AI tools for writing and research

Compare assistants for drafting, summarising and researching business questions. Start with the kind of source material you use and the output you need to check.

All tools Writing & research Marketing & design Video & audio Meetings & knowledge Automation Sales & support Coding & websites Productivity & planning Data & spreadsheets Search & learning

23 tools

ChatGPT (opens a new tab)

An AI assistant for drafting, research and creating work such as documents, slide decks and spreadsheets.

Details

Writing & research · Start yourself

Best for

Owners who want one place to start with AI.

Your first experiment

Give it an anonymised customer question and your service details. Ask for three reply drafts in your tone.

Before you commit

Check factual claims and numbers. Review workspace data settings before uploading client information.

Official source Image source Checked 12 Oct 2026 · Research-based, not a hands-on rating.

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Gemini (opens a new tab)

Google’s AI assistant for drafting, understanding documents and developing ideas.

Details

Writing & research · Start yourself

Best for

Owners who want help turning scattered information into a plan.

Your first experiment

Give it a public service description and ask for a customer FAQ, highlighting anything it cannot answer.

Before you commit

Check factual answers and connected-app permissions; features vary by account and plan.

Official source Image source Checked 12 Oct 2026 · Research-based, not a hands-on rating.

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Claude (opens a new tab)

An AI assistant for writing, analysing documents and completing multi-step work, including features previously called Claude Cowork.

Details

Writing & research · Start yourself

Best for

Teams turning detailed briefs into clear, editable work.

Your first experiment

Upload a non-confidential project brief. Ask for a proposal outline, open questions and assumptions to confirm.

Before you commit

A polished answer is still a draft. Check assumptions before it becomes a client commitment.

Official source Image source Checked 12 Oct 2026 · Research-based, not a hands-on rating.

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Microsoft Copilot — official product artwork

Microsoft Copilot (opens a new tab)

An AI assistant for drafting, research and everyday work, with Microsoft app integrations on eligible plans.

Details

Writing & research · Start yourself

Best for

Businesses already working in Microsoft's ecosystem.

Your first experiment

Ask it to turn an anonymised project update into a short client email and a list of next steps.

Before you commit

Consumer Copilot and Microsoft 365 work features have different subscriptions and data controls.

Official source Image source Checked 12 Oct 2026 · Research-based, not a hands-on rating.

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Grok (opens a new tab)

An AI assistant combining conversation, web and X search, and creative tools.

Details

Writing & research · Start yourself

Best for

Teams exploring current discussions and researching unfamiliar topics.

Your first experiment

Ask for recent questions about your industry, with links, then check whether they match your customers.

Before you commit

Social posts are leads for research, not proof. Check original sources before repeating a claim.

Official source Image source Checked 12 Oct 2026 · Research-based, not a hands-on rating.

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DeepSeek (opens a new tab)

A conversational AI assistant for writing, reasoning and coding questions.

Details

Writing & research · Start yourself

Best for

Owners comparing a second assistant for everyday problem solving.

Your first experiment

Give it a public service description and ask which customer questions the page leaves unanswered.

Before you commit

Verify answers and review its data policy before sharing business or customer records.

Official source Image source Checked 12 Oct 2026 · Research-based, not a hands-on rating.

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QuillBot (opens a new tab)

Writing tools for paraphrasing, grammar checks and summarising text.

Details

Writing & research · Start yourself

Best for

People polishing their own drafts, especially when writing in a second language.

Your first experiment

Rewrite a dense service paragraph in plain language, then compare whether the meaning survived.

Before you commit

Paraphrasing can change meaning. AI detection scores are not proof of who wrote something.

Official source Image source Checked 12 Oct 2026 · Research-based, not a hands-on rating.

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Poe (opens a new tab)

One chat platform for trying different AI models and user-created bots.

Details

Writing & research · Start yourself

Best for

Owners who want to compare assistants before choosing a regular tool.

Your first experiment

Send the same anonymised customer-service prompt to two models and compare accuracy and tone.

Before you commit

Bots differ in quality and data handling; usage allowances depend on the selected model.

Official source Image source Checked 12 Oct 2026 · Research-based, not a hands-on rating.

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Meta AI (opens a new tab)

Meta's conversational assistant for questions, research and creative exploration.

