The best AI tools to pair with IFTTT (and 10 recipes to use)

The various AI apps and tools on the market can already be quite useful. Now you can boost your productivity by integrating your favorite AI apps and services with IFTTT.

For the uninitiated, IFTTT stands for “If this, then that.” It’s a service that pairs otherwise unconnected apps and devices using “recipes” to automatically perform tasks. For example, you could set an IFTTT up to update your Facebook status each time you post something on Twitter.

Here are five AI apps and tools you can pair with IFTTT, along with ten recipes to try.

1. Amazon Alexa

Amazon’s Alexa is the top voice-enabled personal assistant on the market, and it already has plenty of capabilities on its own. Pairing Alexa with IFTTT can make it even more powerful.

Recipe #1: One handy IFTTT recipe that’s perfect for those in charge of the household shopping is the ability to tell Alexa to email you your shopping list. Just ask Alexa, “What’s on my shopping list,” and you will receive an email of your entire list. It’s great if you’re on the move or out the door and want to reference the list later on your smartphone. You can have Alexa send the list to yourself, along with up to four other people.

Recipe #2: Another Alexa-IFTTT timesaver caters to those who seem to constantly misplace their phone. With this recipe, say “Alexa, trigger find my phone,” and Alexa will call you. All you need to do is find the ring — or faint sound of your vibrating phone — to relocate your device.

2. Mosaic

Mosaic is a tool that adds a layer of AI to your smart products to make them more efficient and easier to use. It helps you connect your smart devices by creating workflows that allow them to work together with just one command. Its capabilities take another step when also paired with IFTTT.

Recipe #1: One workflow you can set up on Mosaic might be called “Good Night,” which could turn off your lights, lower the temperature on your thermostat and send you a reminder if you need gas in the morning. Using an IFTTT recipe, you can receive a text message notification on your phone when your workflow is run.

Recipe #2: Another way to optimize Mosaic with IFTTT is to end an activity with your Harmony remote control when a Mosaic workflow is run. Using the “Good Night” example, that workflow may now also power down your TV and entertainment system.

3. Google Assistant

Google Assistant on Pixel and Google Home devices is another handy voice-activated assistant, but it doesn’t automatically connect to all your devices or electronics out of the box. That’s where IFTTT recipes come into play.

Recipe #1:  Turning on the TV isn’t exactly the most strenuous or time-consuming activity, but you can use Google Assistant to turn yours on using your voice with an IFTTT recipe. Once set up, just say “Ok Google, turn on the TV,” and your TV will turn on.

Recipe #2:  If you’re making a list or need to jot some down notes, Google Assistant and IFTTT can help you use your voice to do so. With this recipe, you say “Ok Google, take a note,” and then dictate whatever you’d like it to record. Whatever you say will be transcribed and added to a Google Drive spreadsheet.

4. Moni.ai

Moni.ai is AI technology for business that allows you to build chat bots or voice controlled apps based on your needs. You can then attach various devices to your bot using recipes on IFTTT.

Recipe #1: With this IFTTT recipe, you can ask Moni to use your voice to post a note on Evernote. Once set up, you say, “Make a note for me,” then Moni will ask you what note you’d like to make. It will then turn your voice into text on your Evernote account.

Recipe #2: You can set up Moni with IFTTT to use your voice to post on Twitter. Ask Moni to tweet, and it will ask you want you want to tweet. Whatever you say will then turn into text on your Twitter feed.

5. Siri

Siri is the pioneer when it comes to voice-activated personal assistants, and iPhone owners know her well. There are already plenty of things you can get Siri to do, and adding IFTTT recipes can make the platform even more convenient.

Recipe #1: At work, you can use Siri and IFTTT to easily add reminders on the collaborative project management platform Trello. Tell Siri to add a reminder, and it will put an associated card on your Trello board or list.

Recipe #2: For music lovers, you can create a reminders list called “Spotify” in the iOS Reminders app to easily search the music platform and add to your playlist. Once set up, tell Siri to “Add Spotify reminder [artist and song],” and it will create a new reminder on your list and also search Spotify and add the song to a playlist. Simple!

There is little denying that the future of AI apps and tools is bright. When combined with IFTTT, the present state of AI is shining.

Image via Amazon