Explore AI for Free: 5 Beginner-Friendly Tools to Try in 2025

AI is everywhere in 2025—from classrooms to offices to your phone—and while some tools come with hefty price tags, many of the best ones are completely free (or at least offer solid free versions). Whether you're curious about AI or just want to boost your productivity without spending a dime, there’s a growing list of tools to explore.

Here are five free AI tools that are perfect for beginners and surprisingly powerful, even without a subscription.

1. ChatGPT by OpenA

Best For: Everyday questions, writing, idea generation, and image creation

If you’ve heard of AI, you’ve probably heard of ChatGPT. It’s the tool that kicked off the AI boom—and the best part is, you don’t need to pay to use it.

With the free version of ChatGPT, you can:

Chat with a smart assistant (great for brainstorming, editing, tutoring)

Use Voice Mode to talk out loud with ChatGPT

Generate images using GPT-4o, one of the best free image generators out there

There are some limits—like no access to custom GPTs and occasional wait times—but for most users, the free version is more than enough.

 Try ChatGPT for free

2. Canva AI

Best For: Designing social posts, invites, resumes, or any visual content

Even if you're not a designer, Canva AI can help you create beautiful graphics in minutes. It’s packed with smart tools that do the heavy lifting—think layouts, AI-generated images, and style suggestions.

With a free account, you can:

Access AI design suggestions

Use Magic Design to instantly create layouts

Try Dream Lab to generate custom visuals

It’s perfect for students, content creators, or anyone who wants pro-looking designs without the Photoshop learning curve.

 Try Canva AI for free

3. Zapier AI

Best For: Automating repetitive tasks across apps (like Gmail, Slack, and Notion)

Zapier isn’t just for tech experts anymore. Thanks to its new AI-powered features, even beginners can build custom automations by simply describing what they want in plain English.

With the free plan, you can:

Create up to 5 automations (Zaps)

Use Natural Language Actions to build automations just by typing commands like “Add tasks from emails to my to-do list”

Get AI-suggested workflows based on how you work

Whether you're automating your inbox or organizing project tasks, Zapier's AI makes things way easier.

 Try Zapier AI for free

4. Perplexity AI

Best For: Smarter search and fast, sourced answers

Think of Perplexity as an AI-powered search engine that gives clear answers with links to reliable sources. Unlike traditional search engines, it explains topics in simple terms and shows multiple perspectives, helping you go deeper without the confusion.

Why it's worth trying:

Great for research and fact-checking

Answers come with citations

You can ask follow-up questions for deeper understanding

It’s ideal for curious minds, students, or anyone tired of sorting through a dozen tabs for one answer.

 Try Perplexity for free

5. NotebookLM (by Google)

Best For: Summarizing documents, studying, and managing research

NotebookLM is like having your own personal research assistant. You upload documents—like PDFs, notes, or web pages—and it creates a custom AI assistant trained on your files.

Why users love it:

Quickly search and summarize your documents

Ask questions about your own material (“Where did I write that quote?”)

Try Audio Overview — your notes turned into an AI podcast discussion

It’s free for now, but it's so useful that it may not stay that way forever.

Try NotebookLM for free