(My actual stack: simple, powerful, and beginner-friendly)
People overestimate what they need to start an AI-driven business.
They think they need paid tools, fancy dashboards, or enterprise software.
Truth is, I scaled ReThynk AI, wrote 42+ books, built audiences across platforms, and automated huge parts of my workflow using free tools.
Here are the best ones I relied on every week, with the exact use cases that helped me run multiple brands without chaos. (Note: As I run a research company, I keep switching between tools for research purposes. I use many premium tools as well. )
1. ChatGPT Free Tier: The Core Engine
Yes, the free tier.
The paid version is amazing, but even the free tier handles:
- Outlining content
- Structuring ideas
- Generating variations
- Drafting documentation
- Writing internal notes
- Debugging simple code
- Creating mindmaps
The trick isn’t the tool.
The trick is how you think with it.
2. GitHub: My Brain’s Second Hard Drive
I host:
- Prompt libraries
- Documentation
- Templates
- Frameworks
- Experiments
- AI workflow scripts
GitHub is not a coder’s tool anymore; it’s an intelligence repository.
Once you start versioning your thinking, you never go back.
3. Notion (Free Plan): My “AI HQ”
I use Notion for:
- Knowledge base
- Content calendar
- Prompt archives
- Research notes
- Project management
AI workflows become 10× clearer when you centralise information.
Notion does that beautifully, even on the free plan.
4. Canva Free: For Fast Brand Assets
I create:
- Book covers
- Thumbnails
- Presentation slides
- Simple diagrams
- Social graphics
Not perfect for advanced design, but perfect for speed.
Speed compounds more than perfection.
5. YouTube Studio: For Running My AI Education Channel
I use it to:
- Manage lectures
- Analyse audience insights
- Test titles/thumbnails
- Track engagement loops
YouTube is one of the best free feedback engines on the planet.
6. Google Drive: Storage + Fast Sharing
Free tools inside Drive = gold:
- Docs (collaboration)
- Sheets (data, logs, planning)
- Slides (presentations)
- Keep (micro-notes)
Most of my ideas start in Google Docs before becoming articles, books, or videos.
7. Readwise (Free Tier): My “Learning Memory”
I use it to collect:
- Quotes
- Research snippets
- Highlights
- Insights from books
Then I reuse these for:
- Prompt engineering
- Books
- Dev.to posts
- Courses
- Workshops
Readwise makes your learning compounding instead of disposable.
8. VS Code (Free): For Testing AI-Generated Code
I quickly validate:
- Scripts
- Prototypes
- Debug suggestions
- Refactored code
- Micro-tools
AI writes the first version. VS Code helps me check the rest.
Why This Stack Works
Because it’s lightweight, fast, flexible, and zero-friction.
Most people fail because they complicate their stack before they even start.
My philosophy is simple:
Tools shouldn’t slow you down.
Tools should disappear into your workflow.
The best AI operators run lean, not heavy.
My Core Insight
People think “paid tools give leverage.”
Wrong.
Systems give leverage.
Thinking gives leverage.
Your workflow gives leverage.
The tools are just containers.
What you put inside them, your clarity, reasoning, and consistency, is what creates value.
Final Thought
You don’t need a $500/month tool stack to build an AI-driven career.
You need:
- Free tools
- Clear thinking
- Repeatable workflows
- And the courage to publish and ship
Everything else is noise.
Start simple.
Scale intelligently.
Win consistently.
Next Article
Tomorrow we go deeper:
“Why Prompt Templates Are the New APIs.”
This one will shift how developers think about the next decade of software and AI.
Top comments (2)
AI workflows become 10× clearer when you centralise information.
This is oddly satisfying to read. Nice work, Jaideep!