From brainstorming concepts, creating outlines, repurposing content material — AI could make your job as a author an entire lot simpler.
Synthetic intelligence just isn’t going to do your finest be just right for you, after all. We all know there’s (fortunately?) nonetheless work to be finished in replicating the weirdness and marvel of human creativity. However AI can take among the work off your plate, so you may concentrate on precisely that: creating.
Nevertheless, with the ever-growing checklist of AI software program and instruments available on the market — all promising that will help you generate, streamline, and automate your writing course of — it may be difficult to determine which of them are value your time (and cash).
Which is the place I are available in. I’m a productiveness nerd who loves testing out new instruments, and I’ve put dozens of AI writing assistants to the check within the hope of working smarter, not tougher.
My final objective is to take away the admin and repetition from my to-do checklist as a author so I can concentrate on what brings me pleasure. (The creating half, as you could have guessed.)
On this article, I’ll take a deep dive into my favourite AI writing mills and who I believe they’ll be most helpful for.
A few years in the past, AI writing instruments felt experimental — even area of interest. Quick ahead to immediately, and it looks like everybody has launched one. From Google Docs to Notion to each app with a ‘magic’ button, AI writing is now not a shiny function — it’s desk stakes.
However right here’s the factor: whereas many instruments use the identical underlying fashions (like OpenAI’s GPT or Anthropic’s Claude), they’re not all constructed the identical. The distinction is within the workflows, the interface, and whether or not the software really helps you do your job higher — or simply provides one other tab to your browser.
That’s why this checklist isn’t only a assortment of the most well-liked apps. It’s a roundup of the instruments I’ve personally examined and located helpful as a author and content material creator. Instruments that assist me spend much less time formatting, fiddling, or combating author’s block — and extra time really writing.
Should you’re feeling overwhelmed by all of the choices on the market, I hope this breakdown helps you discover one thing that matches your workflow and your mind.
How I take advantage of AI in my work
At Buffer, our strategy to AI is straightforward: it’s a software, not a substitute. You’ll by no means discover fully AI-generated content material on Buffer’s weblog, web site, or the product itself — a human evaluations all the pieces. (You may learn extra about how we use AI on the content material group right here.)
There are a plethora of how to make use of AI instruments in your content material creation course of, however listed here are some methods I’m utilizing AI as a author:
- Generate concepts
- Draft article outlines
- Rephrase paragraphs or phrases with a particular tone
- Generate sentences or paragraphs once I’m hit with author’s block (although I’ll at all times fact-check, edit, or rewrite these)
- Repurpose weblog posts into social media posts
- Write foolish poems I can share for pals’ birthdays
OK, that final one doesn’t precisely depend as work, but it surely’s one among my favourite methods to make use of it.
For all the above (and some extra duties), these are the perfect AI writing instruments I’ve examined*.
How I selected these instruments
There are so much of AI writing instruments on the market — and loads of them sound nice on paper. However I used to be on the lookout for ones that truly made writing simpler, no more difficult.
Right here’s what I prioritized when testing every one:
- Usefulness for content material creators — I targeted on instruments that help duties like outlining, repurposing, writing for social, or breaking by way of author’s block.
- Ease of use — I didn’t need to spend hours studying a brand new software. These are all beginner-friendly, with minimal setup required.
- Sensible defaults — Whether or not it’s tone, formatting, or website positioning, the perfect instruments provided robust outputs even once I gave minimal enter.
- Room to develop — Bonus factors if the software had options I may develop into (like customized model voice settings or workflow automation).
None of those instruments are excellent — however all of them earned a spot by saving me time, lowering friction, and serving to me get phrases on the web page quicker.
1. Buffer’s AI Assistant
Finest AI writing software for social media content material
Buffer’s AI Assistant was constructed for social media. You should use it as and if you create and schedule your content material with Buffer, making the content material creation course of seamless (no extra copy-pasting to varied social networks — particularly tedious when you’re cross-posting to a number of platforms).
The most effective factor about Buffer’s AI Assistant is that it understands the nuances of every social media platform. For instance, the content material you create for X (previously Twitter) gained’t exceed your character restrict. It’s additionally skilled to make the tone of LinkedIn content material extra skilled, Instagram extra playful, and so forth.
One other time-saving function is the enhancing buttons throughout the assistant. As a substitute of getting to sort additional directions to the Assistant to tweak your put up, simply click on Rephrase, Shorten, Broaden, Extra informal, or Extra formal to get you nearer to the content material you’re after.
You can too use these buttons to tweak sure components of your posts when you don’t need to rewrite the whole thing — one other time saver. (Should you’re new to utilizing AI on this method, this newbie’s information to utilizing AI for social media is a useful learn.)
