Mission Metrics
Recommended AI Tools & Resources
Recommended AI Tools & Resources
Stop Looking for the Best AI.
Start Building the Right Team.
One of the most common questions I hear after speaking is:
“Which AI should I use?”
My answer surprises people.
The best AI doesn’t exist.
Every platform has strengths.
The organizations getting the greatest return from AI aren’t using one amazing tool.
They’re assembling a team.
Think about your staff.
You wouldn’t ask your accountant to run marketing or expect your communications director to manage your IT infrastructure.
AI works the same way.
Different systems excel at different kinds of work.
The Roles on My AI Team
ChatGPT (Merlin)
Primary Role
Leadership thinking partner.
This is where I spend most of my time.
I use ChatGPT to:
- Think through strategic decisions
- Challenge assumptions
- Develop presentations
- Refine articles
- Brainstorm new ideas
- Solve operational problems
- Explore “what if” scenarios
It’s less of a writing tool and more of an executive advisor.
Perplexity
Primary Role
Research specialist.
When I need current information, industry trends, product updates, or recent developments, Perplexity is usually my first stop.
Its ability to combine AI with current sources makes it extremely valuable for research.
Claude
Primary Role
Documentation and organization.
Claude excels at working with long documents.
I often use it to:
- Review lengthy reports
- Organize complex information
- Improve documentation
- Analyze large amounts of text
- Create polished summaries
Specialized AI
Some tools are designed for very specific jobs.
Examples include:
- Meeting transcription
- Audio generation
- Image creation
- Video editing
- Graphic design
- Coding
- Data analysis
As your use of AI grows, you’ll naturally add specialists when they solve a real problem.
Build Slowly
One mistake I see people make is trying ten different AI platforms during their first month.
Don’t.
Start with one.
Learn how to think with it.
Develop good habits.
Ask better questions.
Once that becomes comfortable, add another AI that fills a different role.
It’s much easier to build a team than to juggle ten disconnected tools.
Don’t Chase Features
New AI platforms appear almost every week.
Some disappear just as quickly.
Instead of asking:
Which AI has the newest feature?
Ask:
Which AI solves this problem best?
That mindset keeps your workflow stable even as technology changes.
The tools may change.
The roles rarely do.
The Tool Is Never the Competitive Advantage
People often assume success comes from having access to the newest AI.
In my experience, that’s rarely true.
The competitive advantage comes from:
- Asking better questions.
- Providing better context.
- Building better workflows.
- Making better decisions.
The AI simply helps you get there faster.
My Recommendation
If you’re just getting started:
- Choose one conversational AI.
- Use it every day.
- Learn to have productive conversations.
- Build confidence.
- Add additional AI systems only when they solve a specific problem.
Remember…
You aren’t building a collection of AI tools.
You’re building a team that expands your ability to lead.