AI tools are changing how businesses work. But with so many apps and platforms out there, finding the right fit can feel like searching for a needle in a rather expensive haystack.
Before committing to a tool, consider its current and potential applications alongside its limitations and costs. Don’t overlook ease of use, either, especially if you’re rolling it out across multiple processes or teams.
And then there’s the question of how you actually put it to work. The best AI tools for businesses drive efficiency and productivity without sacrificing accuracy. They might automate repetitive tasks like data analysis or invoice processing. Some go even further by supporting key decision-making.
Whatever your goals, it doesn’t hurt to compare options. Here’s a look at some of the best AI tools for businesses. From apps to online platforms, these span multiple use cases and industries.
Key Points
- AI tools for businesses do more than automate repetitive tasks and analyze data for surface-level insights. Some can support key decision-making, too.
- The best AI platforms for businesses can smoothly integrate into everyday operations, freeing your team to focus on higher-value tasks and strategic decision-making.
- Choosing the best AI tool for your business starts with figuring out why you need it and how much time you’re willing to commit to learning or implementing it.
- Chances are, the right AI tool is out there for your use case. It’s just a matter of knowing what’s available.
Best AI Tools for Data Analysis and Insights
Today’s world is driven by data. But to get ahead of the competition, you need more than clean datasets. You need to know what the data is telling you and what to do with the insights it provides.
That’s where tools for AI data analysis come in. From data prep and modeling to trend recognition, these tools support all stages of the analytics workflow. Plus, they’re often scalable and can give you actionable insights faster than traditional analytics methods.
Here are some of the best AI data analysis tools for businesses.
1. Tableau GPT
Tableau GPT is Tableau’s generative AI (GenAI) capability for analytics. It helps teams ask questions in plain language and surface contextual insights faster.
In Tableau Pulse, it can proactively explain what changed in key metrics and why, using natural-language summaries and visual context. Those insights can also show up where work happens, like Slack and email, so teams don’t have to live in dashboards to stay on top of performance.
For deeper analysis work, Tableau Agent extends AI into the analytics workflow. It supports data prep and calculations and can assist in building visualizations from prompts across Tableau experiences.
2. Power BI With Copilot
Power BI with Copilot uses GenAI to help businesses get the most out of their data. Its custom chat-based experiences are designed to support the entire data analytics workflow process, from simple queries to modeling and visualization.
This tool also comes with access to several AI-infused Copilot capabilities, including streamlined workflows for business users and data model owners. It can simplify complex tasks and deliver valuable insights using company data. It also has a “Chat with your data” feature that:
- Summarizes reports
- Creates and analyzes visuals
- Finds content
- Offers ad-hoc insights or analysis
3. Alteryx
Alteryx is a workflow-based analytics platform that helps teams prep data, automate repeatable analysis, and share insights without rebuilding the same work every week. Auto Insights can also pinpoint the drivers behind a metric change and generate ready-to-share reporting for stakeholders.
Its notable AI features include:
- Alteryx Copilot: A partner supporting the entire data analytics process
- Magic Reports: Automatically generated custom reports using key data insights
- Magic Documents: Automatically drafted work summaries using your preferred communication
- Playbooks: Identifies analytical use cases tailored to the business and generates synthetic datasets for faster prototyping and insights
- Controls: Oversight of AI usage and security at all levels within the company
4. ThoughtSpot
ThoughtSpot is an analytics platform built around conversational search on governed data. Teams can ask questions in plain language, then drill into the numbers with charts, explanations, and follow-up prompts.
Its core features include:
- Automated data modeling
- Ability to quickly convert raw data into governed semantic models
- Automated maintenance and workflows
- AI-assisted coding to cut down on repetitive work
- Semantic data modeling using agent-ready metadata and secure metrics
- Smart apps embedded for customers with insights to actions
- Real-time data management with unified metadata and compliance
Best AI Tools for Content Creation and Writing
The best AI apps for businesses can support your content creation needs, from initial concept to delivery. These tools can help you write and edit with a specific tone to reach your customers or get your message out there. They can also help identify ways to optimize content across marketing and business communications.
5. ChatGPT
ChatGPT doesn’t just help with drafting, editing, or writing content. It can also answer queries or explain key concepts. It can even resolve problems using logical reasoning. And if you’re experiencing writer’s block, it can offer creative suggestions.
As a conversational AI assistant, it understands natural language and adapts to whatever the user needs. It follows nuanced instructions and can translate between languages for wider reach.
Depending on your plan, you may also get built-in tools like:
- Web browsing features (for real-time info)
- Multi-step research (for business reports)
- Image and video generation
- File uploads (like PDFs and presentations)
- Data cleaning, analysis, and projections
- Voice mode for hands-free conversation
Intuit’s ChatGPT partnership brings Intuit app experiences into ChatGPT so customers can take secure, personalized financial actions directly in the platform.
Note on data: OpenAI states that with business products like ChatGPT Business and ChatGPT Enterprise, customer data isn’t used for model training by default.
6. Jasper
Jasper is an AI marketing workspace built for teams producing content across multiple channels. It helps you plan campaigns and generate on-brand drafts. It’s also helpful for reusing the same messaging across formats without starting from scratch.
Core products include Canvas for planning and collaboration, Studio for building custom workflows, and Jasper IQ for quality control and authenticity. Additional capabilities include content lifecycle automation, structured end-to-end workflows, and campaign scaling across platforms.
7. Copy.ai
What puts Copy.ai among the best AI platforms for business is its ability to handle all your content and marketing needs in 1 place. This cuts out the need for multiple copilots or point solutions.
Copy.ai can help with:
- Deep-dive research and contacts for high-quality sales outreach
- Building deeper customer relationships and loyalty
- Codifying best practices
- Unifying data and connecting teams
- AI-powered content creation across SEOs, use cases, socials, etc.
- Native speaker-level translations to reach your audience
- Inbound lead processing with greater engagement and maximized conversions
It also supports account-based marketing using industry insights, as well as sales and operational forecasting.
8. Grammarly
Grammarly is a writing assistant that helps businesses communicate more clearly. It goes beyond grammar and spell-check, offering tone suggestions and brand consistency tools, with insights drawn from trusted sources and subject-matter experts.
For teams handling sensitive content, Grammarly doesn’t monetize or use your content to train its models, which matters for organizations with strict data policies.
There are 3 plans available:
- Free (no payment required, baseline use)
- Pro (for individuals and teams)
- Enterprise (for organization-wide results with unlimited members, dedicated support, data loss prevention, and granular roles and permissions)
Best AI Tools for Customer Support and Experience
As fast-paced as business can be today, staying on top of customer interactions can be a challenge. Virtual chatbots and other AI tools can help.
AI assistants can instantly answer basic questions. This speeds up response times and can give your employees time to focus on more complex issues. The right tools can even personalize communication in ways that meaningfully improve how customers feel about your brand.
Here are some of the best AI apps for businesses in the customer service sphere.
9. Intercom Fin
Intercom Fin is a customer service AI agent designed to resolve complex queries and improve resolution rates. It’s compatible with every major helpdesk (no migration necessary). With Fin, you can:
- Train agents on your brand’s voice and policies
- Configure across more than 45 languages
- Get custom recommendations for optimal support
- Test responses
- Deploy across SMS, socials, live chat, email, and phone at any time
Fin also continuously learns and improves without coding and has a simple outcome-based pricing structure.
10. Zendesk AI
Zendesk AI ranks among the best AI tools for businesses needing an all-in-1 customer support solution. It claims it can automatically resolve 80% or more of customer and employee interactions across any channel. And no technical expertise is required to get started.
Where Zendesk stands out is its 2 Copilot options:
- Agent Copilot: A fully trainable assistant that suggests replies and insights
- Admin Copilot: A conversational assistant can routinely handle tasks with minimal oversight. It features AI-powered insights into customer behaviors and trends, delivered in ready-to-use dashboards.
11. Drift
Drift is an AI chatbot that answers routine queries and handles simple workflows. It personalizes conversations based on customer data, which can help build stronger relationships over time.
Its key features include:
- AI-generated responses for faster resolution times
- Automated scheduling for meetings or consultations
- Seamless integration with Salesforce and other customer relationship management (CRM) platforms (with history retention)
On the security side, Drift offers end-to-end encryption and SOC2 compliance. It doesn’t use your data for model training, and you can delete files or outputs at any time.