Past these basic options, listed here are a few of my favourite use instances as a author trying to create extra content material on social media and construct my private model:
Customized concepts
In my expertise as a creator and social media supervisor, social media author’s block is SO a lot worse than the common variety. Maybe it’s the sheer quantity of content material it’s a must to create. Who is aware of.
Mercifully, I’ve discovered Buffer’s AI Assistant, which implies this can be a factor of the previous. Once I’m caught on what to put up, I head over to Buffer’s Create House (the place I brain-dump all my put up concepts) and click on the Generate Concepts button.
To get a greater sense of what’s going to resonate together with your viewers, the assistant will ask you two issues:
- What’s your small business about?
- Who’s your target market?
From there, the Assistant will generate a stream of concepts so that you can assess, one after the other. On every one, you’ll have the ability to hit Use it, which can open a pre-filled put up creation window, or Strive one other to regenerate.
Repurpose different posts and content material
Among the best use instances for this software is the flexibility to repurpose content material that has carried out nicely or rewrite it to be extra acceptable for one more platform.
I typically use the latter to transform posts I’ve created for LinkedIn right into a Twitter thread (one thing that used to take me ages).
One thing else I’m leaning into proper now’s repurposing older social media posts into one thing recent. There’s a good probability an enormous chunk of my viewers missed sure posts, and those that noticed them doubtless gained’t keep in mind in the event that they did (particularly if the unique put up has been given a glow-up).
I additionally use the AI Assistant to summarize whole weblog posts I’ve written into bite-sized social snippets — one other factor that used to take me ages.
Free and limitless on all Buffer plans
Not like many different AI author instruments, particularly these constructed for social media, there’s no ‘credit’ system in place. The AI Assistant is free to make use of, as is Buffer (for as much as three channels). In terms of the variety of prompts and rephrases you may submit, the restrict doesn’t exist!
Bonus: No-sign-up-required Social Media Publish Creator
You don’t must be a Buffer person to make use of the AI Assistant. With the free Social Media Publish Creator, you may take the software for a check run (or use it indefinitely) with out creating an account or sharing your e-mail tackle.
2. Jasper
Finest AI writing software for Advertising groups
As one of many first AI writing instruments to market (then referred to as Jarvis), Jasper has had time to hone its UI and have set.
Together with AI textual content era for a plethora of particular tasks — all the pieces from touchdown pages to full-on advertising and marketing campaigns, Jasper additionally boasts Remix (a devoted software for transforming content material through a hyperlink, uploaded doc, or textual content), Chat (a back-and-forth chat field with the AI that will help you brainstorm or hone concepts), plus a Chrome extension.
Jasper has moved past simply copywriting and now goals squarely at advertising and marketing groups. The collaborative options imply everybody can soar into numerous paperwork and look at tasks and campaigns at a look with nifty Kanban and calendar views. Managers and editors may add in issues like model voice and magnificence information paperwork to make sure issues keep on observe throughout all content material items.
When writing, Jasper’s intuitive system will ask you to enter a easy immediate or select from a listing of templates. From there, you’ll be requested for extra info upfront, which differs relying on what you’re engaged on. Earlier than producing your draft, you may add issues like your target market, particular factors to incorporate, and extra — however the AI can predict this stuff so nicely that this normally simply entails selecting from some beneficial choices.
Whereas Jasper is intuitive and nice for groups, it’s value noting that the muse of the software is similar as a lot of the different (cheaper) choices on this checklist. Jasper “makes use of over a dozen language fashions,” however the advertising and marketing copy generated is just like what you’ll get from ChatGPT and different AI writing software program.
Pricing: 7-day trial, then costs begin at $49 per thirty days
3. Copy.ai
Finest AI writing software for automating repetitive writing duties
Copy.ai is one other software on this checklist that has outgrown the content material era mildew it was born into. The multifaceted software goals to assist Gross sales and Advertising groups go from “go-to-market bloat to velocity.”
What which means in follow is a slick software so much like Jasper. Nevertheless, Copy.ai locations extra emphasis on repeatable workflows that may assist save entrepreneurs (or salespeople) time — assume “repurpose this weblog put up right into a LinkedIn put up,” “Verify this copy for plagiarism,” or “Discover prospects at firm X.”
You may select these workflows from a formidable library or customise your personal. The completed product will look one thing like a flowchart, the place every step within the course of is successfully an AI immediate (or a sequence of them).
Should you’re not bothered with workflows, you may soar straight into Chat, their AI content material generator. It’s so much like the same old prompt-and-generate system most AI instruments use and requires plenty of context to generate what you’re on the lookout for — which is why you is perhaps higher off getting the dangle of the workflow system.
Like Jasper, you may have Copy.ai assess your content material to match your tone and magnificence.
Pricing: Free model with restricted options, paid plans beginning at $49 per thirty days.
