The Best AI Tools to Make You a Better Writer
Artificial intelligence (AI) writing tools are transforming how we create and edit content. As someone who’s been covering AI for years, I’ve had the chance to extensively test and review dozens of these tools to find which ones live up to the hype. In this post, I’ll share my picks for the top AI writing assistants and explain what makes each one great. I’ll also offer tips on how to make the most of AI writing tools based on my experience using them for everything from blog posts to fiction stories.
Key Features to Look for in AI Writing Tools
There are countless AI writing tools out there, but they vary widely in quality and capabilities. Here are the key features I looked for when evaluating them:
- Powered by large language models like GPT-3/GPT-4: These advanced natural language processing models allow the tool to generate human-like text. Apps that rely solely on older tech like GPT-2 just can’t match the quality.
- Lots of control over output: The best tools don’t just spit out text. They give you options to guide tone, style, keywords, and more. This allows you to collaborate with the AI.
- Simple and intuitive interface: You want an AI assistant, not an AI adversary. If the tool is overly complex or buggy, you won’t use it.
- Affordable pricing: Pricing varies widely, but the most expensive tools should justify it with extra features or capabilities. The underlying AI tech is cheap.
- Avoids spammy marketing content: Any tool designed just for keyword stuffing will likely produce low-quality results. Look for ones aimed at general writing and creativity. With these criteria in mind, let’s look at some of my top picks for AI writing tools in 2023.
Top AI Writing Assistants for Business
Jasper
Price: $49+/mo Key features: Brand voice setting, knowledge base, integrations, marketing campaigns Jasper (formerly Jarvis) is a leading AI writing tool, especially for teams and agencies. It was one of the first built on GPT-3, so it’s had time to mature into a polished product. Some key highlights:
- Set a distinct brand voice that carries across all content.
- Create a knowledge base to brief Jasper on your company, products, customers, etc.
- Build multi-post campaigns around topics like onboarding customers.
- Integrate with other marketing apps like Surfer SEO and Buffer. For businesses with some budget flexibility, Jasper is a top contender to try first. It’s pivoted from generic content to custom brand marketing.
Copy.ai
Price: $49+/mo Key features: Unlimited plan, engagement scoring, brand voice Copy.ai has many of the same capabilities as Jasper but with some key differences:
- More affordable unlimited plan for high-volume users.
- Actively solicits user input during writing for better results.
- Rates content quality and engagement as you write.
- Slightly better for targeted copywriting like ads or product descriptions.
So while Jasper excels at blog posts and content marketing, Copy.ai has a slight edge for sales and marketing copy that needs to closely follow brand guidelines and target metrics.
Writesonic
Price: $19+/mo Key features: Selectable AI models, generous free plan Writesonic sets itself apart by letting you choose which AI model powers your content. This includes GPT-3.5 and the more advanced GPT-4. Otherwise, it offers similar features as Jasper and Copy.ai like brand voice and templates. But its transparency around the language models used makes Writesonic stand out for marketers who want access to the latest AI advances. The free 10,000 word plan also makes it easy to try Writesonic out.
Best AI Assistants for Writing Help
Sudowrite
Price: $19+/mo Key features: Built for fiction writing, story engine, creative aids While AI excels at non-fiction and marketing copy, it also shows promise for fiction writing. That’s where Sudowrite comes in. Sudowrite includes tools like:
- Story Engine to guide you through plotting a book.
- Character, setting, and dialogue aid to spark new ideas.
- Descriptive writing assistant to improve sensory details. This makes it easier to get past writer’s block when crafting stories. Just be wary of relying too much on the AI or you may end up with clichéd plots. Think of it more as a co-pilot that helps spark your creativity.
Wordtune
Price: Free Key features: Grammar/style correction, sentence rephrasing For improving your own writing, Wordtune is a handy free browser extension. As you type, it will:
- Fix grammar and spelling errors.
- Suggest rephrasings to improve readability.
- Replace words with simpler or more engaging alternatives. This helps polish and refine text written by you or your team. The AI gives suggestions, not wholesale revisions, so you maintain control.
Writer
Price: $18+/user/mo Key features: Non-GPT model, company style guide checker Writer avoids using GPT models and is transparent about its training data. This makes it a good pick for avoiding any AI ethics concerns. It’s uniquely capable when it comes to checking that human writers follow your brand style guide. Set the rules, and Writer will suggest edits to ensure compliance. This style guide checker gives Writer an edge for companies that want to train AI tools on their own data while avoiding public language models like GPT-3.
Tips for Using AI Writing Tools
AI writing tools hold great promise, but they require human guidance. Here are some tips to use them most effectively based on my testing:
- Give very specific prompts: The more details you provide upfront, the better the results will be.
- Plan first, write second: Quickly outlining the content will help the AI stay on track.
- Write some yourself, then get AI suggestions: Combining your ideas with AI generated text often works best.
- Refine iteratively: Expect to go through multiple rounds of editing and revisions.
- Use brand voice and knowledge base features: This customizes the tool to your business.
- Don’t rely solely on AI: The human creative touch is still vital for great writing.
When AI Writing Tools Fall Short
AI writing tools have limitations. Here are some weak points I’ve noticed:
- Struggle with complex argumentation and analysis.
- Can fail to stick to the same storyline and details.
- Often use cheesy or awkward phrasing.
- Max out at content suitable for a general audience.
- Have no notion of what makes writing compelling, inspiring, or emotionally resonant. The technology is improving rapidly, but still benefits greatly from combining AI generated text with human creativity and editing.
Try Multiple Tools to Find Your Favorite
Dozens of capable AI writing tools are available in 2023. Instead of just going with the trendiest one, I suggest trying out a few options yourself to see what gels best with your writing workflow. Every writer has unique needs and preferences, so the “best” tool for you might differ from someone else. With many offering free trials and plans, it only takes a few minutes to get a feel for an AI writing assistant.
The Future of AI Writing Tools
We’re still in the early days of AI writing tools. Future advances in underlying technology and better training data will rapidly improve capabilities. In the coming years, we may see AI assistants that can:
- Have genuine knowledge about niche topics when trained properly.
- Adapt their tone and style for specific audiences.
- Ask clarifying questions during the writing process.
- Learn your individual preferences and writing quirks.
- Go beyond text to generate charts, images, audio, video and more. For now, AI writing tools are imperfect but valuable aids. Used judiciously, they can augment human creativity and productivity. The robots aren’t taking over yet—but they’re getting smarter every day.
Conclusion
Writing remains a fundamentally human endeavor. But AI tools have already proven useful for accelerating workflow, offering inspiration on demand, and taking care of rote tasks. Choose an AI writing assistant that fits seamlessly into your process. Set it up with your brand voice and niche details. Then combine its raw output with your own ideas and revisions. Together, you’re likely to create better content than either you or the machine could produce alone. We’re just beginning to tap into the potential of artificial intelligence for enhancing how we write. Used properly and evaluated critically, AI promises to augment our skills and imagination, not replace them. The future of writing will combine the best of human creativity with the power of machine learning.
