Video summary

I Tried 113 AI Tools, Here Are the 7 That Actually Helped My ADHD

Main summary

Key takeaways

Product Review

Product(s) reviewed in the video

The video is a round-up of seven AI tools for productivity with ADHD. The “product” being covered is therefore the set of tools, with deeper focus on Claude and Granola. (No single rating is provided overall; several tools are compared to alternatives like Google, ChatGPT, and Notion.)

1) WhisperFlow (voice dictation/transcription) — productivity/communication

Main features

  • Voice dictation: press FN key, speak, and it transcribes your speech “almost perfectly.”
  • Works across laptop and phone.
  • Used alongside Gemini to refine dictated drafts.

Key use cases

  • Email replies: dictate what to say, then clean/adjust using Gemini.
  • Reduces typing for ADHD-related speed/recall issues (thoughts race faster than typing).

Pros

  • Cuts keyboard typing by ~80%.
  • Faster than typing when thoughts move quickly; helps prevent forgetting what you meant to write.
  • With Gemini + repeated use, Gemini supposedly learns the user’s tone/patterns for more natural replies.

Cons / limitations

  • Gemini effectiveness depends on using WhisperFlow/voice dictation in your own style; without it, Gemini responses become more generic.

2) Gemini (used with WhisperFlow for drafting/rewriting)

Main features

  • Used as a cleanup/editor after voice dictation.
  • Claims it learns user patterns over time to predict likely responses in the user’s tone.

Pros

  • Produces replies that feel closer to how the creator would respond (especially when trained via WhisperFlow dictation).

Cons / limitations

  • If you don’t provide dictation, Gemini gives more generic surface-level replies.

3) Perplexity (web search / answer engine)

Main features

  • “Answer engine optimized for live web research” with structured answers, inline sources, and cards.
  • Lets you click every claim to verify sources.
  • Shortcut hack: open via a command P key to search anywhere quickly.

Use case

  • Replace Google searches that lead to irrelevant rabbit holes, ads, and low-quality SEO content.

Comparisons: Perplexity vs ChatGPT (for search)

  • Creator says ChatGPT often gives generic, surface-level answers and is not up to date.
  • Perplexity is described as faster and more up-to-date, with better results.

Pros

  • Avoids Google’s ads/SEO noise.
  • Delivers high-quality answers quickly with sources.

Cons

  • None directly stated beyond preference for Perplexity due to Google’s issues.

4) Notion AI (notes/tasks from workspace) — planning + knowledge management inside Notion

Main features

  • Searches and answers questions across a Notion workspace.
  • Works inside Notion to convert messy input into organized content.

Use case in creator’s system (Kaizen)

Workflow:

  1. Voice dictate responsibilities/todos into the system (using WhisperFlow).
  2. Ask Notion AI to turn them into tasks, group similar items, and sort by urgency and energy (Kaizen ADHD-friendly planning method).
  3. Then drag/drop into the Kaizen task database.

Pros

  • Reduces friction of planning (a key ADHD pain point), helping reduce procrastination.
  • Creator claims it’s more reliable/faster/more accurate than connecting other AI tools via MCP.

Cons / limitations

  • Notion overall can become complicated/slow for finding things.
  • Notion AI is an add-on you buy separately from Notion (not included from the creator).

Additional feature mentioned

  • Notion also has a meeting transcriber, but the creator prefers Granola.

5) Granola (meeting transcription + ADHD-focused “recipe” features)

Main features

  • “AI notepad” for meetings:
    • Transcribes during the meeting (audio capture), not only afterward.
    • Doesn’t require a bot to join (creator notes it should be disclosed/permission obtained).
  • Enhances messy live notes into structured notes after the meeting:
    • Pulls out action items, follow-ups
    • Expands half-sentences/bullets into full context.

Platform support

  • Works on Mac, iOS, and across Zoom / Google Meet / Slack / other video platforms.

Major differentiator vs Notion transcriber

  • Notion: transcription after the meeting
  • Granola: transcription during the meeting (better for zoning out/distraction)

“Recipe” features (prompts for ADHD during/around meetings)

  1. “What did I miss?”
    • Summarizes the last few minutes so you can catch up quickly.
    • Usable for live lectures/webinars/events too.
  2. “Suggesting topics”
    • Suggests conversation topics based on the actual conversation (not random).
  3. “Make me sound smart”
    • Structures thoughts in real time so you can present more articulately.

