Top 5 AI Tools Every Small Business Should Try This Year

Running a small business is no small task. Between emails, marketing, bookkeeping, and everything in between, it can feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day. That’s where AI tools come in—ready to help you save time, cut costs, and even spark creativity.

Here are the top 5 AI tools every small business owner should try this year to lighten the load and boost productivity:

1. ChatGPT (OpenAI)

Perfect for: Writing emails, blog posts, product descriptions, customer responses

ChatGPT is like having a personal writing assistant. You can use it to draft professional emails, generate content ideas, or create engaging social media captions in seconds.

Quick tip: Try asking ChatGPT to "Write a warm follow-up email for a new client" or "Give me 5 Instagram post ideas for a local landscaping business."

2. Canva Magic Write & Magic Media

Perfect for: Designing graphics, creating presentations, generating images

Canva’s AI-powered Magic Write and Magic Media tools can help you create polished marketing materials without hiring a designer. From logos to flyers to AI-generated images—you can do it all in a drag-and-drop interface.

Quick tip: Start with a template, then use Magic Write to generate headlines or promotional text.

3. Otter.ai

Perfect for: Transcribing meetings, creating searchable notes, summarizing calls

Otter.ai automatically transcribes Zoom calls, in-person meetings, and voice memos. This is a game-changer for busy owners who want accurate, searchable notes without spending hours typing.

Quick tip: After your next client call, upload the recording to Otter.ai and let it generate a full transcript and summary.

4. Fireflies.ai

Perfect for: Meeting transcription, AI-generated meeting summaries, action items

Fireflies.ai integrates with tools like Zoom and Google Meet to record and analyze your meetings. It identifies key discussion points and action items so nothing slips through the cracks.

Quick tip: Sync Fireflies.ai with your calendar to automatically record and summarize important business meetings.

5. Zapier

Perfect for: Automating repetitive tasks, connecting apps, streamlining workflows

Zapier helps your favorite apps "talk" to each other. You can create automated workflows (called Zaps) to handle tasks like adding new leads from a website form into your CRM, sending follow-up emails, or backing up files.

Quick tip: Automate your invoicing workflow by connecting your accounting software to your CRM or payment processor.

Final Thoughts

You don’t have to be a tech guru to start using AI. Even one tool from this list can save you hours each week and free you up to focus on growing your business.

💡 Start small. Pick one tool. Try it this week.

And if you want to go further—Managed Nerds offers monthly AI classes to help small business owners and teams learn how to use and implement AI tools in everyday workflows.

Ready to start saving time with AI? Let’s build your smarter workflow »