The Best AI Tools on the Market for Productivity and Audience Growth, as Tested by HubSpot’s SVP of Marketing

In 2025, AI tools became a big deal. Many new apps came out, some just for fun, and others actually helpful. The most useful tools are the ones that help you finish tasks faster and grow your online presence.

This list is based on AI Unwrapped by a16z, which shows tools for everyday use. We have picked a few of our favorite tools for things like getting more done, growing your audience, learning faster, and even creating your own tools. You can start using them today.

Whether you’re looking up something complex like space farming, want to make short videos using your own voice, or just want to stop typing everything, there’s a tool here for you.
Let’s take a look.

Top AI Tools for Productivity and Audience Growth

1. Flow Voice – Get Things Done by Talking

If you’ve ever wanted to just talk to your computer instead of typing, Flow might be perfect for you.

Flow works inside your apps, just like Grammarly. But instead of fixing grammar, it lets you control apps with your voice. You can send emails, reply to Slack, edit documents, and more — all without using the keyboard.

Why Flow Is Helpful

We all type too much. Emails, messages, and notes take time. Flow helps cut down on typing by letting you speak, just like talking to an assistant.
With Flow, you can:

• Say a Slack reply instead of typing it
• Edit documents by saying the changes
• Translate text while you speak
• Use your voice to manage your whole workflow

How It Works:

We tried Flow, and here’s how it works:

Hold the spacebar, say what you want to do, and Flow types it for you in real time. You can tell it to delete, rewrite, or fix text. It can even send replies on Slack or email, and it sounds natural, not robotic.

2. Cubby – AI That Sorts Your Research

Cubby is great for people who save too many tabs or links. If you like collecting articles, videos, or quotes, this tool can keep everything in one place.

Instead of saving links all over or adding notes to docs you never check again, just drop your stuff into Cubby. You can add PDFs, YouTube videos, audio files, social media threads, and more. Cubby then organizes it and even writes transcripts.

Why Cubby Is Useful:

Doing research is often messy. One article leads to another, then to a podcast, then a video, and soon you’ve got tons of sources but no order.

Cubby works like a smart notebook. It gathers everything you find and makes it easy to search and use later. No more lost tabs or notes, Cubby helps you stay organized while doing deep research.

How Cubby Works:
You can drag and drop anything you are researching into Cubby. It will turn spoken words or text from your files into written content. Cubby also picks out the main points from everything you upload.

Instead of going through hours of reading or listening, you can just ask Cubby questions about what you’ve added.

3. Delphi: Make an AI Version of Yourself to Share Knowledge

Delphi helps you create an AI copy of yourself that people can talk to. If you often answer the same questions or wish you could help more people at once, this tool is helpful. You give it your knowledge, and your audience can interact with your AI even when you’re not around.

Why Delphi Is Useful:

If you’re a creator, teacher, or consultant, you probably get asked the same things often, like how to grow an audience or start a newsletter. Usually, you’d have to answer each message by hand, which takes a lot of time. Some people make FAQ pages or videos, but they don’t feel personal.

Delphi is better because your AI copy sounds like you and gives answers based on what you’ve said before. So, even when you’re not available, your AI can give good and personal replies. It’s great for people who want to help their community but don’t have time to chat with everyone.

How Delphi Works:

You upload your past content, like videos, blogs, or podcasts, to train the AI. Once it learns from your content, people can visit your page and chat with your AI. It answers in your tone and style, giving real and helpful replies, not just basic robot answers.

We tried it with the AI version of Brian Halligan from HubSpot, and it gave smart answers and extra links to learn more. Delphi is perfect for experts who want to share their knowledge but can’t talk to everyone personally. Still, some people may prefer talking to the real you, especially if they need ideas or deeper feedback.

4. HeyGen: AI Videos That Look Real

HeyGen lets you make a video version of yourself using AI. In the past, AI videos looked strange and fake. But HeyGen now looks much more real. You can use your AI version to teach, talk to your audience, or give presentations, all without being on camera.

Why HeyGen Stands Out:

HeyGen now moves the face and hands better, so it looks more real. For example, when you used it to teach a full course, some people didn’t even know it wasn’t you! The only thing they noticed was that the hands didn’t move a lot. That shows how much this tech has improved.

Where does HeyGen Help Most?

HeyGen works well for making lots of videos quickly. If you teach online, you can use it to create lessons without filming yourself each time. If you post on social media often, it can help you make content faster. It can also translate your videos into other languages and match the voice with lip movements. Just like Delphi, there’s one big question:

Do people want to watch an AI version of you, or the real you? If your content is all about teaching or sharing facts, AI may be enough. But if your followers love your voice, style, or energy, a clone might not be the same.

5. Argil: Quick AI Clones for Short Videos

Argil is made for short, fast videos. It only needs a short video of you to make your AI version.

Then you can create more videos by just typing a script, and your AI will say the words.

Why Argil Is Useful

Argil is simple and quick. It’s not perfect, but it’s good for fast content. It’s best for short videos, like the ones on TikTok or Instagram. If you already have an audience and want to make content faster, Argil can help. It’s also great if you’re just starting to try out AI videos but don’t want to deal with complex tools.