Pros

  • Designed specifically for distracted ADHD attention: helps you catch up live and stay engaged.
  • Provides clearer follow-ups and action items.
  • Reduces anxiety by improving preparedness (creator says they hate meetings and procrastinate around them).

Cons / limitations

  • Requires permission/notice to other participants (ethical disclosure emphasized).
  • No other explicit drawbacks stated.

Comparison

  • Preferred over Notion’s meeting transcription due to real-time support.

6) Hix Build (auto video repurposing for creators)

Main features

  • Input: link to a YouTube video + prompt (e.g., “pull five vertical clips with strongest moments” + “add a hook in the first 3”).
  • Produces shorts/reels automatically:
    • clipping, subtitles, cutting, B-rolls, animations/graphics handling.

Use case

  • Repurpose longer YouTube content into Instagram Reels / YouTube Shorts / TikTok-style vertical clips.

Validation / results claimed

  • Creator tested and posted automatically generated shorts on Instagram and YouTube Shorts.
  • Says they got the same number of views as manually edited clips.

Pros

  • Saves time by handling editing/packaging work that kills momentum.
  • Helps avoid outsourcing communication overhead (an ADHD energy drain).

Cons

  • Not described as relevant if you’re not a content creator.

7) Claude + Obsidian (second brain / knowledge management)

Main features

  • Claude acts as an intelligence layer over Obsidian (personal knowledge management vault).
  • The setup includes:
    • A Claude memory file that remembers the creator’s interests, identity, preferences, and goals.
    • Teaching Claude the desired Obsidian organization structure, so Claude can create/link notes.
    • Integration via Obsidian web clipper using API keys:
      • When clipping a YouTube video, creator gets transcription + summary + action points + learnings.
    • Claude can be asked to “look into my Obsidian wall” and find relevant notes.

Pros

  • Converts a “pile of notes” into a system that “thinks with me.”
  • Helps the creator avoid doomscrolling by making content clip-and-review actionable.
  • Finds and connects ideas for deeper learning.
  • Saves time: creator clips first, decides whether to watch fully.

Cons / limitations

  • Obsidian is described as personal-only:
    • Collaboration/sharing is hard.
  • Claude/Obsidian is positioned as best for learning/gathering info, less for project/task collaboration.

Comparison to Notion

  • Notion: project + task management (and collaboration/UI preferred)
  • Obsidian + Claude: knowledge management and personal notes
  • Creator’s reasoning:
    • Obsidian excels at fast note capture
    • Notion UI is better for complex organization and teamwork

Overall verdict of creator

  • Claude is called the “most important,” “game-changing,” and “absolute favorite” tool in the list.

Unique points mentioned across all tools (consolidated)

  • Voice dictation reduces typing by ~80% (WhisperFlow).
  • Dictated voice + Gemini enables more personalized replies over time (less generic).
  • Perplexity beats Google for quality and speed; provides structured answers with inline sources.
  • Perplexity vs ChatGPT: Perplexity is described as more up-to-date and less generic for search.
  • Notion AI can turn brain-dumped messy input into structured tasks grouped and sorted by urgency + energy (Kaizen system).
  • Notion meeting transcription is less preferred because it’s after the meeting.
  • Granola transcribes during meetings, supports ADHD catch-up and focus via recipes:
    • “What did I miss?”, “Suggest topics”, “Make me sound smart”.
  • Granola improves meeting anxiety by enabling preparedness and better follow-ups.
  • Hix Build repurposes YouTube videos into shorts/reels quickly; claimed parity in views vs manual edits.
  • Claude + Obsidian creates a connected “second brain”:
    • memory + structured note organization + clip-to-summary workflow.
  • Notion vs Obsidian distinction:
    • Notion for projects/tasks
    • Obsidian for personal knowledge/thoughts

Speakers/views

  • Single main speaker (the reviewer) presents all tools and comparisons.
  • Sponsored elements: Granola and Hix Build are sponsored portions; the creator provides personal preference/usage claims.

Concise verdict / recommendation

If you have ADHD and want fast wins: WhisperFlow + Gemini for communication, Perplexity for high-quality up-to-date research, and Notion AI within the Kaizen workflow to reduce planning friction. For meetings specifically, the creator strongly recommends Granola over Notion because it supports live catch-up. Overall, the most recommended “game-changing” setup is Claude + Obsidian for turning notes into an active, connected knowledge system.

Original video