The best AI tools in 2026

12 May 2026 · 1 min

Watch on YouTube

0:57

In this concise YouTube review, Nick Kugelman rapidly evaluates a wide range of AI tools available in 2026, assigning each a tier ranking (S, A, B, or C) and offering brief commentary on their strengths. Notable highlights include Gemini and Canva AI receiving A‑tier marks, ChatGPT 5.5 praised as impressive, Opus 4.7 labeled "fucking impressive," and Perplexity achieving S‑tier status. Tools such as Claude Cowork, NotebookLM, and Granola earn high marks, while others like Replit and Copilot fall into lower tiers. The segment culminates with a strong endorsement of Apex, described as the "top of the top," more secure than OpenClaw, bundled with apps, and specifically built for CEOs, accompanied by a call‑to‑action for viewers to comment for a link.

Chapters

Gemini. A. In your Gmail, in your calendar. Canva AI. B. Claude Design has obviously kicked its ass. ChatGPT. A. 5.5 is actually really impressive. Weeks from now it could change. Claude. S. Opus 4.7 is fucking impressive. Replit. C. I mean, I just— no. Claude Cowork. Lower end of S tier. It's legit. NotebookLM. A tier. For accelerated consumption of knowledge. Perplexity. It's actually S tier. Perplexity computer has beat Manus. Manus. Manus is A. Perplexity just came out with a better product. Lovable. B. You can do everything Lovable does in Claude Code. Whisperflow, middle of B. Groq, above Canva. Granola, it's A tier. Copilot, B. No. Claude Code, Claude Code builds every other app that you just mentioned. OpenClaw, it's just below Claude if you know how to set it up and not get hacked. Apex, Apex, the top of the top. It's more secure than OpenClaw, it comes with apps, and it's made specifically for CEOs. If you want to check it out, just comment Apex below and I'll send you a link.