How Argil Works

You record a two-minute video of yourself. Then Argil creates your AI version. Next, you type what you want to say, and your clone will speak it in a video. The tool is easy to use — more like a simple writing page than a video editor.

6. Opus: AI Tool for Easy Video Editing

Opus is a tool that many people already know. It takes long videos, like podcasts, interviews, or talks, and turns them into short, easy-to-share clips.

Editing videos can take a lot of time, which is why Opus is helpful. I tried it with a Lex Fridman podcast. Opus picked out the best parts and made short videos for TikTok, Reels, and YouTube Shorts.

Why Opus Is Helpful:

Short videos are very popular, but making them from long videos takes time. Opus helps by:

• Finding the best parts of the video, so you don’t have to watch the whole thing.
• Adding captions and subtitles for social media.
• Making several short videos at once, so you can create more content quickly.

Where You Can Use Opus:

If you make long videos, you should try Opus. You might still want to change a few things, but it gives you a good starting point.

Just know that while Opus gives you decent results, they won’t always be amazing. If you want your clips to really shine, you may still need to add your own touch.

How Opus Works:

Upload your video to Opus. The AI checks it, picks key moments, and cuts them into short clips. It adds captions and removes unnecessary parts, giving you several ready-to-use videos in just a few minutes.

7. Replit AI: Easy Coding and Custom Tools

Replit is a really smart tool. It’s fun to use and very powerful. Replit’s AI helps you build simple software made just for you, no need to use tools that don’t fit your needs.

Why Replit Is Helpful:

Here’s a real example. I was talking with my partner while watching TV. We were struggling to stay on schedule with our 10-month-old baby.

Google Calendar didn’t help much. So, I made a basic scheduler with Replit. It shows both our daily plans side by side from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. We can add tasks, check them off, and see when we’re both free to spend time with our daughter or take breaks.

It’s not fancy, but it works. That’s what matters — I didn’t need a perfect app, just one that does exactly what I want.

Where You Can Use Replit:

Replit is great for business owners or anyone who needs custom tools but doesn’t want to hire developers.

Use Replit if you:

• Want to build your own personal tools?
• Need quick internal tools for your team.
• Want to test ideas for free tools as part of your business?

How Replit Works:

You tell the AI what you want to make, like a calendar or a dashboard. It writes the code for you.

You can make changes, and the AI updates and fixes things along the way. You don’t need to know how to code to get started.

The best part? You get software made just for you, not something generic that doesn’t fit.

8. Notebook LM: AI Note-Taking Made Simple

Notebook LM was one of the best AI tools released last year, but not enough people use it. If you have lots of notes, ideas, or files, it’s easy to feel disorganized.

Notebook LM helps turn all that scattered information into something you can actually use.

Why Notebook LM Is Helpful:

We use it for work all the time. It’s connected to all my folders. With it, we can:

• Make brief documents using all the information in a folder.
• Create audio summaries.
• Turn messy notes into clear study guides or outlines.
• It’s like having a smart assistant that organizes things for you.

Where You Can Use Notebook LM:

It’s great if you have too much information and not enough time to go through it all.

It’s especially useful for:

• Writers and researchers who need fast summaries.
• Students or workers who want to find key points quickly.
• Creators juggling many projects who want to stay organized.

How Notebook LM Works:

You connect it to the folders or files you’re using. The AI reads through them and makes summaries, notes, and even study guides.

You can also ask it questions, and it will find answers, explain topics, or show you main ideas. One cool feature: the study guide tool, drop in some files, and it builds a guide for you.

9. Napkin AI: Smart Business Images

Most AI tools that make images are just for fun. They often don’t work well for business. Napkin AI is different, it’s made to help with serious, professional-looking content.

Why Napkin AI Is Helpful:

We can use Napkin AI for a LinkedIn post about AI in business. It made clean and clear graphics that looked great for work.

Napkin AI helps you:

• Make images that fit your business topic.
• Avoid wasting time on stock photo sites.
• Improve your posts, decks, and reports without needing a designer.

Where You Can Use Napkin AI:

If you make business content, Napkin AI is a big help. You can use it for:

• LinkedIn posts with better graphics.
• Sales or pitch decks without hiring a designer.
• Branding or marketing visuals that match your message.

How Napkin AI Works:

Just upload your content, like a LinkedIn post, and Napkin will make fitting images for it. No need to enter long prompts or fix settings.

The images it creates are clean and simple, not weird or cartoonish. It won’t replace a real designer, but it gets you most of the way there.

Work Smarter With These AI Tools

So many AI tools have come out lately. We have tried a lot of them. Some were just hype, but others really saved me time.

If you’re curious about trying AI, start with these:

• Flow and Cubby help you understand info faster.
• Delphi and HeyGen help you share and scale your ideas.
• Replit and Opus help you make and reuse content quickly.

Try different tools. Build what works for you. But don’t forget, the best results come when you add your own style.