AI: Artificial Intelligence

While many use the term AI assistant and AI tools interchangeably, they are actually distinct designations.

Generative AI Assistants are AI-powered interfaces designed to assist you with various tasks via a sort of conversation. They function similarly from a user perspective to a advanced version of Siri or Alexa. These assistants are designed so that they can not only answer your questions but also generate creative text formats, translate languages on the fly, or even write different kinds of creative content based on your instructions. They can be thought of as a personal AI companion that uses generative abilities to fulfill your requests in an interactive way.

Generative AI Tools, however are specific applications that utilize generative AI for a particular purpose. There are tools for generating images, composing music, writing different kinds of creative text formats (like poems, code, scripts), or translating languages. Think of them as a group of generative AI machines that are focused on a specific creative task.

Still confused?

• Think of Generative AI Assistant: like a pair of house scissors -. They are a single AI powered tool with multiple functions to be used in a variety of tasks
• Think Generative AI Tools like an AI toolbox. Each tool has a unique function to perform a specific task.

• ChatGPT: Developed by OpenAI, ChatGPT is a large language model chatbot released in November 2022. It allows users to have conversations with the AI, generate creative text formats, and answer questions in an informative way. Chat GPT offers both free and paid options with varying levels of capability and access.

• Microsoft Copilot: A multifaceted AI assistant introduced as Bing Chat in February 2023. It can be accessed through various Microsoft products like Bing, Edge, and Microsoft 365 including desktop and mobile applications for Apple IOS and Google Android. Copilot functions as a digital companion, helping you with tasks like generating creative text formats like poems or code, answering your questions, and even citing sources.

• Google Gemini: Google Gemini is a family of advanced artificial intelligence models designed to understand and process information in a similar way to humans. Unlike traditional search engines, Gemini can handle various formats like text, code, images, and even video. This allows it to grasp complex topics and generate creative responses, making it a powerful tool for tasks like research, coding assistance, and natural language communication.

• Claude: Developed by Anthropic, Claude is a family of large language models that can be interacted with directly or used by developers to build other AI applications. With Claude, you can brainstorm ideas, and analyze documents. It even has some vision and code analysis capabilities, allowing it to understand and process images and write basic code. Developers can leverage Claude's functionalities through an API for applications like code generation or data processing.

• AIVA: An AI composer used to create instrumental music. It can generate musical pieces based on preferences, such as tempo, mood, and instrumentation. AIVA offers a free trial and premium subscription plans. See the following for features and pricing.
• Meta's AudioCraft: Used to generate high-quality audio and music from text. Music can be generated with descriptions of mood, genre, instruments, feelings, etc. AudioCraft will then generate a piece of music that matches those descriptions. AudioCraft is available to try for free via Meta AI
• Mubert: Mubert does not use text prompts, royalty-free music is based on users' preferences. Mubert offers free and premium subscription plans. See the following for features and pricing.
• MusicLM by Google: A tool to generate music in various styles, such as pop and rock, classical, and jazz. MusicLM will create music with specific moods or emotions, such as happy, sad, or angry. MusicLM is available to try via Google Labs.
• Loudly: An AI tool for creating soundtracks based on a text description. Text prompts can be used to create general music. Loudly offers a free trial and premium subscription plans. See the following for features and pricing.
• Suno: A text-based AI tool to generate songs with lyrics, instruments, and vocals. Suno offers a free trial and premium subscription plans. See the following for features and pricing.
• VEED:  AI music generator that is part of VEED's video editing tools. A text-based prompt to create short music pieces or soundtracks. VEED offers free and premium subscription plans. See the following for features and pricing.
• Voicemod: Text-based lyrics and genre selection to create a short song for limited content creation. Voicemod is available for both Windows PC and MacOS. It is free to try with yearly subscription plans.

• Adobe Firefly: A text-to-image generator powered by Adobe Sensei. A standalone web application. It is used to create images in various styles. Images are generated using generative credits. It offers both a free and paid tier. See the following for features and pricing.
• Canva: It integrates a free AI image generator into its suite of tools. Used for creating visuals for social media posts, presentations, and marketing materials directly within Canva's workflow. It offers both a free and paid tier. See the following for features and pricing.
• DALL-E 3: An AI art generator created by OpenAI. It takes written descriptions as input and generates corresponding images. Compared to its predecessor DALL-E 2, which is no longer taking new customers, DALL-E 3 has significant improvements in both image quality and the accuracy of text included in the generated images. It includes creative controls to avoid imitating specific artists as well as safeguards to avoid generating harmful content. DALL-E 3 is only available through a ChatGPT Plus subscription.  
• Imagen by Google AI: AI tool to generate high-quality images from text prompts. Imagen is used to create images in Google Gemini. Additionally, Imagen is available via ImageFX by Google, which is currently available via Google Labs by invitation only.
• Midjourney: An AI tool to create images based on text prompts. Launched in 2022 by an independent research lab.  Access to Midjourney is granted through Discord which requires using Discord via a web browser or app. As of June 2023, Midjourney is not free and no longer offers a free trial. See the following for features and pricing.
• NightCafe Creator: An online AI  platform used to create art images in various artistic styles based on text prompts.  Advanced features, like higher resolution or photorealistic effects, are available by using the platform's credit system. Users can earn credits for free by participating in an online art community or by getting a daily allowance. It offers both a free and paid tier. See the following for features and pricing.
• Pixlr: A suite of online image editing tools used to generate AI Images. It offers a freemium model, with a free version providing basic editing of images. It includes various features such as filters, overlays, and effects. Pixlr offers a free trial and premium subscription plans. See the following for features and pricing.

• Elicit : A secondary research assistant that uses language models like GPT-3 to automate parts of researchers’ workflows. Currently, the main workflow in Elicit is the literature review. If you ask a question, or upload a paper found using other means, Elicit will show other relevant or related papers along with summaries of key information about those papers in an easy-to-use table. While Elicit is free to try, the free account come with only 5,000 "credits" for a short trial period. Additional credits may be purchased. Elicit offers free and pro subscription plans. See the following for features and pricing.
• Consensus: An AI-powered decision-making tool used to facilitate group decision-making processes. Users can propose ideas, gather feedback, and reach consensus through a structured approach. The tool integrates AI to analyze inputs and preferences to help groups navigate discussions and achieve agreement. Consensus offers free and premium subscription plans. See the following for features and pricing.
• Keenious : A Tool that uses its AI recommendation engine to analyze your document, understand its content, and compare it to millions of scientific publications to provide you with the most relevant research articles and topics. Keenious offers free and premium subscription plans. See the following for features and pricing.
• NotebookLM: NotebookLM is an AI-powered research assistant that lets you upload sources, such as your research notes, course materials, interview transcripts, or other documents for organization and summaries. NotebookLM allows for prompt requests to create summaries, FAQs, table of content, study guide, timeline, doc briefing, etc.
• Perplexity.ai: AI search engine used as a knowledgeable assistant versus a traditional search engine. Instead of listing links, it uses natural language processing to understand user questions and provides concise answers with citations. It also handles follow-up questions based on the context of a search. Perplexity.ai offers free and pro subscription plans. See the following for features and pricing.
• Research Rabbit: A free AI tool that enables users to map out and visualize a research topic based on one key paper. Using a keystone paper, it provides linked papers, reference lists, and allows users to see any off-shoots and tangents and where the papers connect with each other. Although free, Research Rabbit requires users to create an account before using the tool. Research Rabbit promises to be "free forever."