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Simple AI tips for small businesses. Each one takes minutes to read.

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Practical AI · Run the business

AI tools to run a small business

Admin, bookkeeping, scheduling, documents, hiring and the other jobs that keep a small business running.

Newest first. Nothing here is sponsored or tested by us: the cost and the catch are as the news reported them.

Updated

What changed this week

The whole week's playbook →

6 new items across 6 tools this week. 71 of the 136 on this page cost nothing to start.

Run the business: 136 items

newest 24

Claude Design by Anthropic

Build design system from logos with Claude Design

What you get You can create branded slides and landing pages and automate podcast cheat sheets and carousels.

  • Cost Included in Claude credits
  • Time An afternoon

The catch Still in Anthropic labs; interface evolves and may time out

Idea For example, a consultant could use it to build design system from logos.

Start here: Drag logos, color swatches, and website URLs into Claude Design

Open Claude Design (opens the maker's site)
How to set it up

Then From the article

  1. Answer clarifying questions via voice or text to refine the design system
  2. Ask for multiple design iterations at once, then refine by clicking and dragging
  3. Export design.md to use in Claude Code, Gamma, Canva, or Google Slides
Prompt to copy
Create a design.md file from my logo and brand colors, then build a landing page template using that system.

Before and after

Before

Manually formatting each slide, social post, and webpage to match brand guidelines

After

Design system applies brand colors, fonts, and spacing automatically across all outputs

Use it to

  • Build design system from logos
  • Create branded slides and landing pages
  • Automate podcast cheat sheets and carousels

What happened · Social Media Examiner

Claude Code by Anthropic

Track work history with Claude Code

What you get A method to pick only the plugins you need for your blog or small tool work.

  • Cost Free
  • Time An afternoon

The catch Plugin list and interface may have changed since September 2026

Start here: Identify your main task (e.g., blogging)

Try it (opens the maker's site)
How to set it up

Then From the article

  1. Match plugins to that task
  2. Install only those you can explain
  3. Review usage after two weeks

Use it to

  • Initial project setup
  • Track work history
  • Review AI behavior rules

What happened · note.com

Claude Code by Anthropic

Detect odd server responses safely with Claude Code

What you get Avoid 10-minute stalls by spending 3 minutes testing which source is actually fast.

  • Cost Price not stated
  • Time A few minutes

The catch Requires shell access and WP-CLI on the target server

Try it (opens the maker's site)
How to set it up
Prompt to copy
The wp core download command timed out. Test these three URLs for 60 seconds each to find the fastest, then download from there and verify checksums: https://downloads.wordpress.org/release/ja/wordpress-7.1.tar.gz https://ja.wordpress.org/latest-ja.tar.gz https://wordpress.org/latest.tar.gz

Use it to

  • Download WordPress core faster
  • Verify file integrity after manual fetch
  • Detect odd server responses safely

What happened · note.com

Google Search Console by Google

Check sitemap access with Google Search Console

What you get You can verify if AI crawlers are actually reading your content.

  • Cost Free
  • Time A few minutes

The catch Requires access to your web server or hosting logs

Start here: Access your web server logs

Try it (opens the maker's site)
How to set it up

Then From the article

  1. Search for requests to sitemap.xml or RSS feeds
  2. Identify user agents that look like AI crawlers

Use it to

  • Verify AI crawler visits
  • Check sitemap access

What happened · Search Engine Journal

Claude Code by Anthropic

Draft sales prep notes in 5 minutes, right in your inbox

What you get You can research prospect companies and prepare meeting notes.

  • Cost Paid: from $20
  • Time An afternoon

The catch Requires setting up a system to connect website inquiries to AI tools

Start here: List tasks like researching companies and guessing needs.

Try it (opens the maker's site)
How to set it up

Then From the article

  1. Aggregate context from the inquiry and website.
  2. Decide how to receive information, such as email or Notion.
Prompt to copy
Analyze this inquiry from [Company Name]. Research their basic info and guess their likely needs for our service.

Use it to

  • Research prospect companies
  • Guess client needs
  • Prepare meeting notes

What happened · note.com

GitHub Copilot by GitHub

Check pricing accuracy with GitHub Copilot

  • Cost Price not stated
  • Time A few minutes

The catch You must verify the AI's categorization against source materials

Start here: Ask AI to categorize suggestions into Required, Needs Verification, and Optional.

Try it (opens the maker's site)
How to set it up

Then From the article

  1. Verify 'Required' items against source data.
  2. Decide which 'Optional' items to accept based on your style.
Prompt to copy
Compare the main text with reference materials. Categorize suggestions into 'Required Correction', 'Needs Verification', and 'Optional Improvement'. List the section, evidence, and potential problems for each. Do not rewrite the text yet.

