Notion AI: My Honest Take After One Month (Was It Worth It?)

Notion AI: The Shiny New Toy

Okay, so, Notion AI. I jumped on the bandwagon as soon as I could. I mean, everyone was talking about it, right? All the productivity gurus were singing its praises. I figured, “Hey, I’m already using Notion for basically everything else, why not give it a shot?” Plus, the promise of AI helping me write better and faster? Who wouldn’t want that?

I was definitely excited. I had visions of effortlessly crafting blog posts, summarizing long articles in seconds, and basically becoming a super-productive writing machine. It felt like I was upgrading to the deluxe edition of my brain. I even cleared my schedule a little bit to really dedicate some time to learning how to use it properly. I watched a bunch of YouTube tutorials, read a few blog posts (ironically, *before* I could use Notion AI to summarize them!), and generally tried to get myself hyped up.

The initial experience was… interesting. I started with something simple: summarizing a research paper. And it did okay. But it wasn’t *amazing*. It kind of felt like a slightly better version of copy-pasting into Google Translate. It got the gist, sure, but it missed a lot of the nuances. So, a bit underwhelming right off the bat. Was this the earth-shattering AI I had been expecting? Eh… not really.

My Initial Disappointment (and a Confession)

I’m not gonna lie, I was a little disappointed. Maybe I had set my expectations too high? I mean, I was kind of hoping it would just *think* for me, and obviously, that’s not how it works. I realize now that it’s a tool, and like any tool, it’s only as good as the person using it.

And here’s a confession: I’m not always the *best* at giving clear instructions. I tend to be a bit vague, assuming the AI will just “get” what I’m trying to do. Which, surprise surprise, it usually doesn’t. So, part of the problem was definitely me. Ugh, what a mess!

But even after trying to be more specific with my prompts, I still felt like something was missing. The output often felt… generic. Bland. Lacking that little spark of personality that makes writing engaging. It was like it was written by a robot (well, duh!). But I *wanted* it to at least *sound* like a slightly creative human.

I remember one particular incident. I was trying to use Notion AI to help me write a product description for a new course I was launching. I gave it all the details, all the benefits, all the target audience information. And what it spat out was… well, it was technically *correct*. But it was so boring! I read it and thought, “Who would actually *buy* this after reading this description?” It was lifeless.

I ended up rewriting the entire thing myself. Which kind of defeated the whole purpose, right?

Where Notion AI Actually Shined (Surprisingly)

Okay, it’s not all doom and gloom. After playing around with it for a while, I did find some areas where Notion AI actually proved to be pretty useful. Brainstorming, for example. I sometimes struggle with getting started on a project, just staring at a blank page. Notion AI can be great for generating initial ideas and getting the ball rolling. Even if the ideas aren’t all winners, they can serve as a starting point.

It’s also surprisingly good at summarizing meeting notes. I mean, who actually enjoys sifting through pages of scribbled notes to find the one crucial decision that was made? Notion AI can quickly condense everything down into a manageable summary. That’s a definite win. It won’t capture the funny jokes, but the key takeaways are there.

And it’s actually pretty helpful for cleaning up my own writing. I tend to ramble (as you can probably tell!), and Notion AI can help me identify areas where I’m being repetitive or unclear. It’s like having a built-in editor, which is always a plus. I found it especially useful in trimming unnecessary words. It helped make my writing much more concise. I also used it to check for grammar mistakes; however, I still prefer using dedicated apps like Grammarly for that because the AI’s suggestions were not always on point.

Was It Worth the Hype? My Final Verdict

So, after a month of using Notion AI, was it worth the hype? Honestly, it’s a qualified “yes.” It’s not the magic bullet I initially hoped for. It’s not going to write your entire novel for you (sorry to disappoint!). And it definitely requires some effort and experimentation to get the most out of it.

But it is a useful tool. It can help you brainstorm, summarize information, and improve your writing. It can save you time and effort, especially on tasks that you find tedious or repetitive. It’s kind of like having an assistant who can handle the grunt work, freeing you up to focus on the more creative and strategic aspects of your work.

But you have to remember that it’s still just a tool. It’s not a replacement for human creativity, critical thinking, or good old-fashioned hard work. You need to be able to guide it, refine its output, and add your own personal touch. It is something you need to learn to use, not just jump right in.

Would I recommend it? Yes, especially if you’re already a Notion user. But go in with realistic expectations. Don’t expect it to solve all your problems. Think of it as a helpful companion, not a miracle worker. And be prepared to put in the effort to learn how to use it effectively. It’s an aid, not a replacement.

If you’re as curious as I was, you might want to dig into comparing Notion AI to other similar AI tools. See what other people are saying. Read the reviews. Experiment yourself. That’s really the only way to know if it’s right for *you*. And who knows what’s next in the world of AI, right? I’m just hoping it gets even better!