Tool Reviews · Build-in-Public
AI Tools We Actually Use
Not "best AI tools 2026" listicles. These are tools TAIGL genuinely uses every day to research, design, create, and sell. Each review explains exactly how we use it — so you can decide if it fits your workflow.
Affiliate disclosure: Some links below are affiliate links. If you click through and sign up, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. We only recommend tools we genuinely use and pay for ourselves. Tools without affiliate programmes are linked unpaid — we recommend them because they're good, not because we profit.
The industry standard for AI voice generation. We use it to narrate every social video the engine produces — TikTok scripts, YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels. The voice quality is indistinguishable from a professional voiceover artist.
How TAIGL uses it
The engine's VideoProductionAgent calls the ElevenLabs API to convert generated scripts into natural-sounding voiceovers. The result is muxed with Leonardo visuals and captions to produce finished short-form videos. We use the "Rachel" voice (ID: 21m00Tcm4TlvDq8ikWAM) for its clear, professional narrator tone.
Pros
- Best-in-class voice quality
- Multilingual support
- Generous free tier
- Simple API integration
Cons
- Voice cloning needs paid plan
- Can sound monotone on long scripts
A powerful AI image generator that creates product designs, thumbnails, and visual assets. We use it to design Modern Mystic wall art (moon phases, tarot prints, affirmation posters) and generate visuals for social video content.
How TAIGL uses it
The ProductDesignAgent generates Leonardo prompts for product designs. The engine calls the Leonardo API, downloads the generated image, uploads it to Cloudflare R2, and creates a Printify product draft with the artwork. The entire design-to-product pipeline is automated behind the MEDIA_LIVE_MODE flag.
Free tier
Yes (150 tokens/day)
Pros
- Excellent for stylised/design work
- Phoenix model produces premium results
- API is well-documented
- Free tier is generous
Cons
- Inconsistent text rendering
- Can require multiple regenerations
- Style control needs practice
The strategic brain behind TAIGL. Claude generates every piece of text the engine produces — video scripts, product descriptions, email sequences, lead magnet content, social captions, research summaries. We chose Claude over GPT-4 for its superior reasoning and longer, more nuanced outputs.
How TAIGL uses it
The engine's llm.complete() adapter calls the Claude Messages API across 31 call sites. Every agent — Research, Content Strategy, Product Design, Nurture Sequence, Legal Compliance — uses Claude to generate its output. Behind the LLM_LIVE_MODE flag, the entire text generation layer switches from mock templates to real Claude reasoning.
Best for
Long-form reasoning
Pros
- Best reasoning quality available
- Excellent at following complex instructions
- Superior long-form writing
- Less "AI-sounding" than GPT
Cons
- No affiliate programme
- API pricing can add up at scale
- Slightly slower than GPT-4o
The print-on-demand platform that powers Modern Mystic. Upload a design, pick a product (poster, mug, hoodie), and Printify handles printing, fulfilment, and shipping. It auto-syncs to Etsy, so products appear in the shop without manual listing.
How TAIGL uses it
The Printify adapter calls the real API to upload artwork, create product drafts with variants (8x10, 12x16, 18x24), set pricing, and publish. Behind PRINTIFY_LIVE_MODE, the engine can take a Leonardo-generated design and create a sellable Printify product → synced to Etsy → ready to earn.
Pros
- No upfront inventory cost
- Auto-syncs to Etsy
- Wide product range
- Simple API
Cons
- Print quality varies by provider
- Shipping times can be slow
- Thinner margins than self-fulfilment
The email platform that captures every lead and delivers nurture sequences. We chose MailerLite over ConvertKit/Beehiiv for its simplicity, free tier (up to 1,000 subscribers), and clean API.
How TAIGL uses it
When a visitor enters their email on the website, the engine's email adapter sends the data to MailerLite with custom fields (brand, signup_source, membership_status). The nurture sequence (5 emails) then runs automatically, with step 5 pitching the £19 Starter Kit. Attribution is tracked end-to-end.
Pros
- Generous free tier
- Simple automation builder
- Clean API
- Good deliverability
Cons
- Limited A/B testing on free plan
- Fewer integrations than competitors
The payment platform that sells the Starter Kit. Handles checkout, UK/EU tax compliance (VAT), receipts, and automatic digital file delivery. We chose Lemon Squeezy over Stripe because it handles tax compliance out of the box — critical for selling digital products internationally.
How TAIGL uses it
The Starter Kit's Buy button links directly to a Lemon Squeezy checkout. Lemon Squeezy handles the payment, tax/VAT calculation, receipt, and digital file delivery. Engine-side sale recording via signed webhook is prepared but not claimed live until the Lemon Squeezy webhook setup is fully verified.
Tax handling
Automatic (VAT/US)
Pros
- Handles VAT/tax automatically
- Instant digital delivery
- Clean, fast checkout
- Webhooks for automation
Cons
- 5% + 50¢ fee per sale
- Limited checkout customisation
Want the system that ties these tools together?
The AI Business Starter Kit shows you exactly how to use Claude, ElevenLabs, Leonardo, and more — with 50 copy-paste prompts, the SIGNAL method, and a 30-day plan. £19.
Get the Starter Kit →