5 Powerful AI Tools for Business (Tested by Our Team)
What are the best AI tools for Businesses?
At CYAN Solutions, our top picks for AI tools include ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Claude.ai, GrammarlyGO, and Fathom.ai. These tools help our team streamline tasks, communicate clearly, and work more efficiently, all while meeting strict data security standards.
AI is everywhere right now, and for good reason. Used properly, it can transform how your team works day to day. But while everyone’s talking about AI, few are showing how they actually use it. Most businesses are left thinking: Where do we even start?
We’ve got the answer.
At CYAN, we don’t just talk about AI. We use it. This article shares the exact AI tools we use to boost productivity, cut through admin, and simplify daily tasks. Along with clear advice on why we chose them, what they actually do, and how to roll them out safely in your own organisation.
What You’ll Learn
Why Share Our AI Toolkit?
Because it’s easy to get overwhelmed.
A new AI product seems to launch every week. Not all are secure. Not all are helpful. We’ve tested dozens of AI products. Most don’t make the cut. The ones that do are secure, practical, and easy to adopt. That’s why we keep our list lean and practical, and why we’re sharing it.
These tools won’t replace your team. But they will help them focus on higher-value work, save time, and reduce friction in day-to-day tasks.
The 5 Best AI Tools for SMEs (That We Actually Use)
Here’s our working shortlist, with real-world use cases and pricing notes:
1. ChatGPT (Team Plan, from £25 per user per month)
Used for: Drafting content, generating outlines, rewriting documents, sparking ideas.
Why we like it:
- Extremely versatile and customisable
- Supports plugins and GPTs for niche tasks
- Fast and intuitive to use for everyday admin
Important: We never paste confidential data. We disable chat history and follow our internal AI usage policy.
🔗 Read: How to Use ChatGPT in Your Business
2. Microsoft Copilot (Included with M365 Business Premium)
https://copilot.microsoft.com/
Used for: Email writing, Excel formulas, PowerPoint design, Teams recaps.
Why we like it:
- Fully embedded into Microsoft 365
- Saves time inside apps we already use
- Great for repetitive, low-effort admin tasks
Watch out: It’s less flexible than ChatGPT, but much easier for non-tech users to adopt.
3. Claude.ai (Free & Paid Tiers – Claude Pro: from £17/month)
Used for: Summarising long documents, refining tone, running role-play scenarios.
Why we like it:
- Handles larger text inputs (up to 75,000 words)
- More natural tone in long-form drafting
- Useful when ChatGPT feels “too AI”
4. Fathom.ai (Free Plan available, Pro from £14/month)
Used for: Transcribing meetings, creating summaries, tagging decisions and actions.
Why we like it:
- Auto-summarises calls across Teams, Zoom, and Google Meet
- Saves hours of manual note-taking
- Builds a searchable archive of discussions
Why it matters: Missed details lead to dropped balls. This tool helps everyone stay on track.
5. GrammarlyGO (Free with Grammarly Premium, from £12/month)
Used for: Polishing emails & documents, rewriting for tone, clarity, and grammar.
Why we like it:
- Great for customer-facing comms
- Helps non-writers feel confident
- Gives real-time suggestions without being invasive
What These AI Tools Help Us Do
| Goal | Tool(s) | Benefit |
| Save time on internal content | ChatGPT, Claude | Draft faster, write smarter |
| Improve communication tone | GrammarlyGO, ChatGPT | Maintain consistent tone |
| Automate meeting notes | Fathom.ai | Focus on the conversation |
| Speed up reporting/admin | Copilot, ChatGPT | Get more done with fewer clicks |
| Reduce repetitive work | Copilot | Automate everyday tasks |
Data Safety & Responsible AI Use
If you’re using AI in your business (even casually) you need some guardrails in place.
At CYAN, we follow strict internal practices:
✅ No client data shared in AI tools
✅ Training models disabled where possible
✅ Shared team accounts for consistency (also more budget friendly this way)
✅ Prompts use placeholders (e.g. “Client A”)
✅ Internal AI Use Policy in place
🔗 Download our AI Policy Template
How We Make AI Tools Actually Useful
Plenty of teams install AI tools… then nothing changes. No process. No adoption. No impact.
At CYAN, we’re more intentional.
We make AI work by:
- Solving real problems: every tool we use aligns with a friction point in our workflow
- Training people, not just plugging in apps: prompts, boundaries, and clear examples are key
- Setting smart guardrails: including our internal AI Policy Template to keep things safe
- Reviewing regularly: if a tool stops being useful, we rethink it
AI isn’t magic. But with the right systems and support, it’s a serious productivity unlock, and one we’re using every day.
Making AI Work for You
You don’t need 50 tools. You need 5 that work.
Start small. Set expectations. Focus on use cases that genuinely make life easier. If your team saves 10 minutes a day, that’s nearly an hour a week, per person! It adds up.
If you’d like help identifying where AI fits into your IT strategy, or want support setting up your team safely, we’re here to help.
Want to explore AI in your own business?
Let’s have a strategic chat — no pressure, no jargon. Just clear advice from people who use this tech every day.
Speak to the CYAN team
