In the world of education, there is an ongoing debate over whether computers will one day replace teachers. After all, everything you could possibly want to learn is available for free online and on YouTube.
However, the fundamental job of a teacher is not just to relay facts and information, it’s to guide the social learning process. For that reason, computers will not replace teachers any time soon.
A similar debate can be had about the role of AI writing tools. Will they replace the art of writing and destroy the careers of writers?
Many people are skeptical of using AI tools for writing, but I would argue that it’s not as bad as some people make it out to be.
AI is a tool that can be used to enhance the writing process, and although it is better than it has ever been, it’s not designed to replace a writer’s unique perspective and voice.
The human element is the reason that we read, follow, and seek out good content online. But, that doesn’t mean AI can’t help writers be better at what they do, because it can.
How to Use AI Tools for Writing
To illustrate my point, here are some examples of how AI tools can be used to help creators, not replace them. Note that none of these suggestions are “write a blog post” or “write a book”.
- Topic Research and Idea Generation
- Data Analysis and Visualization
- Grammar and Style Enhancement
- Plagiarism Detection
- Content Summarization
- Citation and Reference Formatting
- SEO Research and Optimization
- Translation and Localization
- Image Selection and Enhancement
So, as you browse through the apps below, don’t think of them as cheats or shortcuts. They are tools to help writers get their job done, like spell check, word count, and the thesaurus that are built into word-processing apps like Google Docs and Microsoft Word.
Technology has evolved. Writers need to embrace it. So, without further ado, here are seven AI writing apps you can use today.
1. Typing Mind
Typing Mind is a ChatGPT client. It’s available on the web and as a Mac app. I use the latter, and it has been great for me.
I use Typing Mind regularly to help generate article titles and to help with research for things I am writing about. I like the Typing Mind app because it is always in my dock and I don’t have to log in to the Chat GPT website.
However, the key to getting the best out of ChatGPT is to learn how to use prompts. When you master those, ChatGPT becomes more useful, more relevant, and a lot more accurate.
Typing Mind has a built-in prompt library. You can use the ones that are recommended by the community, and create your own to use again and again. With Typing Mind you can organize your chats into folders, upload documents for ChatGPT to read or summarize, and set the tone and style of your output.
Typing Mind costs between $39 and $79 depending on the plan you choose, but it also comes included with all Setapp subscriptions. That’s how I use it.
➡️ Try Typing Mind (free for 7 days).
2. Jasper
Jasper was one of the first AI writing tools. It’s not the cheapest app on this list, but it’s widely considered to be one of the best.
Designed with writers in mind, Jasper is an innovative app that combines cutting-edge AI technology with a user-friendly interface. It includes a powerful built-in brainstorming tool to help with article titles, character names, and even entire storylines.
But that’s not all — Jasper AI also boasts advanced grammar and style analysis capabilities. The AI algorithms analyze your writing, offering real-time feedback on grammar, sentence structures, and writing style.
Jasper AI learns from you. As you use the app, it adapts to your writing style, improving its suggestions, and becoming an integral part of your creative process.
And Jasper’s AI Engine is not just another ChatGPT client. It combines the best models, like GPT-4, Anthropic, and Google’s models, with recent search data, and optimization tools like SEO and grammar to get you the results you need.
You can try Jasper for free and generate up to 10,000 words at no cost. But, after that, paid plans start at $39 per month.
3. Hemingway
Hemingway is a valuable web-based tool for writers seeking to enhance their writing style and readability. With its simple and user-friendly interface, the app provides a host of useful features to help users craft clear, concise, and impactful content.
Hemingway analyzes text for various elements, including sentence structure, excessive adverbs, passive voice usage, and complex phrases. It will then highlight areas for improvement.
All you have to do is copy and paste the text you want to analyze or write directly on the desktop or online app.
By identifying problematic areas and suggesting simpler alternatives, the app assists writers in creating more straightforward and engaging writing. It also provides a readability score, indicating the potential difficulty level for readers.
If you would like the option to work offline, Hemingway is available as a desktop app for Mac or Windows. It can export your text as a PDF or Word document and even lets you publish direct to Medium and WordPress.
