Whether you’re working in a busy office or the comfort of your home, AI-based tools are stepping in to save time and provide a productivity boost. But how do you know which ones will work best for your needs?

ChatGPT looks like a regular chatbot, but it can also write long-form content, answer complex math problems or even compose poems. It’s a great tool for those who need an editor, personal trainer or study buddy.
1. Amazon Echo

The Amazon Echo is a hands-free speaker and virtual assistant that works with an end user’s smartphone to perform voice commands over the Internet. The device is powered by Alexa, Amazon’s artificial intelligence platform that uses voice recognition technology to answer queries, play music, read the news, set alarms, and control smart devices in the home.

It can play songs, audiobooks, radio and podcasts through integrated services such as Spotify, Pandora, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Deezer and Sirius XM, along with music stored on an Amazon account. An Echo can also make to-do lists and shopping lists, recite sports scores and schedules, provide weather and traffic conditions, recite news stories, read aloud e-books and audiobooks, help in the kitchen, set timers, call or message a friend, add items to a list of reminders, recite calendar events, tell jokes, and much more.

For those with a smartphone, Echo’s functionality can be expanded by adding Skills, which are like apps that perform a variety of tasks. For example, a skill can be added that allows the user to dictate text messages or search for and book restaurant reservations. Another can even locate your car or provide your latest weight-in with Fitbit.

The Echo requires a Wi-Fi connection and an active Amazon Prime account to work, which introduces a number of perks such as free two-day shipping on many products. It can also be paired with a wide range of accessories, such as smart lights and thermostats, to enhance the home automation experience. Amazon has also released a new Echo with a 7-inch display for streaming media and making video calls. An Echo Show with a 10-inch screen is due out in November 2018. It can also be used to control other smart-home devices, such as locks and refrigerators.
2. Google Home

Google Home is the physical home for Google Assistant, a voice-activated assistant with more smarts than Amazon's Echo. Both devices play music via streaming services, answer questions, set alarms and timers, make calls and control smart home gadgets. But Home's backed by the daddy of online search, so it can understand your queries better and respond with contextual awareness.

It can also access YouTube, which boasts a 30 million-plus library of songs – far more than Spotify or Pandora. And if you want to go the extra mile, you can also pair it with a Chromecast device to stream music or video to your hi-fi or TV, too.

Like the Echo, it can pick up on different voices and recognise individual family members to give each member their own personal experience and personalised results. And while its audio quality isn't quite as crisp or clear as the best Bluetooth speakers, it does a decent job of discerning your voice from background noise.

However, it's fallen short on the one-touch functionality and broader integration with third-party apps and smart home gadgets that Alexa can offer. And it's still a little more stubborn in its speech recognition and doesn't understand certain questions as well.

It's worth noting, though, that Google Assistant is continually improving. The latest version, for example, can now 'continue the conversation', so you don't have to say "OK Google" again. And it's got wider support for music subscription services, works with more smart home gadgets and can even control your phone's media playback. The downside is that it no longer enables you to give guests a four-digit pin to bypass your Wi-Fi credentials and connect directly.
3. Apple HomePod

Apple made a splash in the smart speaker market with its original HomePod in 2018. It was followed by the less-expensive HomePod Mini, and now, after a self-imposed lull, it's back with a second-generation full-size HomePod that sounds better than ever and boasts more capable Siri assistance.

The big advantage HomePod has over rivals is its design. It's a sleek cylinder that comes in white or black and looks a lot nicer than the gaudy light rings and Fisher-Price buttons on Amazon's Echo line. And if you're using multiple HomePods in your house, they can all work together to play music synchronized across rooms. AI Mind Map Generator

You can also use HomePod to listen to podcasts, call contacts on your iPhone or Apple Watch, set reminders, and get quick answers to frequently asked questions. You can even ask it to check your schedule or the weather, and Siri will respond with your personalized updates. It can also answer general help requests like "What is the time?"

One thing that's missing from HomePod is support for third-party streaming services, including Spotify. You can still use it to stream Apple Music, which is built into the speaker, and other options like iHeartRadio, TuneIn Radio, and Deezer, but you'll have to pay a subscription.

Overall, the HomePod is a fantastic choice for those who have already committed to an iOS ecosystem, subscribe to Apple Music, and want best-in-class audio quality. It's expensive, and it doesn't have as many features as the other two speakers on this list, but it's a great option for anyone who loves to listen to music at home. The only other downside is that the HomePod won't be able to alert you to smoke or carbon monoxide alarms until later this year.
4. Microsoft Cortana

Cortana is Microsoft’s digital assistant that’s built into Windows 10 and a handful of other apps and devices. You can prompt her using the microphone icon in Cortana-integrated products and services, a keyboard command (Shift + Windows Key + C), or by saying “Hey Cortana.” She’s designed to follow you across your phone, tablet, computer, Xbox One, Surface Hub, and even smart speakers.

The difference between Cortana and the other AI-powered assistants on this list is that it’s geared toward the work environment. The software can help you keep track of appointments and tasks, check your calendar, and send emails. It also can help you search for information in the workplace, such as finding a document or file on a server. Cortana can do all of this thanks to its integration with the Microsoft Graph, which is a collection of your personal information, productivity habits, documents, device usage, and more that Microsoft collects.

If you’re writing an essay, paper, or article for work, Cortana can also serve as a proofreader and editor with tools such as Grammarly. It can help you correct spelling mistakes, suggest synonyms, and even give suggestions for sentence structure.

As an added bonus, Cortana can answer factual questions using Bing, so you can ask it what a certain object is (“what is a gyroscope?”), when something happened (“when was the first moon landing?”), and more. Having this type of information readily available is a huge benefit in the workplace, especially for those who need to keep up with dates and other minutiae on a regular basis. In the future, I’m sure it will be interesting to see how Cortana compares with the other digital assistants on this list as Microsoft continues to add features that make her more useful in the workplace.
5. Amazon Alexa

Amazon Alexa is the dominant voice assistant of the moment. While other systems like Siri, Google Assistant and Microsoft Cortana launched before Alexa, it’s become synonymous with the personal voice interface. Alexa has helped drive interest in smart speaker technology, and the number of compatible devices is growing quickly. As of September 2019, there are more than 30,000 Alexa-compatible gadgets that have earned the “Works with Alexa” badge, including light bulbs, plugs, cameras, smart screens and more.

Users access the Alexa ecosystem via a variety of “Skills” that are developed by third-party developers to enable a specific experience or function. Users say a designated wake word (the default is Alexa) to activate the device and then ask a question or give a command. Alexa converts sound waves into text and uses data from suppliers including WolframAlpha, iMDB, AccuWeather, Yelp and Wikipedia to generate an answer.

In addition to home and consumer use cases, Alexa has been designed to meet specific industry needs. Alexa for Business enables businesses to integrate the system into conference rooms and other workplace settings, and Alexa for Education allows educational institutions to incorporate the system into their classrooms and MOOCs.

All three of the major voice assistants offer a robust suite of features and capabilities, but each has strengths in different areas. For example, Amazon Alexa is arguably the smartest voice assistant, with the most countertop dominance and compatibility with connected gadgets. Meanwhile, Apple HomeKit is more integrated with a single brand of products and leads in security and privacy. Nevertheless, if you’re looking for an affordable way to get started with AI productivity, the Amazon Echo is a solid choice.