Use it to

  • Proofread product descriptions
  • Check pricing accuracy
  • Review blog drafts

What happened · helpnetsecurity.com, note.com

Constructor by Constructor

Reduce checkout friction with Constructor

What you get You keep shoppers in the chat to complete purchases, reducing drop-off.

  • Cost Price not stated
  • Time Needs a developer

The catch Check the details on the maker's page first

Start here: Update Constructor’s UI library

Try it (opens the maker's site) Leave for now: needs a developer
How to set it up

Then From the article

  1. Add Stripe credentials to configuration

Use it to

  • Process in-chat payments
  • Reduce checkout friction
  • Boost conversion rates

What happened · Unite.AI

HubSpot AEO by HubSpot

Edit content for better citations with HubSpot AEO

  • Cost Paid: from $900
  • Time A few minutes

The catch Requires Marketing Hub Professional plan

Try it (opens the maker's site)
How to set it up
Prompt to copy
Analyze my brand’s AI visibility: show me where my company appears in search results and suggest content fixes.

Before and after

Before

AI results for [Brand] included outdated reviews and competitor links, diluting messaging.

After

After updating positioning pages, AI results now prioritize HubSpot’s official content, aligning with brand narrative.

Use it to

  • Monitor AI brand mentions
  • Compare competitor visibility
  • Edit content for better citations

What happened · HubSpot Marketing Blog, Semrush Blog, Search Engine Journal

Microsoft 365 Copilot by Microsoft

Draft reports with Microsoft 365 Copilot

What you get You can choose the best AI model for each task without leaving your documents.

  • Cost Included in Microsoft 365 subscription
  • Time A few minutes

The catch Requires admin permission for external sub-processors and usage-based billing

Idea For example, an agency could use it to draft reports.

Try it (opens the maker's site)
How to set it up

Use it to

  • Draft reports
  • Analyze data
  • Summarize meetings

What happened · note.com

GitHub by GitHub

Find outdated libraries with GitHub

What you get You catch security flaws and fake packages before your code goes live.

  • Cost Free to try
  • Time A few minutes

The catch Secret scanning is free only for public repos; private needs paid plan

Start here: Enable Dependabot in your repository settings.

Try it (opens the maker's site)
How to set it up

Then From the article

  1. Turn on secret scanning if your repo is public.
  2. Run a security review on your AI-generated code.

Use it to

  • Find outdated libraries
  • Review AI code changes

Not for everyone Paid plan only

What happened · note.com

SCM by allenv0

Find text in screenshots with SCM

What you get You can transcribe and search dialogue.

  • Cost Free
  • Time A few minutes

The catch Requires Apple Silicon and macOS 12 or higher

Idea For example, a builder could use it to find text in screenshots.

Start here: Install via Homebrew using brew install --cask allenv0/scm/scm

Try it (opens the maker's site)
How to set it up

Then From the article

  1. Import folders containing your photos and videos
  2. Type search queries in plain language to find matching visual or spoken content

Use it to

  • Search local video scenes
  • Find text in screenshots
  • Transcribe and search dialogue

What happened · github.com

MAI-Transcribe-2-Streaming by Microsoft

Generate meeting subtitles in real time as people speak

What you get You can follow meeting discussions and create live notes.

  • Cost Paid: from $0.54
  • Time A few minutes

The catch Limited rollout: not open to everyone yet; Not available in Japan

Start here: Set up Azure contract and configuration for supported regions

Try it (opens the maker's site) Leave for now: not open to everyone yet
How to set it up

Then From the article

  1. Use short audio clips to test accuracy and timing
  2. Verify language support and consent requirements before full use

Use it to

  • Follow meeting discussions
  • Create live notes
  • Check speaker clarity

Not for everyone not in Japan

What happened · note.com

Microsoft 365 Personal by Microsoft

Get Copilot-enhanced Office suite for a year, inside Microsoft 365

What you get You get Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Copilot features for a year at $69.99.

  • Cost Paid: from $69.99 Price checked
  • Time A few minutes

The catch Price may change; deal limited time

Try it (opens the maker's site)
How to set it up

Use it to

  • Draft documents quickly
  • Analyze spreadsheets automatically
  • Create presentations with suggestions

What happened · note.com, pcworld.com

Google Vids by Google

Create 1080p marketing videos with exact timing, free to start

What you get You can launch product videos and promote local store items.

  • Cost Free to try
  • Time A few minutes

The catch Advanced features need Workspace Business or Enterprise plan

Open Google Vids (opens the maker's site) Leave for now: enterprise plans only
How to set it up
Prompt to copy
Create a 30-second promo video for my new coffee blend, upbeat music, show the bag and a pour

Use it to

  • Launch product videos
  • Promote local store items
  • Make event announcements

What happened · Small Business Trends

Suno by Suno

Create podcast intros with Suno

What you get You get cohesive audio tracks with voice and music in one step.

