People ask me: "What's your stack?"
They expect me to list databases and frameworks.
Instead, I list AI tools.
Because the tools that matter now aren't the ones that store data—they're the ones that replace hiring.
Here are the 5 AI tools I use every single day, what they replace, and exactly how I use them.
1. Claude Code - Replaces 2-3 Engineers
What it is: Claude with specialized capabilities for writing, reviewing, and debugging code directly in your development environment.
What it replaces:
- Senior full-stack engineer ($180K/year)
- Frontend developer ($140K/year)
- DevOps engineer ($160K/year)
Annual savings: ~$480K
How I Use It
Morning: I describe the feature I want to build.
"Build a blog system with MDX support, dynamic routing, and SEO metadata"
Claude Code:
- Creates the file structure
- Writes the utilities to parse MDX
- Builds the page templates
- Configures the routing
- Adds proper TypeScript types
Time: 30 minutes instead of 3 days.
Afternoon: I review the code and ask for changes.
"Make the blog listing page load faster by using static generation"
Claude updates the code, explains the changes, commits it.
Real Example
This website you're reading? Built entirely with Claude Code in under 24 hours.
- Next.js 14 configuration
- Tailwind design system
- Blog infrastructure
- API routes
- Component library
- All tested and deployed
One person. One day. Production quality.
The Key Insight
Claude Code isn't just autocomplete. It's a senior developer who:
- Knows best practices
- Writes clean code
- Considers edge cases
- Explains its decisions
You're not just getting code. You're getting a code review from an expert every single time.
2. ChatGPT-4 - Replaces Writer + Strategist
What it is: OpenAI's most capable model for writing, analysis, and strategy.
What it replaces:
- Content writer ($80K/year)
- Marketing strategist ($120K/year)
- Business analyst ($100K/year)
Annual savings: ~$300K
How I Use It
Content Creation: I give it a topic and outline.
"Write a blog post about why solo founders should use AI instead of hiring. Include real examples, specific tools, and a clear call to action."
ChatGPT drafts the entire post. I edit for voice, add personal insights, and ship it.
Time: 1 hour instead of 4-5 hours.
Strategy Sessions: I use it as a sparring partner.
"I'm launching a subscription platform for indie hackers. What should my pricing be? What features matter most? How should I position it?"
It analyzes the market, suggests pricing models, identifies positioning angles.
Customer Research: I paste customer feedback and ask:
"What are the top 3 pain points in these responses?"
It synthesizes hundreds of data points into actionable insights.
Real Workflow
Every blog post on BetterStory:
- I outline the key points (5 minutes)
- ChatGPT drafts the post (2 minutes)
- I edit for voice and add examples (30 minutes)
- Published
Result: 3 high-quality posts per week instead of struggling to write one.
3. Cursor - Replaces Code Review Team
What it is: An AI-first code editor built on VS Code with context-aware AI assistance.
What it replaces:
- Code reviewers
- Documentation writers
- Refactoring specialists
Annual savings: ~$200K in review time
How I Use It
Refactoring: Highlight messy code, press Cmd+K:
"Refactor this to be more readable and follow best practices"
Cursor rewrites it, maintaining functionality.
Documentation: Select a function:
"Add TypeScript docs and explain what this does"
Cursor adds proper JSDoc comments with examples.
Bug Fixes: When tests fail:
"Why is this test failing? Fix it."
Cursor debugs, explains the issue, implements the fix.
The Difference
Cursor understands your entire codebase. It doesn't just autocomplete—it comprehends context across files.
When I ask it to update a component, it knows:
- Where that component is used
- What props it accepts
- How changes will affect other files
It's like pair programming with someone who's read your entire repo.
4. Midjourney - Replaces Design Team
What it is: AI image generation for creating designs, mockups, and visual assets.
What it replaces:
- UI/UX designer ($120K/year)
- Graphic designer ($80K/year)
- Illustrator ($70K/year)
Annual savings: ~$270K
How I Use It
Landing Pages: I describe the vibe:
"/imagine modern SaaS landing page, clean design, dark mode, minimalist, high contrast --ar 16:9"
It generates 4 variations. I pick one, refine it, use it as a reference.
Logos: Need a logo?
"/imagine simple logo for AI productivity company, geometric, professional, black and white --v 5"
20 iterations later, I have a professional logo.
