Which AI Tool Does What
There are dozens of AI tools and the landscape changes every few months. This page cuts through the noise. Here is what matters for a bike shop in Dubai, with pricing, use cases, and honest comparisons.
The starter stack (start here)
You need two tools. That is it. Everything else is optional.
Claude Pro: AED 73/month
Your primary AI assistant for writing, thinking, research, and analysis. This is the tool you will use every day. Claude Pro includes:
- Claude Chat: conversations for writing, answering questions, and brainstorming
- Claude Projects: persistent workspace with your Adam Bike context always loaded
- Claude Research: deep multi-source research (enable in-conversation)
- Claude Cowork: works inside your computer files via Claude Desktop
- Claude Schedule: set recurring automated tasks
- Connectors: connect external services (Shopify, Gmail, Notion, Drive) for live data access
Gemini: Free
Google’s AI, excellent for image generation (100+ per day free). Also handles text well, useful as a second opinion. If you have Google Workspace for business, Gemini is integrated directly into your Gmail and Drive.
These two tools handle 90% of Adam Bike’s AI needs.
The power stack (add when you have specific needs)
| Tool | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Canva Pro | AED 55/mo | Branded social graphics, Instagram posts and stories with text overlays |
| Wispr Flow | AED 55/mo | Voice dictation system-wide (Mac), speak instead of type |
| Granola | AED 51/mo | Meeting transcription and notes, connects to Claude via MCP |
| Perplexity | Free / AED 73/mo | Quick sourced answers to factual questions |
| NotebookLM | Free | Upload documents and ask questions, great for product catalogs |
Understanding Claude’s features in detail
Claude Chat
The basic conversation interface. You type, Claude responds. Available on web, iOS, and Android. Free tier has usage limits. Pro gives you much higher limits.
Use for: writing, editing, answering questions, brainstorming, explaining concepts.
Claude Projects
A named workspace with persistent context. You upload files (like your Adam Bike context file) and every conversation in that Project starts with that context loaded. Projects also save your conversation history.
Use for: any business work where you want Claude to always know your context.
Claude Research
Deep research mode. Enable it in a conversation with the Research toggle. Claude searches dozens of sources and returns a structured report. Takes 5 to 30 minutes.
Use for: market research, competitor analysis, trend reports, due diligence on suppliers.
Claude Cowork
Available in Claude Desktop (the downloadable app). Cowork connects Claude to a folder on your computer. Claude can read, edit, and create files directly. Your CLAUDE.md file in that folder acts as persistent context.
Use for: working on documents, batch-writing product descriptions, processing files.
Claude Schedule
Set recurring tasks with the /schedule command in Cowork mode. Tasks run automatically on your chosen interval (daily, weekly, monthly).
Use for: weekly content batches, Monday sales summaries, monthly inventory reviews.
Claude Connectors (MCP)
Model Context Protocol allows Claude to connect to external services. With connectors, Claude can access live data from your Shopify store, Gmail, Google Drive, Notion, and more.
Two ways to set up connectors: via Composio (no-code, pre-built connectors) or manually (requires technical setup). See the Shopify connector details on the Analyze Sales page.
Granola: meeting notes that connect to Claude
Granola (AED 51/month) records and transcribes your meetings automatically. You join your call normally. Granola runs in the background. After the call, you get a clean summary with action items.
Granola connects to Claude via MCP. After a meeting, you can ask Claude:
For a business that has regular supplier calls, team meetings, or sales consultations, Granola pays for itself quickly.
When to use Claude vs Gemini
Use Claude for:
- Your primary writing and content work (it knows your brand via your project)
- Deep research (Research mode is exceptional)
- Anything requiring analysis, nuanced writing, or long documents
- Working with your business files (Cowork)
- Automating recurring tasks (Schedule)
Use Gemini for:
- Image generation: free, 100+ images per day, excellent quality
- Quick questions when you are already in a Google product
- Google Workspace integration (Docs, Sheets, Gmail suggestions)
Claude and Gemini together cover everything Adam Bike needs.
MCP connectors worth knowing about
MCP (Model Context Protocol) is how Claude connects to external services. Each connector gives Claude live access to that tool.
Available connectors for Adam Bike:
- Shopify: Ask Claude about live order status, inventory, revenue without exporting CSV files
- Gmail: Ask Claude to draft replies, summarize emails, and manage your inbox
- Google Drive: Ask Claude to read, edit, and create documents in your Drive
- Softeria M365: If you use Microsoft 365, this connects Claude to Outlook, Teams, and OneDrive
- Notion: Ask Claude to update your Notion pages and databases
Setting up connectors takes 10 to 30 minutes per connector. Start with Shopify when you are comfortable with the basics.