  • Cost Price not stated
  • Time A few minutes

The catch Beta quality; accents and pauses may be inconsistent

Start here: Select the Create tab and navigate to Speech.

Try it (opens the maker's site) Leave for now: not open to everyone yet
How to set it up

Then From the article

  1. Choose Simple mode to describe your audio or Advanced to paste a script.
  2. Adjust settings like gender and style, then generate.
Prompt to copy
A calm narrator reading a short poem about the ocean, with soft piano background music.

Use it to

  • Create podcast intros
  • Make video voiceovers
  • Generate audio ads

What happened · The Decoder, The Verge AI

BrowserAct by BrowserAct

Update product rankings daily with BrowserAct

  • Cost Free to try Price checked
  • Time A few minutes
  • Good to know No tech skills

The catch Free tier may limit advanced features like custom Bot publishing

Idea For example, a builder could use it to track competitor pricing weekly.

Start here: Select the ‘Amazon Best Sellers Scraper’ template from the prebuilt options.

Try it (opens the maker's site)
How to set it up

Then From the article

  1. Set the marketplace to ‘Amazon US’ and category to ‘Wireless Keyboards.’
  2. Run the scraper and export results as CSV for further analysis.
Prompt to copy
Extract all wireless keyboard listings from Amazon US, filter for 4+ star ratings, and return names, prices, sellers, and stock status.

Use it to

  • Track competitor pricing weekly
  • Update product rankings daily
  • Monitor supplier availability monthly

What happened · KDnuggets

Gemini student hub by Google

Create study materials with Gemini student hub

What you get You can generate practice quizzes and organize class notes.

  • Cost Already included

The catch Admin controls via Workspace Admin console may restrict access for some users

Start here: Sign up for your 12-month student plan, free of charge

Open Gemini student hub (opens the maker's site)
How to set it up

Then From Google’s own page

  1. Open gemini.google.com/students to access the student hub
  2. In the student hub, click + New notebook to set up a study notebook
Prompt to copy
Create a set of 20 flashcards on [topic] with definitions and examples.

Use it to

  • Create study materials
  • Generate practice quizzes
  • Organize class notes

What happened · Google Workspace Updates

Perplexity Skills by Perplexity

Generate weekly cash flow forecasts with Perplexity Skills

What you get You can draft tax prep reports with deductions and create marketing campaign copy.

  • Cost Already included
  • Time A few minutes

The catch Limited to U.S

Idea For example, an accountant could use it to generate weekly cash flow forecasts.

Start here: Link an eligible American Express Business Card via Plaid

Open Perplexity Skills (opens the maker's site) Leave for now: not open to everyone yet
How to set it up

Then From the article

  1. Select a Skill (e.g., cash flow forecasting) and input task details
  2. Review AI-generated draft and edit before use

Use it to

  • Generate weekly cash flow forecasts
  • Draft tax prep reports with deductions
  • Create marketing campaign copy

What happened · Unite.AI

Schema.org structured data markup by Schema.org community

Keep prices and stock in sync with Schema.org structured data markup

What you get You reduce conflicting signals that confuse AI search and risk Google penalties.

  • Cost Free
  • Time An afternoon

The catch Requires access to site code

Idea For example, an online shop could use it to define organization once and reuse.

Start here: Add @id to your organization schema on the homepage

Try it free (opens the maker's site)
How to set it up

Then From the article

  1. Reference that @id in article, product, and author schema on other pages
  2. Audit that visible content matches markup on every page

Use it to

  • Define organization once and reuse
  • Link articles to authors and company
  • Keep prices and stock in sync

What happened · Search Engine Journal

ChatGPT Work by OpenAI

Draft license and grant applications in hours, not days

What you get You save 10-15 hours a week on admin tasks and focus on growing your business.

  • Cost Price not stated
  • Time A few minutes

The catch Team must review all output for accuracy before final use

Idea For example, an accountant could use it to draft grant applications.

Start here: Connect Gmail, Slack, and Google Drive plugins.

Try it (opens the maker's site)
How to set it up

Then From the article

  1. Ask ChatGPT Work to gather relevant business information.
  2. Review the proposed next steps and documents for accuracy.
Prompt to copy
Review my Gmail and Slack messages from last week. Identify pending license applications and draft a checklist of missing documents.

Before and after

Before

Four days of searching, sorting, and formatting for a liquor license.

After

Three hours of team review and completion with ChatGPT Work.

Use it to

  • Draft grant applications
  • Organize financial reports
  • Prepare license documents

What happened · OpenAI

106 tools for this job

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Every job: Get more customers · Make content faster · Sell more · Answer customers faster · Run the business

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