The online version of Hemingway is free to use. The desktop app is a one-time purchase of $19.99. There are no recurring fees.
4. Writesonic
Writesonic is a powerful online platform designed to assist writers in generating high-quality content more efficiently. With its advanced AI capabilities, Writesonic offers a wide range of features to support and inspire writers throughout the writing process.
One of its key features is the ability to generate blog ideas or article outlines based on specific topics. This can help you overcome writer’s block and find fresh inspiration.
Additionally, it provides an AI copywriter that can generate persuasive marketing copy, product descriptions, social media posts, and more. It might not give you exactly what you are looking for, but at least it gives you something to start with, and it stops you from staring at a blank screen.
Writesonic also offers tools for rewriting existing content, expanding ideas, and enhancing overall creativity.
Just like Jasper, you can try Writesonic for free and generate up to 10,000 words at no cost. After that, if you want Writesonic to be your digital assistant, plans start at $16 per month.
5. Elephas
Elephas is another writing app that is powered by ChatGPT. However, it is different from some other apps in this list.
Once installed, there is no app interface for you to interact with. Instead, Elephas works on top of the apps you use for your writing.
It doesn’t matter whether you are in Google Docs, Evernote, or Apple Notes. Elephas is there too. When you need the help of an AI assistant, simply select some text and press Ctrl + forward slash or use the menu bar icon.
Elephas can rewrite text, reply to emails, finish sentences, generate outlines, and write blog posts. It also offers some unique features, like a viral mode optimized for creating eye-catching copy, and the Zinsser mode rewrites for simplicity and clarity.
Elephas can generate Keynote presentations from a text description, as well as formulas for Google Sheets. And, if you want it to use context that is specific to you, it allows you to import your data from Word, PDFs, Notion, Obsidian, and Roam to help generate better responses.
Elephas is a Mac app. The Pro plan costs $8.99 a month, but I have been using it as part of my Setapp subscription because $9.99 a month gets you access to Elephas, and hundreds of other apps at no additional cost.
➡️ Try Elephas today! (free for 7 days)
6. Grammarly
Grammarly has been using AI to correct our spelling and grammar long before ChatGPT was conceived. It works on the web via a browser extension, and in desktop apps. It’s not perfect, but it is a great tool for catching typos, spelling mistakes, and grammar issues.
However, the recently launched GrammarlyGo takes this app to a whole new level. It uses AI to help you compose, ideate, and rewrite text.
It can also reply to emails and has handy one-button commands like “Shorten it” or “Adjust tone” to switch up the feel of your writing.
GrammarlyGo can be personalized for tone and formality and will remember those settings in future sessions. It uses ChatGPT’s language model and is available with any Grammarly plan, including free plans.
I have been using LanguageTool for the past nine months to help with my spelling and grammar corrections. It’s fine, but, if Grammarly has their usual Black Friday offer, I will be switching back to Grammarly, purely to take advantage of the new AI features in GrammarlyGo.
If you outgrow the free plan, you can use Grammarly for just $12 a month. In my opinion, it’s a must-have app for writers.
7. Craft Docs
Artificial intelligence is becoming a staple in note-taking apps, and there are few better examples of that than Craft Docs. If you’ve read any of my recent work, you’ll know I’m a big fan of Craft. Now that they have added AI to the mix, it’s more than just a note-taking app.
You see, one of the problems with using AI writing tools is that you are constantly jumping from one app to another to work on the content that you need. With Craft, you can do that all in one place.
Craft has a sleek design and easy-to-use interface, similar to Notion. However, it offers more polished note-taking, allowing for seamless merging of text, images, videos, and tables. Additional features include text toggles, Markdown, blocks, and back-linking.
The new AI assistant can help you summarize, translate, and even generate new content. It’s also great for proofreading and brainstorming future projects. Plus, it’s context-aware and only uses the data you have in Craft to generate the information you need.
If you’re a big note-taker, having a built-in AI makes a lot of sense. The free plan gives you access to 50 AI requests a month, as well as most of the essential notetaking features. Paid plans start at $5 a month, or you can do what I do and use it as part of my Setapp subscription.
➡️ Try Craft today! (free for 7 days)
