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Before paying for another AI tool, check what you’re already connected to.
I did a one-on-one with a colleague because I wanted to show him how easy it could be to set up and organize his email. Organizing his email was the job.
That kind of setup used to mean configuring Outlook, connecting tools and working through API keys. My advice now is to look at the connections available inside the AI tools themselves first.
If you’re thinking about using AI in your business, I’d do that check before adding another subscription. Pick the task you want help with, then look at what your existing tools can connect to.
Give the tools you already use a fair look
I love ChatGPT and Claude. For companies that don’t have Microsoft subscriptions, I sometimes recommend them because I find them powerful and easy to use.
But I think Copilot deserves another look if your company already works in Microsoft’s tools. I’m interested in what it could do alongside the systems people are already using.
The same thinking applies when you’re building what I call a second brain: a place for shared business knowledge. Before reaching for another system, consider what you could do with SharePoint, Copilot and the other tools already available to you.
Keep a task as specific as organizing email in front of you while you look at the options.
Before your next AI purchase, open the tools you already use and check their available connections against the job you want done.