Your Essential Guide to Choosing the Right AI Tools for Research and Work

Boston University Libraries has released a comprehensive guide that cuts through the confusion around generative AI tools, helping students and professionals make informed decisions about which AI platforms work best for different tasks.

The guide breaks AI tools into two critical categories that most users don't understand: non-grounded and grounded tools. Non-grounded tools like ChatGPT (free version) and Claude rely solely on training data and excel at brainstorming and creative tasks, but struggle with current facts. Grounded tools like Perplexity AI and Gemini access real-time information, making them better for research and fact-checking.

Key Tool Recommendations by Use Case

For Creative Work and Brainstorming:

• ChatGPT and Claude offer the best performance for idea generation and drafting
• Both have strong free versions with paid upgrades starting at $20/month

For Research and Current Information:

• Perplexity AI provides real-time web results with citations
• Scite Assistant answers with academic citations
• Elicit searches across 175+ million research papers

For Document Management:

• NotebookLM excels at summarizing uploaded PDFs and notes
• Readwise Reader combines AI summaries with note management

The guide emphasizes a crucial point often missed: AI should supplement, not replace, scholarly research. Library databases remain essential for peer-reviewed sources, while AI tools accelerate the research process through idea exploration and source discovery.

The Bottom Line

Even grounded AI tools can generate incorrect information, so verification through trusted academic sources remains critical. The most effective approach combines non-grounded tools for creativity with grounded tools for accuracy, always followed by verification through established research databases.

🔗 Read the full guide: Comparing Generative AI Tools - BU Libraries