it can handle and what scenarios it can't.

Once you've mastered one tool, then try others, and you'll find that many design concepts are similar across them.

Principle 3: Look at "frequency of use," not "degree of novelty."

A tool you use every day is far more valuable than a tool that's cool but only used once a year.

For example: a code assistant you use every day when writing code has high value; a video generation tool you might only use once every six months, so there's no rush to buy the most expensive plan.

Principle 4: Consider costs, not just money.

The cost of a tool isn't just the subscription fee—it also includes learning costs, migration costs, and data security costs.

Some free tools require you to spend a lot of time tinkering around, and your time is also a cost. Some tools store your data in the cloud, so data security is also a cost.

A simple criterion: If a tool saves you 2 hours a week, then paying $20 a month for it is usually worth it—your time is more valuable than that.

Summary and Tool Selection Recommendations

This article introduced many tools, and finally gives you a concise action suggestion.

The beginner's three-piece starter set for ordinary people.

If you just want to experience AI, these three are enough to start with:

Programmer's recommended combination

If you are a programmer, this combo can double your efficiency:

Designer's recommended combination

If you are a designer, this combo can help you quickly produce solutions: