Yes, this is another AI tools listicle—but here's the twist: it's mine! These tools aren’t just trends; they’ve become an integral part of my productivity and development workflow. Whether I'm writing code, developing products, or simply managing my digital life across devices, AI is my constant companion.

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The productivity

I divided the tools into two groups, productivity and development. Here are the ones I use the most in the productivity group:

Obsidian + Smart Composer

Obsidian is my go-to note-taking app, often referred to as my "second brain." Why do I love it?

• Simplicity: It's a plain text editor that works with standard markdown files.
• Extensibility: Its rich plugin ecosystem caters to every need.
• Local and Free: Notes are stored locally—no cloud, no subscription.
• Cross-platform: It works seamlessly on Windows, Linux, Mac, iOS, and more.
• Connected Notes: Its built-in system makes retrieving knowledge a breeze.

Adding AI magic to Obsidian is the Smart Composer plugin. It integrates LLMs like ChatGPT, enabling contextual queries such as:

"Where have I mentioned Deepseek before?"
"Can you review this note and suggest improvements?"

The plugin responds with:

• Detailed references from your notes.
• Suggested changes you can apply with a single click.

Why is it relevant? It brings your personal context into the AI equation, making knowledge retrieval and management effortless.

ChatGPT (or Deepseek or Perplexity or ...)

90% of the AI tools entering the market still can't outperform directly using one of the leading LLMs. Considering the rapid pace of innovation, even tools with marginally better features often become obsolete quickly. For most use cases, you’re better off starting with the big players. Whether you need to:

• Quickly research a topic,
• Generate an illustration,
• Summarize a document, or
• Ideate for content creation,

LLMs like ChatGPT excel.

Why is it relevant? The ultimate AI pocketknife. Instead of learning countless niche tools with minimal gains, you can use these powerful models to achieve 99% of your goals.

The development

After spending significant time in people management, I’m back to hands-on coding. My productivity now hinges on the tools I’ve adopted. Here are my top picks:

Warp terminal

Every developer needs a terminal, and Warp is my favorite. Designed for speed and performance, it’s built in Rust and features a GPU-accelerated UI, along with:

• Searchable command palette: Quickly find and execute commands.
• Autocomplete suggestions: Speed up your workflow.
• Rich text formatting: Outputs are clean and readable.
• Block-based command inputs: Navigate and edit past commands effortlessly.
• Collaboration tools: Share terminal sessions or commands with your team.

On the AI front, Warp offers smart autocomplete suggestions, detects command errors, and learns from your usage patterns to guide you seamlessly.

Why is it relevant? It adds seamless value to a must-have development tool without interrupting your workflow.

Windsurf (or Cursor)

If you’re following "AI for code" news, you’ve likely used Copilot with VSCode. Cursor and Windsurf are the next step in this evolution. These tools act as a pair-programming partner with a "big brain," offering:

• Suggestions for new features or approaches,
• Architectural guidance,
• Debugging support based on logs,
• Contextual help tailored to your code.

Why is it relevant? There’s no going back. These tools double your output by acting as an ever-available, highly intelligent coding assistant.

ChatGPT ... yep, again

Big LLMs aren’t just great for productivity—they’re also invaluable for quick coding queries. Whether you need to:

• Understand a snippet of code,
• Improve its efficiency, or
• Adapt it for specific use cases,

LLMs provide reliable, free assistance.

Why is it relevant? Free, always available, and perfect for quick questions.

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Wrapping Up

AI tools have fundamentally transformed how I approach productivity and development. From simplifying note-taking to supercharging coding sessions, these tools have become indispensable. Whether you’re exploring AI for the first time or looking to enhance your workflow, these recommendations are a great place to start.