Top 3 AI Tools for SMBs

If you work for or own a SMB, you have the opportunity to dramatically boost productivity and efficiency with AI tools. The best part? Many of these tools are either free or very reasonably priced.

If we haven’t met yet, my name is Rider Harris. I travel across the U.S. conducting AI workshops for businesses and associations of all kinds. Through this work, I’ve gained valuable insights into how people feel about AI and how I can bring real value to them. Today, I want to highlight three types of tools I highly recommend: a large language model (LLM), an answer engine, and an AI meeting companion.

Let’s break it down:

1. Large Language Models (LLMs): ChatGPT, Claude, and Google's Gemini

LLMs are advanced AI systems designed to understand and generate human-like text, making them indispensable for a variety of business applications.

• ChatGPT: Developed by OpenAI, ChatGPT excels at drafting emails, creating social media content, and generating ideas. Plus, with its new web-browsing capability, it’s now significantly more reliable. Hallucinations are far less of an issue than before. ChatGPT also has a Team plan. This allows you to get your business all under one account and assign different roles. You can share chats, build custom GPTs, etc.
• Claude: Created by Anthropic, Claude is excellent at producing coherent and contextually relevant text, making it ideal for meeting outlines and call scripts. While Claude doesn’t have web access, it delivers some of the best writing quality among LLMs, in my opinion.
• Google's Gemini: Integrated with Google Workspace, Gemini is great for data analysis and brainstorming, helping streamline workflows. I’ll admit it—I used to be skeptical about Gemini. But let’s face it, it’s Google, and their AI team has been hitting their stride recently. If you haven’t explored their tools yet, now’s the time.

Use Cases:

• Content Creation: Create engaging social media posts and marketing materials.
• Communication: Draft professional emails and prepare meeting agendas.
• Ideation: Brainstorm new business ideas and refine strategies.

2. Answer Engine: Perplexity AI

Perplexity AI acts as a research assistant, delivering concise and accurate information to enhance decision-making. Unlike traditional search engines that provide a list of links, Perplexity answers your questions directly.

Use Cases:

• Market Research: Gather insights on industry trends and competitors.
• Information Retrieval: Quickly find answers to complex questions.
• News Updates: I personally rely on Perplexity for fresh content ideas.

3. AI Meeting Companions: Zoom AI and Fireflies AI

AI meeting companions save time and effort by automating note-taking and summarizing discussions.

• Zoom AI: Integrated directly into Zoom, this tool transcribes meetings and highlights key points. I currently use it and can say I’m a fan.
• Fireflies AI: Compatible with a variety of conferencing platforms, Fireflies AI records conversations and generates actionable summaries.

Use Cases:

• Note Organization: Automatically transcribe and organize meeting notes.
• Summary Generation: Create concise summaries to share with team members.
• Action Item Tracking: Identify and assign follow-up tasks with ease.

By implementing these AI tools, you can streamline your operations, enhance productivity, and give your small business a competitive edge in today’s evolving digital landscape.

If you’re a business owner and want to explore how AI can help your business, fill out the form below so we can connect. In 2025, I’ll be shifting my focus from one-off workshops to consulting. I’ll announce the details by year’s end, and spots will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

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