Living Library
Every tool from Part V of AI in Action 2: its official website, what it is strong at, how you can start for free and what to watch out for. Tools change every few weeks. This page is where we keep the comparison current, so when the book and this page disagree, this page is right.
Pictures and design · Moving pictures · Voice and music · Avatars, lip-sync and cloned voices · Platforms, automation and your own AI studio
Pictures and design
Image tools: assistants, specialist generators, platforms with many models, a design tool and the open workshop. From Chapter 16: Pictures and Design — Choosing an Image Tool.
| Tool | Kind | Strong at | Free start | Watch out | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Assistant with images | Following long instructions; text in images is getting better | Yes, with daily limits | Limits run out fast on a busy day | Not yet |
| Gemini | Assistant with images | Editing photos; keeping a face or product the same across changes | Yes, with daily limits | Marks its images as AI-made | Not yet |
| Midjourney | Specialist generator | Artistic style, light and texture | No | Images are public unless you pay for a private mode | Not yet |
| Ideogram | Specialist generator | Readable text, posters, logo drafts | Limited | Commercial use on the free plan | Not yet |
| Higgsfield | Platform with many models | Comparing models with one prompt | Limited | Know the price of one image in credits | Not yet |
| Freepik | Platform with many models | AI models plus stock photos and icons in one place | Limited | Stock images and AI images have different licences | Not yet |
| Canva | Design tool | Layout, real text, templates, every platform size | Yes | Some elements and fonts only in Canva Pro | Not yet |
| ComfyUI | Open workshop | Full control, long consistent series | Free software; you pay for the computer | Learning time (Chapter 20) | Not yet |
Moving pictures
Video generators and editors. Count the cost per usable second, not the price of the plan. From Chapter 17: Moving Pictures — Choosing a Video Tool.
| Tool | Kind | Strong at | Free start | Watch out | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kling | Video generator | Natural movement of people and animals, longer clips, sound | A basic plan, not for commercial use | Client work needs a paid plan | Not yet |
| Veo (in Google Gemini and Flow) | Video generator | Realistic scenes with sound | Through Google's paid AI plans | Few clips per day on the smaller plans | Not yet |
| Runway | Video generator | Camera control, tools for changing existing clips | One-time trial credits, with watermark | Trial is gone fast | Not yet |
| Luma Dream Machine | Video generator | Smooth camera moves, start and end frames | – | Plans have changed often | Not yet |
| Higgsfield | Platform with many models | Several video models and camera presets in one place | Limited | Know the price of one second in credits | Not yet |
| CapCut | Editor | Editing on the phone, moving stills, templates | Yes | Some functions paid; check for watermark or end card | Not yet |
| DaVinci Resolve | Editor | Precise cuts, colour and sound | Yes, the free version | Needs a capable laptop | Not yet |
Voice and music
Real voices first; synthetic voices labelled; music only with a licence that covers client work. From Chapter 18: The Sound of Trust — Voice and Music.
| Tool | Kind | Strong at | Free start | Watch out | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your phone's voice recorder | Real voice | Trust, local language | Yes | A quiet room and a hand's width from the mouth | Not yet |
| ElevenLabs | Text-to-speech and voice cloning | Natural voices, many languages; Kiswahili in its newest model | Yes, about ten minutes a month, not for commercial use | Client work needs a paid plan; only audio made while subscribed may be used commercially | Not yet |
| CapCut | Text-to-speech inside the editor | A quick voice without leaving the edit | Yes | Few Kenyan voices; check the terms | Not yet |
| YouTube Audio Library | Free music library | Free tracks for videos | Yes | Terms for use outside YouTube | Not yet |
| Artlist | Paid music library | A large library with a clear licence for client work | No | Keep the licence certificate per project | Not yet |
| Suno | AI music generator | Songs made to measure, with or without words | Yes, for personal use only | Commercial use only on paid plans; ownership not guaranteed | Not yet |
| Udio | AI music generator | Songs made to measure, inside its own platform | – | After agreements with record labels, downloads were restricted; check before using it for client work | Not yet |
Avatars, lip-sync and cloned voices
Only for your own face and voice, fictional characters, or adults who gave written consent. Never children, never correcting what a real person said. From Chapter 19: The Ethical Edge — Avatars, Lip-Sync and Cloned Voices.
| Tool | What it does | Consent check | Use it for | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HeyGen | Avatars from video or a photo, lip-sync, video translation | For video twins yes; for photo avatars no | Fictional characters; your own avatar | Not yet |
| Synthesia | Presenters from stock actors, or your own avatar | – | Explainers with a labelled stock presenter | Not yet |
| sync. | Lip-sync on existing video | – | Your own footage, for example a translation of your own words | Not yet |
| ElevenLabs | Voice cloning | – | Your own voice only, or with written consent | Not yet |
Platforms, automation and your own AI studio
From ready-made apps to connecting platforms to a rented GPU. From Chapter 20: The Workshop — Platforms, Automation and Your Own AI Studio.
| Tool | Level | Good for | Free start | Watch out | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Sites | Ready-made app | A simple website in an afternoon | Yes | Few design options; your own domain needs setup | Not yet |
| WordPress | Ready-made app | A website the client can grow (Chapter 7) | The software is free; hosting is paid | Updates and security are your job | Not yet |
| Make | Connecting platform | Connecting apps visually | Yes, 1,000 credits a month, two active scenarios | Credits run out with frequent checks | Not yet |
| n8n | Connecting platform | The same, more technical; can run on your own server | Free on your own server; cloud plans from about $20 a month | Needs a server and some technical skill | Not yet |
| ComfyUI | Open workshop | Full control, long consistent series | Free software | Learning time; needs a strong GPU | Not yet |
| RunPod | Rented computer | A strong GPU by the hour, with ComfyUI ready to start | No; prepaid credit | Pay while it runs; storage costs after stopping | Not yet |
Before you choose
Ask Otieno’s five questions: Does it fit my device and data? What does “free” mean here? Who owns the result? Where does my data go? Is there a simpler way? Then test one real task before you pay for a month.
Missing a tool, or found a price that changed? Write to learn@missinglinkk.com.