Finding the right AI tool feels like navigating a maze. New apps launch daily, each promising to revolutionize how you work.
But which ones are people using to get things done? At The AI Library, we analyze usage patterns, search behavior, and engagement data to spotlight the tools that are truly making an impact.
This article cuts through the hype, delivering a data-backed look at the most popular AI tools from April to June 2025.
How We Ranked These AI Tools
Our rankings are based on real-world usage signals, not just buzz. We combined three key data points to build this list:
a. Search Activity: We tracked search volume and clicks for tools.
b. User Engagement: We measured how often users bookmarked, revisited, and interacted with tool pages on The AI Library.
c. Community Mentions: We analyzed external buzz on platforms like Reddit, LinkedIn, and developer forums to gauge which tools are driving conversations.
Headline Trend: Google Veo Breaks Into the Top 3
Video is exploding — and Google Veo, with its cinematic-level generation abilities, is one of the biggest reasons. This tool didn’t just launch with hype; it delivered real results that teams are adopting for education, media, and branded storytelling.
The Top 20 Most Used AI Tools of Q2 2025
The Creative Powerhouses: Redefining Visuals and Sound
The second quarter saw an explosion in AI-driven creativity. From cinematic videos to viral songs, these tools are turning simple text prompts into compelling art and media.
1. Google Veo (Video Generator)
Google’s premier text-to-video model made waves with its ability to create high-definition, minute-long video clips with unprecedented cinematic control. It’s quickly being adopted by filmmakers and marketing teams to produce stunning, coherent visuals from text.
2. Midjourney (Image Generator)
The undisputed king of artistic image generation, Midjourney, continues to dominate with its visually stunning and unique graphics. It remains the top choice for artists and designers seeking high-quality, imaginative visuals.
3. DALL-E 3 (Image Generator)
Integrated directly into ChatGPT, DALL-E 3’s strength lies in its ease of use and accessibility. It excels at turning conversational prompts into creative and accurate images, making it a go-to for everyday users and content creators.
4. Runway (Video Generation)
A comprehensive platform for AI-powered video editing and creation, Runway holds its strong position due to its suite of innovative features, including text-to-video, video-to-video, and advanced editing tools that empower creators.
5. Synthesia (Video Generation)
Widely used in corporate and educational settings, Synthesia simplifies video production by allowing users to create professional-looking videos with realistic AI avatars, saving time and resources.
6. ElevenLabs (Voice Synthesis)
The leader in realistic AI voice generation, ElevenLabs is a favorite among content creators, developers, and audiobook producers for its high-quality output and powerful voice cloning capabilities.
7. Suno AI (Music Generator)
This tool went viral for its ability to generate full-length songs, complete with vocals, from simple text prompts. It has become incredibly popular with TikTok creators and independent musicians for quickly producing original music.
Read Also: 14 Smart Ways to Utilize AI for Social Media, Marketing, and SEO Success
The Content & Communication Champions: Smarter Writing and Interaction
These tools are the workhorses of the AI world. They help users draft, refine, and organize their thoughts, becoming essential assistants for everything from marketing copy to deep research.
8. ChatGPT (OpenAI)
Still the most-used LLM across the board, ChatGPT is the Swiss Army knife of AI. Developers, students, and marketers rely on it for brainstorming, drafting, coding, and customer support. Its versatility keeps it at the top.
9. Jasper (AI Writing Assistant)
Specializing in marketing copy and branded content, Jasper remains a favorite for professionals. Its focus on maintaining a consistent brand voice and its extensive library of templates make it an invaluable writing partner.
10. Google Gemini (AI Chatbot)
A powerful multimodal AI that understands text, images, and code, Gemini’s strength comes from its deep integration with the Google ecosystem. It is heavily used for research, analysis, and summarizing complex information.
11. Claude (AI Chatbot)
Developed by Anthropic, Claude has gained a loyal following for its thoughtful, coherent, and context-aware responses. It is often preferred for complex writing tasks and coding assistance where clarity and safety are priorities.
12. Perplexity AI (Search Engine)
This AI-native search engine provides direct, cited answers to complex questions. It is incredibly popular among researchers and professionals who need accurate, verifiable information without sifting through endless links.