Social Media: Every blog post needs an image:
"/imagine abstract representation of AI and productivity, futuristic, blue and purple gradient --ar 1200:630"
Done. OG image ready.
Real Savings
I used to hire designers:
- Logo: $500-1,000
- Landing page mockups: $1,500
- Social media templates: $800
Now: $30/month for Midjourney. Unlimited iterations.
5. v0 by Vercel - Replaces Frontend Prototyping
What it is: AI that generates React components from text descriptions.
What it replaces:
- Prototype developers
- UI implementation time
- Design-to-code translation
Annual savings: ~$100K in development time
How I Use It
Component Creation: I describe what I need:
"Create a pricing table with 3 tiers, toggle for monthly/annual, feature comparison, and a CTA button for each tier"
v0 generates:
- Complete React component
- Tailwind styling
- Proper TypeScript types
- Mobile-responsive design
I copy it into my project, tweak colors, done.
Time: 5 minutes instead of 2 hours.
Rapid Prototyping: Testing an idea:
"Build a dashboard with sidebar navigation, stats cards, and a data table"
v0 creates a full layout. I test it with users immediately.
The Power
v0 understands design patterns. It doesn't just generate code—it generates good code that follows best practices.
The components are:
- Accessible
- Responsive
- Well-structured
- Ready to customize
It's like having a senior frontend dev on demand.
The Full Stack in Action
Here's how these tools work together to replace an entire team:
Building a Feature (Real Example)
Goal: Add a "Join Waitlist" feature to the homepage.
With a Team:
- Designer creates mockup (2 days)
- Frontend dev implements UI (1 day)
- Backend dev adds API endpoint (1 day)
- Code review + QA (1 day)
- Total: 5 days, 3 people
With AI:
- Me: "I need a waitlist signup form with email validation"
- v0: Generates the UI component (2 minutes)
- Claude Code: Creates the API endpoint (3 minutes)
- Me: Review, tweak styling (10 minutes)
- Cursor: Refactor for best practices (2 minutes)
- ChatGPT: Write the confirmation email copy (3 minutes)
- Total: 20 minutes, 1 person
That's not 15x faster. That's 360x faster.
The Costs
Let's be honest about what this actually costs:
| Tool | Monthly Cost | Annual Cost | |------|--------------|-------------| | Claude Pro | $20 | $240 | | ChatGPT Plus | $20 | $240 | | Cursor Pro | $20 | $240 | | Midjourney | $30 | $360 | | GitHub Copilot | $10 | $120 | | Total | $100 | $1,200 |
What this replaces: $1.4M in annual salaries.
ROI: 1,166x
Even if you're only 10% as efficient as a full team, you're still coming out massively ahead.
What This Doesn't Replace
Let's be clear: AI can't replace everything.
Still need humans for:
- Strategic vision
- User research and empathy
- Creative direction
- Deciding what to build
- Quality judgment
- Final editing and voice
The difference: You need 1-2 people making decisions, not 10 people executing.
How to Get Started
You don't need all 5 tools on day one. Start with one:
Week 1: Pick your biggest time sink
- Writing code? → Try Claude Code
- Writing content? → Try ChatGPT
- Designing? → Try Midjourney
Week 2: Use it for every task in that category
- Don't just try it once
- Build muscle memory
- Learn its quirks
Week 3: Add the second tool
- Compound the benefits
- See how they work together
Month 2: You'll wonder how you ever worked without them.
The Future
These tools are getting better every month.
ChatGPT-4 is 10x better than GPT-3.5. Claude 3.5 is better than Claude 3. Cursor shipped 5 major features this year.
The people learning these tools now will have a 5-year head start.
My Challenge to You
Try this for one week:
- Sign up for Claude Pro ($20)
- Pick one thing you hate doing (writing code, creating content, designing)
- Use Claude for every instance of that task
- Track the time saved
I guarantee you'll save 10+ hours in week one.
That's $100-500 of value (depending on your hourly rate) for $20.
That's a 5-25x ROI in week one.
These 5 tools replaced a team of 10 for me. They can do the same for you.
The question isn't whether AI can replace hiring. It's whether you'll learn to use it before your competition does.
Want to learn more? Subscribe to BetterStory. We're building tools, courses, and content that teach you exactly how to use AI to work like a team of 10.
The 1→10 future is here. Let's build it.