I deleted three AI tools this quarter, and the work got simpler
More subscriptions did not mean more done. Cutting three overlapping tools freed cash and attention.
My stack had grown to a dozen AI tabs, each promising to save the day. None of them were lying, exactly. Together they were a tax on my attention I only noticed once I cut them.
I deleted a second writing app that did what my first already did. I dropped a meeting summarizer whose output I never opened. I canceled an image tool I opened twice a month and could replace with one I already paid for.
What surprised me: nothing broke. The work that those tools 'owned' had already moved into the two or three I actually used daily. The extras were insurance I was paying for and forgetting to claim.
The rule I am trying to keep: one tool per job, and a tool earns its subscription by being opened, not by being impressive at signup. If I have not used it in a month, it goes before the next bill.
Fewer tools meant fewer logins, fewer 'did I save that there' moments, and a smaller bill. The AI did not get worse. My focus did get better.
Frequently asked questions:
Q: How do you pick the one tool per job?
A: The one I open without thinking. The others are backups I rarely need.
Q: Don't you lose features by cutting?
A: Some, but the overlap covered most of it. The lost features were ones I never used.
Q: Should teams do the same?
A: Yes, with a shared list so two people are not quietly paying for the same thing.