AI Tools Directory - Community Deep Dives, For You (Updated May 29th, 2025)

Curated List By Experts on Substack

Updated May 29th, 2025

What’s new:

• New post by

  Daria Cupareanu
  !

• Removed section ‘‘ Tools made by Substackers’’, and created a separate directory called StackShelf.

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Quick Download

Find out why this directory exists, why it’s actually useful, who’s writing the deep dives, and how you can join them.

Table of Contents
Why This Directory Exists
How To Contribute 
View Directory
Authors
⚡️JUST ADDED ⚡️
Featured 

Why This Directory Exists

Every week, a new Top 500 AI Tools You Need To Try list drops.

I click one. Then another. And another. Before long, I’m drowning in tabs, not clarity.

Without research and testing, these repositories won’t tell me which tools are right, for me or for anyone.

So let’s do something different.

Not just a database with logos and pricing.

Depth Over Hype

✨ Substack writers add unique value through their deep dives and case studies. Some of the most brilliant articles I’ve read lately aren’t on Medium or in The New Yorker. They’re here on Substack, quietly sitting with 13 likes. ✨

So I teamed up with some fantastic writers to change that.

What This Directory Is

A curated hub of community deep dives on AI tools. Case studies, and product breakdowns in one trusted space. Thoughtful write-ups on:

• How the tool actually works

• Honest opinions from real users

• Product, design, and ethical insights

• Whether it’s worth your time

This directory 💯 FREE. I choose to spend my time curating it for you because of my not-so-secret mission of making AI ethics more approachable (and fun!).

And that means not only building good tech, but using it wisely too.

Submission Guide: Want to Contribute?

The directory features a curated mix of:

• deep dives I personally recommend

• submissions from creators like you

👉 View Submission Guide

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Pro Tip: Ethics Get You Featured Faster

I prioritize submissions that include an ethical perspective. Even a sentence. Here are some things to reflect on:

• How does this tool influence users’ decisions or behavior?

• Do creators disclose how their models work?

• Any signs of bias, manipulation, dark patterns or data hoarding?

• How does it shape creative or labor ecosystems?

• Who benefits, and who’s left out?

Don’t overthink it. Share what stood out to you.

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What’s In It For You, The Contributor

• Extra exposure and visibility for your articles, and all the work you poured into them: shared with a fast-growing community

• Since it’s on Notion, I’m guessing there are some sweet SEO and AIO perks from backlinks too.

• And if you follow my pro tip, I promise you’ll learn a lot, and start seeing tech through a whole new lens.

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AI Tools Directory: Deep Dives & Tools Made by Substack Community

👉 Visit the Directory.

The repository is currently in beta - your feedback will help shape and improve it. Please share your thoughts!

Writers Already in the Mix

1. Daria Cupareanu
   (AI Blew My Mind) - NEW!

2. Jenny Ouyang, PhD
   (Build to Launch)

3. Xinran Ma
   (Design with AI)

4. Wyndo
   (AI Maker)

5. Shmulik Cohen
   (AI Superhero)

6. Alberto Gonzalez
   (Smarter Engineers)

7. Andreas Just
   (Growth)

8. Michael Ulin
   (Prioneering Thoughts)

9. Michael Spencer
   (AI Supremacy)

10. Alex McFarland
    (AI Disruptor)

11. Mike Goitein
    (Product Strategy Decoded)

⚡️ Just Added ⚡️

Updated May 29th, 2025

The Secret’s Out: How to Build a Website in Minutes for Less Than $5

Featured This Month

• My Impressions of Lovable 2.0 by

  Xinran Ma

Most Ethically Insightful

• Beyond Code Generation: Using Large Language Models Inside Your Functions by

  Michael Ulin

Red Flag Radar

✨ Be the first to contribute!

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Let’s Crowdsource Better AI

What’s the last AI-related post or Substack essay that helped you?

👇 Drop it in the comments. Let’s surface the gems.

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Links to Bookmark

• Substack AI Tools Directory - Homepage

• Substack AI Tools Directory on Cove.AI

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More Awesome Directories by Fellow Substackers

• StackShelf - Showcase Your Digital Products

• Are You A Product Person Lost on Substack? Here’s the map

• Where are the Women in AI and Data on Substack? Look here (335+, 43+ countries) by

  Karen Smiley

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Related Posts

You might also want to check out:

👉

Martin Dubreuil

’s post about choosing the right tool for your needs

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Final Note

This directory 💯 FREE. I choose to spend my time curating it for you because of my not-so-secret mission of making AI ethics more approachable (and fun!).

Curating it takes time, research, care and a weird amount of tab management.

If you find it useful, consider supporting the project.

Every bit of encouragement = more energy to research and curate.

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