A practical guide for real people who want a straight answer to a simple question: what can I actually do with this stuff?
AI does not replace your thinking. It replaces the tedious work that surrounds your thinking.
Most of the smart, capable people I know have not properly explored AI tools. Not because they cannot. Because they are busy, sceptical, or have had one underwhelming experience with ChatGPT at work and concluded the whole thing is overblown.
I get it. If your only exposure to AI is Microsoft Copilot in a corporate environment, you could be forgiven for wondering what the fuss is about. And if your main source of information about AI is the news cycle, you have probably heard a lot about existential risk and not much about how to write a better email or plan a holiday.
I have been in an unusual position. Over the past year I have had the time to test dozens of tools, break things, waste money on subscriptions I did not need, and gradually work out what is actually useful for a normal person living a normal life. I am a bit of a geek, but my friends are not, and they kept asking me the same question: what should I actually be using?
This guide is my answer. It is honest, specific, and written in Australian dollars. I have no sponsorship deals. I pay for everything I recommend. Where something is not worth your time, I say so. Read my full thinking on AI and why I wrote this.
The foundations. What AI actually is, how to use it safely, and what it will cost you.
No jargon, no hype. What is happening under the hood.
The limits matter as much as the capabilities.
Prompting basics that actually make a difference.
What happens to your data and how to protect it.
What is free, what costs money, and what is worth paying for.
Phone, browser, desktop, and which works best where.
The short list. What to install first.
Honest comparison. No cheerleading.
The quick reference for which tool does what.
The practical stuff. Each page covers one capability with real examples you can try today.
Drafts, editing, ideas, and first passes.
Deep dives, comparisons, and synthesis.
Upload a PDF and ask questions about it.
Build a personal knowledge base. Generate podcasts, study guides, and more.
Create images from text descriptions.
Slides that do not look like they were made in 2008.
Generate, remix, and compose.
Generate clips and edit footage with AI.
Text-to-speech, voice cloning, and conversation.
Ship software without being a developer.
Audio and video to text, fast.
Practice, translate, and study with AI.
CVs, cover letters, and interview prep.
Point, shoot, and let AI explain.
What it does and where it falls short.
Browsing with AI built in.
AI for the encore career.
A hands-on project from start to finish.
The stuff that actually saves you time at home.
Bills, letters, complaints, and the boring stuff.
Planning, communicating, and keeping the peace.
Preparing for appointments and understanding results.
Whatever you are into, AI can help.
For clubs, groups, and volunteer organisations.
Study smarter, not harder.
Getting parents and grandparents started.
Comparing, calculating, and thinking it through.
Birthdays, parties, and gatherings.
AI agents, autonomous tools, comparing platforms, and the frontier for when you are ready to push further.
Let AI do the whole job -- Manus for web research, Cowork for your files.
Bigger builds for the ambitious.
Create your own specialised AI assistants.
How the tools actually fit together.
The open-source AI agent everyone is talking about.
No cloud. No data leaving your machine.
The rules, the risks, and the bigger questions worth thinking about.
Quick-access tools, price lists, and the stories behind this site.
Curated, honest reviews of the best AI tools -- updated fortnightly.
See how the same question gets wildly different answers. Try Trump, Yoda, or Gordon Ramsay.
Copy-paste prompts that actually work.
Every tool, every tier, one page.
The story of building this guide with AI.
A complete website built in one sitting with Cowork.
Nobody pays me to write this site. I have no sponsors, no advertisers, and no financial relationships with any AI company. I spend far too much of my own money testing these tools so you do not have to.
I also drink far too much coffee while doing it. If this guide has saved you some time or money, you could buy me one. I will not judge your order.
Some of the tools I link to — like Manus — have referral programmes. If you sign up through my link, we both get a few free credits. It costs you nothing extra and it does not change what I recommend. If a tool is rubbish, I will say so whether there is a referral link or not.
Now, the serious bit. This is a personal project, not professional advice. Please read the important stuff before acting on anything here.