Developer cuts 40 AI tools to 4 using a task-first selection framework

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A developer who installed over 40 AI tools in a year found that fewer than eight were actually useful daily, with less than 30% of AI interactions producing real value. After three months of trial and error, they developed a framework built on one core rule: list tasks first, then choose tools to serve those tasks. Each task was ranked by frequency and time spent, with only those consuming more than 30 minutes a week warranting a dedicated tool. Candidates were then screened for data portability, maintenance cost, and ecosystem integration, cutting an initial list of 15 AI-assisted tasks down to six. The final setup — one tool each for writing, meetings, data, and email — reduced total weekly time on those tasks from roughly 11.5 hours to under 4 hours.

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