3 free AI tools that feel illegal to know

1. NotebookLM (by Google)

Link: notebooklm.google.com. Upload PDFs, notes, slides, YouTube links or websites, and it answers only from your sources, with citations. It can also turn them into an audio overview you can listen to like a podcast.

• Upload a long report and ask: "What are the 5 decisions this document asks me to make?"
• Add your course notes and generate an audio overview for your commute.
• Add 10 competitor pages and ask: "What do they all promise, and what is nobody saying?"

2. Perplexity

Link: perplexity.ai. Search that answers your question directly and shows every source it used, so you can check it.

• "What changed in [your industry] in the last 30 days? Cite sources."
• "Compare the 3 best [tools] for [use] under [budget]. Table with prices and links."
• "Find 10 [type of business] in [city] that might need [your service]."

3. Claude

Link: claude.ai. Strong at reading files and thinking things through. Drop in a spreadsheet, PDF or messy notes and ask what matters.

• Upload a sales sheet: "What should I fix first? Show the numbers behind it."
• "Turn these notes into a one-page plan with owners and dates."
• "Read this contract and list anything unusual in plain English." (Not legal advice.)

Free plans change

All three have a free tier today, with limits on usage. Check each site for current limits and paid plans.