Which AI should I use to automate my business tasks?
This is where AI agents beat chat apps: they don't just tell you how to automate something, they run the work on a schedule or on a computer of their own. Here's which agent fits your setup and budget, plus classic automation tools for fixed workflows.
Which AI does this best
- Grok Bot#1AI agentPaid
No setup: each Bot gets its own cloud computer with a browser and your connected apps, and keeps working when your laptop's off. It asks before it sends, posts, buys or deletes. It's a paid beta and needs a SuperGrok or Cursor plan.
Open Grok Bot ↗✦ Try this promptEvery weekday at [9:00], check my inbox for new [orders / client requests], add each one to my [Google Sheet / Notion] with name, date, what they want and amount, and draft a reply for each one in my tone. Don't send anything: show me the drafts for approval. On Fridays, send me a summary: number of requests, total amount, anything unanswered for more than 2 days.
- Hermes Agent#2AI agentFree
Free and open source, runs on your computer or a cheap server, and lets you set recurring jobs in plain English, with results sent to Telegram or WhatsApp. It learns your routines over time. You'll need to install it and pay for the AI model it uses.
Open Hermes Agent ↗✦ Try this promptSet up a recurring job: every Monday at [8:00], go through [the sales CSV in /data / my Google Sheet link], compare last week with the week before, and send me a short Telegram message: total sales, top 3 products, anything that dropped more than 20%, and one suggestion. Save this as a skill so you do it the same way every week.
- OpenClaw#3AI agentFree
Free, open-source assistant you message on WhatsApp, Telegram or Slack like a colleague. It can browse websites, fill forms and run tasks on the computer you install it on. Setup takes some technical comfort, and only install skills you trust.
Open OpenClaw ↗✦ Try this promptWhen I forward you a supplier invoice on WhatsApp, read it, save the PDF to [folder], add supplier, date, amount and due date to [spreadsheet], and remind me 3 days before it's due. If anything looks wrong (duplicate number, different bank details than last time), tell me straight away instead of saving it.
- Muse (Meta)#4AI agentFree plan
Meta's personal agent handles errands in the background: emails, forms, bookings and bills. There's a free tier, but it's only available in the US and Canada for now, and it's built for personal admin more than team workflows.
Open Muse (Meta) ↗✦ Try this promptLook through my email for anything that needs action this week: bills to pay, forms to fill, appointments to confirm. Make me a list sorted by due date. For each, draft the reply or fill the form, but ask me before submitting, paying or confirming anything.
- Claude#5AI assistantFree plan
The best adviser for designing an automation: describe your process and it plans the steps and writes the Zapier or n8n setup with you. On paid plans Cowork can also do tasks on your computer, but it doesn't run on a schedule while you're away.
Open Claude ↗✦ Try this promptI run a [type of business]. Here's a task I do by hand every week: [describe it step by step]. Suggest the simplest way to automate it with [Zapier / n8n / Make], list each trigger and action, what accounts I need to connect, and the monthly cost. Then write out the exact setup step by step for a non-technical person.
Specialised tools
- ZapierFree plan
The easiest place to start. Describe the workflow in plain words and it'll build it for you, with the biggest list of app connections.
Open Zapier ↗ - n8nFree plan
Best if you want full control or AI agents in your workflows. You can host it yourself for free, but it'll take more setup.
Open n8n ↗
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