Embracing AI for a Smarter Lifestyle: Essential Tools for Work, Play, and Everyday Living
- Aju John
- Oct 15
- 6 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
This post is a collection of AI resources and tools I introduced to the audience during the live presentation of this topic at The Esplanade in Cambridge, MA, and then some.
List of AI Tools
This list is more exhaustive than the ones discussed in the presentation, and is by no means a complete list of tools out there. New tools are contantly being developed and this list as on October 2025.
Here are the top 10 most useful AI tools (with a free tier) by popularity in 2025, featuring Perplexity, Gamma, NotebookLM, Comet, Suno, and ChatGPT, plus others to expand your options. Each entry includes a brief setup guide:
1. ChatGPT (OpenAI)
What it does: Conversational AI for answering questions, drafting emails, explanations, creative writing, and more.
Where to find: https://chat.openai.com
Getting started: Sign up with your email or Google/Microsoft account for free access. Start chatting instantly in your browser.
2. Perplexity (AI Search & Research)
What it does: AI-powered search assistant for real-time answers, file Q&A, and integrated research (with multi-model options, including GPT-4).
Where to find: https://www.perplexity.ai
Getting started: Just visit the site and start typing your question. Free tier includes unlimited searches and limited uploads; sign up to unlock additional features.
3. Comet (Perplexity’s AI Browser)
What it does: An AI desktop browser integrating Perplexity search, research, web actions, and workflow automations. (Agentic AI capability)
Where to find: Included free with Perplexity; download at https://www.perplexity.ai/students or within your Perplexity account.
Getting started: Sign up for Perplexity, download the Comet browser, and log in. Free for students and general use.
4. Gamma (AI Presentation Generator)
What it does: Builds beautiful slide decks and docs from your prompts or uploaded materials.
Where to find: https://gamma.app
Getting started: Sign up with email or Google. Free tier allows limited presentations per month.
Slides for this presentation were generated using this tool. You can find the presentation slides here.
5. NotebookLM (AI Notebook/Research Assistant by Google)
What it does: Upload docs, images, or files; get summaries, insights, and Q&A in one research notebook.
Where to find: https://notebooklm.google
Getting started: Sign in with your Google account. Add sources from Drive or direct upload; free while in open testing phase. notebooklm
This tool was used in the live demo during the presentation to analyze the fine print in the policy document from a pet insurance company to find out the good, the bad, and the ugly.
6. Suno (AI Music Generation)
What it does: Generate songs from text prompts, mix music, and create audio tracks.
Where to find: https://suno.com
Getting started: Sign up free with email. Free songs and mixes per day/month depending on current free tier limits.
This tool was used in the live demo during the presentation to create the Esplanade song, using the lyrics genereated by Perplexity.
7. Google Gemini (Chatbot & AI Assistant)
What it does: Chatbot for search, Q&A, coding, content creation, and productivity.
Where to find: https://gemini.google.com
Getting started: Log in with a Google account (18+). Free access to Gemini Pro; prompt instantly.
8. Canva Magic Studio (AI Design & Editing Tools)
What it does: AI-powered presentations, designs, image editing, and content creation.
Where to find: https://www.canva.com
Getting started: Free sign-up for basic AI tools including Magic Write, Magic Media, and more.
9. Sora 2 (AI video Generation)
What it does: Text-to-video system that generates short, realistic video clips complete with synchronized sound, advanced physics engine simulating gravity, inertia, friction, and fluid dynamics.
Where to find: https://sora.com
Getting started: Sora2 is currently by invitiation only (Oct 2025), may soon open up. Sora is available since 2024 with an OpenAI login (same as ChatGPT)
10. Google AI Studio (Gemini API & Playground)
What it does: Test prompts, generate code, analyze text/images, and experiment with the latest Google AI models.
Where to find: https://ai.google.com/studio
Getting started: Use free with Google account. Try different AI models and APIs in your browser.
