AI writing tools
Jasper · Copy.ai · Writer
"5 worth your time. 38 not."
THE LANDSCAPE · Q2 · 2026
The state of the AI content tool market.
Forty-three tools evaluated this quarter. Five worth your time. Below is how we evaluate each category, the diligence questions we run, and what we currently recommend.
Categories we evaluate
Tool-aware. Tool-agnostic.
SEO content engines
Byword · Surfer · others
"Per-article. IC writer-shaped. Watch CPMs."
Governance + brand control
Writer enterprise · custom
"Real if your team is over 30. Overkill if not."
Agent platforms
Several pre-product
"Skip until reliability shows up."
Voice + signature
Custom GPTs · model fine-tunes
"Higher leverage than the tools above for most teams."
Fact-check + audit
Nascent category
"The under-served one. Build internal where you can."
Diligence questions we run
The questions every CMO should be asking.
What does it actually replace in our workflow today?
What does it require us to change for it to work?
How does it handle voice drift over a 90-day window?
What's the audit trail for fact-checked numeric claims?
How does it survive a brand-safety incident?
What's the realistic answer in 18 months — still here, or gone?
§ 14 — Two doors
Have us do it.
Or have us
teach you.
No demo CTA. No self-serve. Quote on the call, not after.