In this solo episode of Using AI at Work, Chris Daigle breaks from the interview format to share the AI tool stack he recommends to executives, leaders, and knowledge workers who want real value without chasing every new release.Chris introduces the concept of “thinking in AI” and explains how leaders move from using AI for isolated tasks to developing an instinctive, organization-wide mindset where AI supports daily work, decisions, and workflows. He also addresses common fears around AI replacing jobs, clarifying the difference between task-level automation, project-level assistance, and full job replacement.The episode walks through a curated set of AI tools that Chris believes are best-in-class, easy to use, and likely to stick around, helping leaders save time, reduce confusion, and build real context inside their organizations. This is a practical starting point for anyone looking to use AI at work with confidence and clarity in 2026.🔎 Learn More About Chris Daigle and Chief AI OfficerChris Daigle on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisdaigleChief AI Officerhttps://chiefaiofficer.com🛠 AI Tools and Resources MentionedFathomhttps://chiefaiofficer.com/fathomPerplexityhttps://www.perplexity.aiComet Browser by PerplexityNotebookLMhttps://notebooklm.googleGamma https://chiefaiofficer.com/gammaNano Banana image generation inside Google GeminiChatGPT https://openai.com/chatgpt📌 Chapters00:00 Why this episode is different01:14 The problem with AI tool overload02:10 What “thinking in AI” really means03:22 From discrete AI use to an AI reflex04:28 Sharing AI wins to build culture05:35 AI governance and cultural readiness06:18 Will AI replace jobs07:15 Tasks, projects, and job-level work08:42 What AI can realistically automate today10:02 Economic impact of AI on knowledge work11:48 Why meeting transcription builds business context12:57 Using Fathom as an AI meeting assistant13:45 Replacing Google with Perplexity14:58 Agentic browsing with the Comet browser15:42 NotebookLM as a learning environment16:36 Creating executive decks with Gamma17:18 Image generation with Nano Banana18:02 Why community matters for AI adoption19:22 Final advice for leaders getting started