4. Author
Finest AI writing software for enhancing and bettering your content material
Author is an entire lot greater than a easy AI textual content generator. Like Jasper and Copy.ai, the net software is full of extra highly effective options that take the software past what ChatCPT can do — however as a substitute of workflows and programs, they’re known as ‘Apps.’
These apps, all baked into the net software, are issues like ‘Weblog Builder’ (which can assist you to spin a weblog put up up out of a headline concept), ‘Recaps’ (to transform a recording right into a abstract of key takeaways), and ‘Ask Author’ (the chat-style prompt-and-generate AI system you’ll be conversant in). You’ll additionally discover apps that will help you create product descriptions, push notifications, and assist heart articles.
It’s a neat and tidy system that’s so much simpler to become familiar with than Jasper and Copy.ai, and is squarely geared toward writers somewhat than entrepreneurs or gross sales people. Author’s interface, for instance, seems so much like Grammarly. Right here, you’ll see solutions for bettering grammar and readability, a plagiarism checker, and proposals for bettering language inclusivity.
Author can also be a strong choice for content material groups, with a useful phrases checklist the place it can save you all of your distinctive phrases and saved snippets for copy you reuse typically. You can too set particular punctuation guidelines, which is a useful time saver for editors. Writing is one among my favourite instruments for proofreading and enhancing current content material.
What units Author aside from the opposite copywriting instruments available on the market is that it’s not constructed on GPT or different (generally controversial) AI fashions. Author makes use of its personal Palmyra Language Studying Fashions, particularly “skilled for enterprise writing and enterprise use instances,” providing increased safety and transparency. For instance, Author says Palmyra doesn’t retailer your proprietary knowledge for coaching its foundational fashions.
That mentioned, lots of Author’s strongest instruments — like the flexibility so as to add your personal model and magnificence information — are locked behind its enterprise-level paywall.
Pricing: 14-day free trial, then costs begin at $18 per thirty days. (There’s a free plan, but it surely doesn’t permit a lot past textual content enhancing.)
5. Hubspot Breeze
Finest AI writing software to streamline enterprise operations
Consider HubSpot Breeze because the Swiss Military knife of AI instruments. The platform helps entrepreneurs, gross sales reps, and customer support brokers take out a lot of the grunt work that comes with their actions and increase their productiveness.
HubSpot Breeze handles something from writing fast emails and social captions all the way down to extra complicated duties like producing web site pages and summarizing CRM knowledge into digestible stories. The best way it does that is by way of Breeze Brokers — consider them as separate AI assistants, every specialised in its personal division.
For instance, the Content material Agent generates blogs, touchdown pages, podcasts, and the rest content-related. In the meantime, the Breeze Buyer Agent handles fundamental customer support inquiries, gives reply solutions, and compiles customer support knowledge into visible stories.
There’s additionally the Breeze Co-pilot, which does somewhat little bit of all the pieces — it will probably replace CRM information, generate content material, and summarize buyer help tickets, for instance.
Pricing: Breeze is offered in HubSpot’s free starter suite in addition to all through HubSpot’s premium product choices. Paid pricing begins at $15 per person per thirty days.
6. Sudowrite
Finest AI writing software for inventive writing and fiction
If, like me, you’ve been threatening to jot down a novel for years, Sudowrite could quickly develop into your new finest pal. Not solely will Sudowrite assist you to generate concepts and write tales for the characters you’ve had floating round in your head for years, but it surely’s additionally an AI-powered mission administration software of types particularly designed for fiction writers.
As for the writing itself, you’ll begin by coming into the style of your masterpiece-in-progress, then get cracking on the draft. As a substitute of coming into a immediate, begin by coming into what you could have. With a number of sentences to begin a chapter, click on the ‘Write’ button, and the AI generator will counsel a number of choices to maintain transferring the story ahead. Spotlight a phrase or phrase and hit ‘Describe’ to generate an outline of the thing primarily based on every of the senses or a metaphor.
There’s additionally a ‘Rewrite’ button that will help you paraphrase or rework one thing and a ‘Brainstorm’ button to assist get your inventive juices flowing in particular instructions, from characters to world-building to plot factors.
Should you’re not prepared to leap proper into chapter 1, you would possibly need to mess around with Sudowrite’s Story Engine, an area the place you may go into extra element about your style, characters, and description, add extra writing samples to assist the AI match your model or simply mind dump concepts.
Then there’s Sudowrite’s Canvas – an area for thoughts mapping your (and the AI’s) imaginings to offer you a fowl’s-eye view (and preserve observe of) the story you’re creating.
Sudowrite additionally boasts a useful Google Docs extension so you may work the place you write finest and a bustling Slack neighborhood of different Sudowrite customers so you may bounce concepts off of people sometimes.
