Workflow tips for using AI

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8KpGLg6dRw

Rick Mulready channel

Tip: get Gemini Pro to write the prompt for use of Nanobanana Pro via the API interface!

Here is a comprehensive summary of the video strategy to reduce AI expenses by replacing specialized tools with smarter workflows.

How to Save $200+/Month by Replacing 8 Expensive AI Tools

The video argues that AI models have evolved so fast that specialized “wrapper” tools (tools built on top of models like GPT-4) are no longer necessary. By using foundational models and smart workflows, businesses can save hundreds of dollars monthly.

Summary of Savings

Workflow Category	Old Expensive Stack	Cost/Mo	New Workflow Stack	Cost/Mo	Savings
1. Meeting Notes	Otter.ai / Fireflies	~$19	Fathom + NotebookLM	Free	$19
2. Research	Perplexity Pro	$20	NotebookLM	Free	$20
3. Writing	Jasper / Copy.ai	~$49+	Claude Pro	$20	$29+
4. Images	Midjourney / Ideogram	~$30	Google AI Studio (Imagen/Nano Banana)	Free*	$30
5. Presentations	Gamma / Beautiful.ai	~$20	Gemini App + Google Slides	Free	$20
6. Automation	Make + MindPal	~$68	Relay.app + Claude Skills	Free/Low	$68
7. Repurposing	Repurpose.io	~$35	Relay.app Automation	Free/Low	$35
TOTAL		~$241		~$20	~$221

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Detailed Workflow Breakdowns

1. Meeting Transcription & Notes

The Old Way: Paying for Otter.ai or Fireflies.ai. The New Workflow:

1. Record: Use Fathom (Free Plan) to record and transcribe the call.
2. Process: Copy the full transcript from Fathom.
3. Analyze: Paste the transcript into NotebookLM (Free).
4. Output: Use NotebookLM to query the meeting, track trends, write follow-up emails, or generate audio summaries.

2. Deep Research & Analysis

The Old Way: Paying for Perplexity Pro. The New Workflow:

1. Tool: Use NotebookLM (Free). It now includes “Deep Research” powered by Gemini.
2. Process: Select “Deep Research” from the source dropdown. Type your query (e.g., “Top AI opportunities in Q4 2025”).
3. Result: It generates a comprehensive report with citations. You can also upload your own PDFs/Docs to research against internal data.

3. Content Creation (Writing)

The Old Way: Dedicated writers like Jasper, Copy.ai, or Writesonic. The New Workflow:

1. Tool: Claude Pro ($20/mo - The only paid tool recommended in the core stack).
2. Why: Claude writes better than the dedicated tools.
3. Features: Use Claude Projects to store brand knowledge and Claude Skills to create reusable instructions (e.g., “Always format emails in this specific brand voice”).

4. Image Generation & Design

The Old Way: Midjourney or Ideogram. The New Workflow:

1. Tool: Google AI Studio (Free).
2. Model: Select Nano Banana or Imagen 4.
3. Prompting: If you don’t know how to prompt, use the Gemini chat window inside AI Studio to write the image prompt for you.
4. Cost: Nano Banana requires an API key but costs fractions of a penny (essentially free).

5. Presentations & Slide Decks

The Old Way: Gamma or Beautiful.ai. The New Workflow:

1. Tool: Google Gemini App (Free version is sufficient).
2. Process: Ask Gemini to create a slide deck based on a topic or a previous research output.
3. Export: Click the “Export to Slides” button to immediately open an editable presentation in Google Slides.

6. Automation & AI Agents

The Old Way: Complex setups using Make.com combined with expensive AI agent tools like MindPal. The New Workflow:

1. Tool: Relay.app (Free plan) or Claude Skills.
2. Strategy:
   • Claude Skills: Create a “skill” inside Claude that creates a workflow (e.g., “Turn this transcript into a blog post”).
   • Relay.app: Use their AI assistant to build “No-Code” automations. Example: When a new lead arrives → Draft an email → Send a Slack DM for approval → Send the email.

7. Social Media Content Repurposing

The Old Way: Repurpose.io or Descript. The New Workflow:

1. Tool: Relay.app.
2. Automation: Build a specific workflow:
   • Trigger: New video posted to YouTube.
   • Action: Get Transcript.
   • Action: Send to Claude to write a LinkedIn post.
   • Action: Send Slack DM to user for approval.
   • Action: Post to LinkedIn automatically upon approval.

Bonus: Notion AI

While optional, Notion AI ($24/mo/user) allows you to consolidate models. Instead of paying for separate ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini subscriptions, you can access all latest models (GPT-4, Claude 3.5 Sonnet, Gemini Pro) directly inside Notion. It creates a unified workspace connected to your docs, Google Drive, and Slack.