Best AI Tools for Marketing and Sales
Marketing and sales teams have plenty of AI options to choose from. The best tools go beyond basic automation to support lead generation and optimize campaigns, all in the name of moving prospects through the funnel more effectively. Here are some worth considering.
12. HubSpot AI
HubSpot AI covers a lot of ground, including content creation, sales outreach, reporting, and customer support in 1 platform. For content and communications, it can generate blog posts, social media content, websites, and professional emails for sales and cold outreach.
The reporting assistant lets teams build, customize, and share reports from sales and marketing data, with adjustable visualizations, parameters, and dashboard integration. That’s a plus for staying aligned on go-to-market (GTM) strategy.
13. Salesforce Einstein
Salesforce Einstein is built around 4 core functions:
- Sales: It can write emails using customer data, as well as summarize sales calls and deliver actionable insights. It can even produce real-time predictions to help close deals and automate the sales process.
- Marketing: The tool combines predictive and generative AI to improve productivity at scale, with insights that sharpen the customer journey and drive engagement.
- Customer service: Its AI-driven capabilities can resolve issues, summarize case resolutions, and build out a knowledge base for your team.
- Commerce: Businesses can customize the buyer and merchant experience through Salesforce’s e-commerce AI tools, potentially driving faster conversions.
Businesses can build or customize a conversational AI assistant for CRM.
14. Marketo AI
Marketo AI is a marketing automation platform built for teams managing complex, multi-channel campaigns. It centralizes buyer engagement, pipeline development, and campaign measurement in 1 place.
Key capabilities include:
- Scaling personalized buyer engagement across channels
- Attracting and guiding buyers through the full customer journey
- Aligning sales and marketing through native CRM integrations
- Measuring the impact of campaigns, from simple email batches to advanced omnichannel programs
- Building and maintaining customer profiles for ongoing personalization
Marketo also connects securely with other business applications, making it a flexible fit across marketing and sales stacks.
Best AI Tools For Productivity and Operations
You don’t have to be a prompt engineer to make the most out of AI tools. But as a business, having systems in place that improve efficiency and productivity is vital to keeping up with demand. From automating tasks and workflows to supporting team collaboration, these are some of the best AI platforms for businesses.
15. Notion AI
Notion is a productivity tool that works across note-taking, project management, and knowledge sharing. It’s suitable for teams of any size or industry.
Its key features and use cases include:
- Building workflows
- Onboarding new hires
- Supporting off-site planning
- Creating client scopes using documents and transcripts
- Analyzing PDF files and images
- Generating competitor analysis reports complete with pricing, target demographics, market trends, and opportunities
- Use recent feedback to finalize objectives and key results (OKRs) and align them with company goals
Custom agent workflows are on the roadmap, which could add meaningful automation capabilities down the line.
16. Asana Intelligence
Asana Intelligence embeds AI directly into your team’s existing workspace, handling routine work so people can focus on higher-value tasks and strategic decisions.
With Asana AI comes:
- Prebuilt AI agents that handle complex work and boost team capacity
- AI-powered workflows for routine tasks
- Customizable workflows based on business best practices and the team’s needs
- Surface-level insights geared toward supporting project initiatives and faster decision-making
- Cross-platform functionality for streamlined access to tasks and project details
Asana strives to keep its AI-related functions transparent and secure. It doesn’t keep customer data or use it to train models. Access to data is also strictly monitored.
17. UiPath
UiPath is an agentic automation platform used across industries from financial services to the public sector. It handles repetitive, high-volume processes like employee onboarding, payroll, invoice and claims processing, data entry, scheduling, and complex workflow management.
It comes with role-based access, real-time monitoring, and compliance controls, with minimal coding required.
Best AI Tools for Business Finance
Managing finances is one of the most critical and complex parts of running a business. The right AI tools can go beyond basic bookkeeping. They can automate financial workflows, surface real-time insights, and support smarter decision-making across cash flow, forecasting, and expense management.
From embedded financial intelligence to advanced AI models, here are some of the best AI tools helping businesses take control of their finances.