13. Grammarly (Writing Assistant)
A household name in writing assistance, Grammarly’s AI-powered features go beyond spelling and grammar. It helps millions of users improve their clarity, tone, and style, making it a staple in both business and education.
14. Poe (AI Chatbot Platform)
An aggregator app from Quora, Poe allows users to access multiple AI models (like ChatGPT and Claude) in a single interface. It’s trending because it makes it easy to compare outputs and find the best model for any given task.
Read also: Top 60 AI Tools in 2025 – A Writer’s Perspective
The Productivity Accelerators: Automating Work and Life
This category is all about efficiency. These tools automate tedious tasks, organize information, and help teams collaborate more effectively, freeing up users to focus on what matters most.
15. Notion
More than just a note-taking app, Notion has become an all-in-one workspace with its integrated AI features. It is used extensively for project management, knowledge bases, and team collaboration, with AI assisting in content creation and organization.
16. Fireflies.ai (Meeting Assistant)
This tool’s popularity continues to surge as it automates one of the most tedious parts of work: taking meeting notes. It transcribes, summarizes, and analyzes voice conversations, saving teams valuable time.
17. Zapier (Automation Platform)
A cornerstone of business automation, Zapier’s AI features allow users to create intelligent, multi-step workflows that connect thousands of different applications. It’s an essential tool for streamlining business processes.
18. Recraft (Design Tool)
An AI tool that turns prompts into scalable vector graphics (SVGs), logos, and illustrations. Recraft has become a go-to for startup branding, marketing assets, and product mockups due to its design-focused controls.
The Developer’s Toolkit: Building the Future with AI
AI is not just a product; it’s also a powerful tool for building new software. These platforms are essential for developers looking to accelerate their workflows and build next-generation applications.
19. GitHub Copilot (Code Assistant)
An indispensable tool for developers, Copilot suggests code and entire functions directly within the editor. It dramatically speeds up the development process and is a staple in the software engineering community.
20. Descript (Video & Audio Editor)
Beloved by podcasters and video creators, Descript transcribes audio and video, allowing users to edit media by simply editing the text. Its intuitive workflow revolutionizes content editing.
Key Trends Shaping the AI Frontier
The data from Q2 2025 reveals three major shifts in how AI is being adopted:
1. From Text to Multimodal Creation: While text-based assistants like ChatGPT are still dominant, the rapid rise of tools like Google Veo and Suno AI shows a massive shift toward multimodal creation. Users are now generating video, music, and high-quality visuals as easily as they once generated text.
2. AI Is the New Productivity Suite: Use cases have firmly moved from experimentation to essential productivity. People rely on AI for daily tasks: writing emails, creating presentations, summarizing meetings, and managing workflows. Tools like Fireflies.ai and Notion are becoming as standard as email.
3. Specialization Is Gaining Ground: General-purpose chatbots are being supplemented by specialized tools that do one thing exceptionally well. A user might brainstorm with ChatGPT, write marketing copy with Jasper, and create visuals with Midjourney, using the best tool for each step of a project.
Emerging Contenders to Watch in Q3
While they didn’t crack the top 20, platforms like LangGraph and CrewAI are gaining significant traction. These frameworks for building autonomous AI agents signal a move toward more complex, multi-step AI systems that can manage entire projects independently.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are AI tools?
AI tools are software applications that use artificial intelligence to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence. This includes understanding language, creating images and video, analyzing data, and automating workflows.
2, What is the most popular category of AI tools?
Based on Q2 2025 data, AI chatbots and writing assistants remain highly popular for their broad applications. However, creative tools for video and image generation, like Google Veo and Midjourney, are the fastest-growing categories in terms of user adoption.
3. How can AI tools help my business?
AI tools can help businesses by: a) automating repetitive tasks like note-taking and data entry, b) generating marketing content and creative assets at scale, c) providing data-driven insights for better decision-making, and d) personalizing customer support.
4. Are there free AI tools available?
Yes, many of the most popular tools, including ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Recraft, offer robust free versions. These are an excellent way to start exploring AI’s benefits. Directories like The AI Library can help you find free options for various tasks.
5. What should I look for when choosing an AI tool?
Consider the tool’s specific function and how well it fits your needs. Also, evaluate its ease of use, integration capabilities with your existing software, and its pricing model to ensure it aligns with your budget and workflow.