Pricing: Credit score-based free trial (for a certain quantity of phrases generated), then costs begin at $10 per thirty days
7. Sort
Finest AI writing software for a easy AI writing assistant
Sort describes itself as an AI-first doc editor. With the software, you may create quick and long-form content material, from emails to YouTube scripts to cowl letters.
The interface — clear and user-friendly — requires you to start with a easy immediate to get you began. There’s a template library to faucet into, which is useful for these moments if you simply can’t face gazing a clean web page (we’ve all been there). From there, Sort will generate a high-quality content material draft, which you’re then inspired to play with and make your personal.
Sort’s generative AI makes it very easy to do that with a bunch of various choices — for instance, you may change between OpenAI’s GPT-4 and Anthropic’s Claude 3. “Claude tends to be extra inventive and expressive however not fairly nearly as good at complicated reasoning, whereas the GPT fashions are sometimes significantly better at reasoning, however perhaps a bit drier with tone,” Sort Founder Stew Fortier explains in an onboarding video.
There’s additionally the ‘What to jot down about subsequent’ block, a useful springboard for something you would possibly need to add. The sidebar incorporates a listing of solutions associated to no matter you’re engaged on that you should utilize to generate one other paragraph. In the primary editor, you may also- spotlight particular sentences, paragraphs, or phrases and ask Sort to transform them for you.
All of the frequent choices can be found, however ‘Customized rework’ is especially useful, permitting you to ask the AI to do one thing actually particular together with your highlighted textual content.
Pricing: 14 days free, then $29.00 per thirty days.
8. SEOWind
Finest AI writing software for website positioning content material briefs
SEOWind just isn’t a multi-purpose software like lots of the others on this — it’s laser-focused website positioning (search-engine optimized) content material, making it an important software for content material advertising and marketing.
As such, SEOWind doesn’t ask you to enter a immediate to kick-start your writing however a major search time period. From there, it’ll soar you to an interesting dashboard that analyzes weblog posts and pages already rating for this time period that will help you create your ‘transient.’
On this build-you-brief dashboard, you’ll see a competitor evaluation (an summary of weblog posts and pages already rating in Google on your time period), competitor outlines (the construction of their content material), and inquiries to reply (associated queries pulled from Google, Quora and Reddit). Together with this, the software recommends the best phrase depend, the variety of headings, and even the variety of photographs to incorporate.
With this info at your fingertips, you may set about pulling bits and items to create your personal transient, from which SEOWind’s AI will generate a draft so that you can obtain in your format of alternative — from there, you’re left to edit the article by yourself. Whereas SEOWind makes briefs tremendous customizable, there’s no approach to edit and rework with AI as soon as your draft is generated.
All briefs are saved inside tasks, the place SEOWind encourages you so as to add particulars about your model tone, particulars about your organization and merchandise, and even integrates with Google Search Console that will help you discover inner linking alternatives (one of many extra tedious tick-boxes in website positioning writing for positive!).
Pricing: 7-day trial, then costs begin at $59 per thirty days.
9. ChatGPT
Finest free AI writing software
You is perhaps stunned to search out ChatGPT in and amongst a few of its extra area of interest rivals, however I’d be remiss to not point out it right here. As a free AI writing software (for GPT-3, a minimum of), ChatGPT is one I preserve returning to for fast concepts, weblog put up outlines, and goofy metaphors.
ChatGPT, a chatbot primarily based on Open AI’s GPT mannequin, is what lots of the bells-and-whistle-filled instruments above are constructed on and what helps generate the copy that lands of their fancy interfaces.
Studying to immediate ChatGPT takes some doing — I are inclined to err on the aspect of offering as a lot context as attainable — however the chat-style interface could be useful as you refine your ask and tweak prompts as you go.
Pricing: Free for the fundamental model, with paid plans beginning at $10 per thirty days
A fast observe on privateness and AI fashions
Lots of the instruments on this checklist are powered by massive language fashions (LLMs) like OpenAI’s GPT-4 or Anthropic’s Claude. These fashions have been skilled on a variety of web textual content to generate high-quality writing, however in addition they include questions round privateness and accuracy.
When selecting instruments, I caught to ones which can be upfront about how they deal with your knowledge — particularly for work-related awriting. Some, like Author, use their very own proprietary fashions designed with compliance in thoughts. Others depend on third-party fashions however provide settings to maintain your prompts non-public.
If knowledge safety is a priority on your group, I like to recommend checking every software’s privateness coverage earlier than diving in.
Whereas I’ve examined many AI writing mills, I’m not an AI myself and, as such, can’t check all of them. (In case you’re questioning, that tacky simile was all mine.)
If there’s a software on the market that I’ve to place by way of its paces, I’d love to listen to about it! Please remark beneath or tag @buffer or @bufferapp on all main social channels, and I’ll put your favourite software to the check.