18. Intuit Intelligence
Intuit Intelligence is the AI engine powering the Intuit platform, designed specifically to help businesses manage and grow their finances with confidence. It connects data across tools like QuickBooks, TurboTax, Credit Karma, and Mailchimp to deliver personalized, real-time financial insights.
With Intuit Intelligence, businesses can:
- Automatically categorize transactions and track cash flow
- Get proactive recommendations to improve financial health
- Forecast revenue and expenses with greater accuracy
- Surface key insights to support better financial decisions
Unlike general-purpose AI tools, Intuit Intelligence is purpose-built for financial workflows. It acts as a virtual team of AI agents that helps reduce manual work while keeping business owners informed and in control.
19. Claude
Anthropic’s Claude is an advanced AI assistant known for its strong reasoning, reliability, and focus on safe, responsible AI use. For businesses, it can be a powerful tool for financial analysis, reporting, and operational decision-making.
Claude can help teams:
- Analyze financial documents and extract key insights
- Summarize reports and explain complex financial data
- Support forecasting and scenario planning
- Automate internal documentation and workflows
Through Intuit’s partnership with Anthropic, businesses benefit from AI that combines powerful reasoning with trusted financial intelligence. It helps ensure outputs are both useful and aligned with responsible AI standards.
20. Brex AI
Brex AI brings automation and intelligence to corporate finance operations, particularly for startups and growing businesses. It integrates expense management, corporate cards, and financial insights into a single platform.
Key capabilities include:
- Real-time expense tracking and automated categorization
- AI-powered spend insights and anomaly detection
- Budgeting and financial controls across teams
- Streamlined reporting for finance teams
Brex AI helps reduce manual financial admin while giving leaders better visibility into how money is being spent across the organization.
How Businesses Should Evaluate AI Tools
Knowing which AI tools to use for your business starts with understanding your objectives. Evaluate precisely what you need and how much time and money you’re willing to spend. Some tools are easier than others to integrate into existing workflows, too.
Next, consider the possible return on investment (ROI). Research suggests that companies investing in AI typically see returns within 2 to 4 years, though this varies by industry. Many tools offer free trials or basic plans, which can be a low-commitment way to test fit before going all in.
Consider privacy and transparency, too. Responsible AI usage is a meaningful differentiator.
Find out how the platform or app collects or uses your data. Some systems train their AI models on user data, while others don’t. Clear regulations around AI are still developing, but that shouldn’t stop vendors from being upfront about how they use your data.
Interested in exploring how Intuit is driving artificial intelligence innovation? Learn about Intuit’s AI Research Program today.
Powering Smarter Work With Intuit Intelligence
The best AI tools for businesses do more than save time. They help you make better decisions, especially when it comes to your finances.
While AI can streamline workflows across your business, the real value comes from understanding your numbers and acting on them.
Intuit Intelligence brings your data together to deliver real-time insights, automate key financial tasks, and help you plan with confidence. Instead of juggling disconnected tools, you get a clearer view of your business and what to do next.
As AI continues to evolve, choosing tools that are accurate, secure, and built for financial decision-making can help you stay ahead.
FAQs
How can businesses evaluate the ROI from using AI tools?
Ease of use and integration are 2 major factors here, but so is cost. Don’t just think about the cost of purchasing the tool in the first place. Calculate the resources that’ll go into training the team to use it effectively. From there, run the numbers to find out how much time or money using the AI will save you in the long run. It might take a few years to see solid returns on your investment.
Should businesses leverage 1 tool for consistency or integrate multiple tools if it makes sense?
This depends on the company’s budget and needs. There are all-in-1 tools that can handle specific needs, like marketing or customer support. And then there are more generalized tools that don’t specialize in any 1 area but can provide everyday support. If you’re just getting started, consider choosing 1 and sticking with it for as long as it suits you. You can always swap out or add new tools later.
How can businesses future-proof investments in AI tools as platforms evolve?
Look into flexible tools that can adapt to your business’s growing needs. Choosing several can also help with scalability and ongoing performance, even as platforms evolve. Just be sure the tools you use integrate well (vendor-agnostic systems are often useful here).