Details

Writing & research · Start yourself

Best for

People wanting a familiar entry point into everyday AI assistance.

Your first experiment

Ask it to suggest questions a first-time customer might ask about your public services.

Before you commit

Check feature availability in your country and avoid sharing private client details.

Official source Image source Checked 12 Oct 2026 · Research-based, not a hands-on rating.

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Kimi (opens a new tab)

An AI workspace for document work, research, presentations and agent-assisted tasks.

Details

Writing & research · Start yourself

Best for

Teams working through substantial source material and creating first drafts.

Your first experiment

Use a non-confidential briefing document to draft a presentation outline with unanswered questions.

Before you commit

Check outputs against your source material and review regional availability and data policies.

Official source Image source Checked 12 Oct 2026 · Research-based, not a hands-on rating.

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Qwen (opens a new tab)

An AI assistant supporting chat, documents, images, web search and creative tasks.

Details

Writing & research · Start yourself

Best for

People testing a versatile assistant across writing and visual questions.

Your first experiment

Upload a public brochure and ask for a simpler explanation for a first-time buyer.

Before you commit

Confirm facts and review data handling before uploading sensitive files.

Official source Image source Checked 12 Oct 2026 · Research-based, not a hands-on rating.

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Grammarly (opens a new tab)

Writing assistance for improving clarity, tone and everyday business messages.

Details

Writing & research · Start yourself

Best for

Teams sending lots of customer emails and proposals.

Your first experiment

Rewrite a long customer update to make the next step obvious without changing the facts.

Before you commit

Review suggestions for meaning and brand voice. Check data settings before using confidential text.

Official source Image source Checked 12 Oct 2026 · Research-based, not a hands-on rating.

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DeepL (opens a new tab)

AI translation for documents and text across languages.

Details

Writing & research · Start yourself

Best for

Businesses adapting customer communications for another market.

Your first experiment

Translate a short customer email, then have a fluent speaker check terminology and tone.

Before you commit

Use a human reviewer for important documents. Check the plan’s data handling and document limits.

Official source Image source Checked 12 Oct 2026 · Research-based, not a hands-on rating.

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Writer (opens a new tab)

An AI agent platform for teams that need shared business context and controlled content workflows.

Details

Writing & research · Expert setup

Best for

Growing teams with repeatable writing work and formal brand requirements.

Your first experiment

Use approved company material to prototype a consistent answer to a recurring sales question.

Before you commit

Evaluate the implementation effort and commercial fit; this is aimed at organisational workflows.

Official source Image source Checked 12 Oct 2026 · Research-based, not a hands-on rating.

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Mistral Vibe (Le Chat) — official product artwork

Mistral Vibe (Le Chat) (opens a new tab)

Mistral's Vibe, formerly Le Chat, combines AI chat with writing, research and work assistance.

Details

Writing & research · Start yourself

Best for

Teams comparing assistants for multilingual writing and everyday knowledge work.

Your first experiment

Ask it to adapt a public service description for two audiences while preserving the facts.

Before you commit

Check translations and data controls. Review connected-tool permissions and approve emails or record changes before agents carry them out.

Official source Image source Checked 12 Oct 2026 · Research-based, not a hands-on rating.

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Wordtune (opens a new tab)

A writing assistant for rewriting, shortening and improving the tone of text.

Details

Writing & research · Start yourself

Best for

Owners polishing messages without losing their own meaning.

Your first experiment

Turn a blunt service email into a clear, friendly reply while retaining the original commitments.

Before you commit

Check that rewrites have not softened an important condition or invented a promise.

Official source Image source Checked 12 Oct 2026 · Research-based, not a hands-on rating.

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Choosing a tool

Try the same brief and source documents in two tools. Compare factual accuracy, editable output and how easily you can trace a statement to its source. A fluent draft still needs your judgment.

A good tool is a start.
A connected workflow is better.

Already have a few apps? See where they could save you copying, chasing and repeat work.

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About this directory

We select tools using official product information, not paid rankings or hands-on ratings. Check current features and plans before buying.

Sources checked 12 Oct 2026. We review the directory weekly.

Your shortlist stays in this browser. Product images belong to their respective providers.

AI tools for writing and research

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A good tool is a start.A connected workflow is better.

A good tool is a start.
A connected workflow is better.