How to choose an AI writing assistant
Compare writing tools using your own examples instead of buying based on advertising.
Identify your writing tasks
List the documents you write most often: customer updates, proposals, summaries, social captions or internal instructions. A tool should improve these actual tasks, not just impress you in a generic demonstration.
Use the same test across tools
- Prepare one short, non-confidential example prompt.
- Ask for a clear, professional response with specific constraints.
- Check the result for invented details, tone, grammar and missing requirements.
- Repeat with a longer document and a requested revision.
- Compare the time needed to make the final version usable.
Check practical features
Look for file handling, export formats, language support, usage limits, collaborative features, and whether saved content can be deleted. Verify the current details on the provider’s official site before purchasing.
Total cost matters
The cheapest subscription is not always the least expensive workflow. Include editing time, training time, access for teammates, privacy controls and any additional integrations in your comparison.
Keep exploring
Explore more AI explainers, software evaluation guides, and practical tutorials.