Every tool above offers a free tier, usually accessible right from the browser with simple sign-up. To get started, visit the tool’s site, create an account if needed, and explore their onboarding/tutorials.
The Presentation Slides
You can find the presentation slides here. The demo video clips are not included with the slides to limit the size of the download. First draft generated using Gamma, then edited using Microsoft PowerPoint.
First 15 minutes of the 90 minute presentation is here.
Useful Prompts
This is an essential skill to get AI tools to work for you, much like asking a barista at a coffee shop to make you the right kind of coffee. Here is a cheat sheet of some example prompts you can tailor to your needs and runs on almost any AI chat-bot.
“Read me today’s top news headlines.”
Current news and updates for staying informed.
“What are some easy and healthy meal ideas?”
Personalized meal planning and nutrition advice
“How do I use the Reminders app on my iPhone? Explain it step by step.”
Clear instructions for using new technology.
“Tell me the current time and weather in Dublin, Ireland.”
Current time and temperature anywhere in the world before calling someone far
“Can you tell me a funny joke or share a cheerful story?”
Lighthearted content for mood boosting.
“Summarize this article/text/document for me.”
For fast understanding of long content.
“Give me step-by-step instructions for [task/problem].
”For easy-to-follow guidance on any procedure.
“What are the key pros and cons of [product/service/decision]?”
For balanced decision-making and reviews.
“Help me write a professional email about [topic].”
For quick drafting of effective email communications.
“Explain [complex topic or concept] in simple terms.”
For learning and breaking down advanced ideas.
“Generate creative ideas for [project/meal/travel/gift].”
For inspiration, brainstorming, and planning.
“Find recent news about [event/person/topic].”
For staying up to date with current events.
“Translate this text to [language].”
For quick, context-aware translations.
“What is the best way to learn [new skill or subject]?”
For actionable advice and personalized study plans.
“Create a list of questions to ask about [topic/interview/meeting].”
For preparing conversations, interviews, or research.
“Fact-check this: [text/link].”
Validate any news, webpage, article, passages, images, text, anything...
Tip:These prompts are designed to work with any AI assistant—just enter them as you would ask another person! Adjust details or topics for your needs.
Bonus Prompt to demonstrate Agentic AI (on Comet browser only)
“Find the bestseller book on NY Times and add it to my Amazon shopping cart”
An agentic prompt is one where you instruct an AI or digital assistant agent to autonomously perform a multi-step, outcome-oriented action, often involving real-world interaction or automation. In this case:
You direct the assistant to search for the current NY Times bestseller (requiring web search and decision-making).
You then ask for that book to be added to your Amazon shopping cart (requiring a transaction-like browser action).
Both steps involve the assistant taking initiative, making choices, and completing tasks on your behalf rather than just answering a factual question.
Above prompt is agentic because it requires Comet (the agent) to act autonomously to achieve an end goal, not just provide information. When executed in an authenticated and properly configured environment, the agent will autonomously search for the bestselling book and attempt to add it to the Amazon cart. However, to see the book in your actual cart when you open amazon.com in another tab, you need to be logged into Amazon with the same account and session the assistant used during the task.
Key takeaways:
Pick your AI tools to solve real problems—not just because they look cool.
Start with your needs; let your pain points lead you to the best solutions.
Always double-check the results for errors or bias—trust, but verify!
Don’t upload confidential or sensitive information to any tool—protect your privacy.
And remember: if it’s free, you may not be the customer… you may be the product.
AI tools are here to make our lives easier and work with us—not always to put us out of a job. We’re entering a new era where humans and technology make a pretty great team. It’s wild to witness this wave of innovation that is easy to access—so embrace the possibilities and enjoy these extraordinary times. Let AI do the heavy lifting, so you can spend your energy where it really counts. Personally, I’ll be walking my dog along the Charles, keeping an eye on those duck boats…and quietly hoping they don’t sink!
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