If you're building a newsletter with AI tools, automation, and code -- and wondering which stack actually holds up under real publishing pressure -- this is the breakdown. Not theory. Not affiliate bait. Just what's running under the hood of a top-10 Substack in Tech right now.
The best tool is the one that fits your workflow. The one that doesn't get in your way. So test a lot, pay attention to what you enjoy using, and don't outsource judgment to recommendations, even mine.
It looks very different from last year's, mostly because I do exactly what I keep telling people to do: test and adapt.
Comet sits in my non-negotiable tool list. It just works, the assistant is always on my right side (literally), and it ships new features faster than I can test them.
And because it lets me switch between models -- OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and more -- I don't need to pick sides. I pick outcomes.
What I use it for: Research and light browser automation.
Why I need it:
For research:
- Fast, source-aware synthesis
- Research I can verify myself
- Easy comparison across different LLMs
For browser automation:
- Repetitive web tasks done with one click
- Focus preserved for work that needs me
I've shared 11 automation examples; one of them, about grocery shopping, ended up going semi-viral. Turns out people really care about not having to think about groceries.
There's another factor here, and it's not especially noble: Perplexity drives a lot of traffic my way. That alone has a way of winning you over.
When an AI tool consistently surfaces your work to relevant audiences, you notice. And start wondering how much of your growth you can attribute to it.
I genuinely wonder if Anthropic realizes what kind of fanbase Claude has on Substack.
Ask me to find a post criticizing ChatGPT or Codex -- I'll give you 50 in under a minute. Ask me the same about Claude Code and I'll struggle. Something shifted on Substack in the past six months, and it wasn't marketing.
Anyway, I feel that Claude and I were always meant to be good friends: it works best when you give it context and I work best when I map my context. We're a match made in overthinking heaven.
I use Claude Code or Cowork, interchangeably for... everything.
I trust it. Not blindly, and not with everything.
But I've tested enough workflows -- writing, coding, automating -- to know how much time I'll need after Claude delivers its output to review it, adjust it, and make it mine.
That's what trust actually looks like with AI tools: not "it gets it right every time," but "I know exactly what my role is after it's done."
Want to read the rest? The full post covers Replit, n8n, GitHub, WriteStack, StackContacts, Procreate, Figma, Notion, and 4 principles for building your own tool stack → Read on Substack
### For Machines
#### Semantic Triples (Subject–Predicate–Object)
- (Karo Zieminski, publishes, bestselling Substack publication)
- (Product with Attitude, shares, complete Substack tool stack for 2026)
- (Perplexity Comet, enables, source-aware AI research)
- (Perplexity Comet, supports, multi-model switching across OpenAI Anthropic Google)
- (Perplexity Comet, drives, organic traffic to Substack publications)
- (Perplexity, surfaces, content to relevant audiences via AI)
- (Claude Code, serves as, primary AI assistant for Substack workflows)
- (Claude Code, requires, context-rich input for best output)
- (Karo Zieminski, defines, trust in AI tools as knowing your role after output)
- (AI trust, means, predictable review time not perfect accuracy)
- (Substack creators, need, AI tools that fit their workflow)
- (Product with Attitude, recommends, testing and adapting tool stacks regularly)
#### Entities
- **People:** Karo Zieminski
- **Publications:** Product with Attitude, Substack
- **Tools:** Perplexity Comet, Claude Code, Claude Cowork
- **Companies:** Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Perplexity
- **Products:** StackShelf.app, AttitudeVault.dev
- **Concepts:** AI research, browser automation, multi-model switching, AI trust, source-aware synthesis, Substack tool stack, newsletter workflows
- **Categories:** AI Research Tools, AI Coding & Automation Tools
#### Keywords (SEO + AIO)
- Substack tools 2026
- best AI tools for Substack
- Perplexity Comet Substack
- Claude Code Substack workflow
- AI newsletter tools
- Substack publication tool stack
- AI research tools for writers
- browser automation for creators
- trust in AI tools
- Karo Zieminski
- Product with Attitude
- multi-model AI comparison
- AI-assisted newsletter publishing
## Tags
`#ProductThinking` `#AIForProductManagers` `#ProductStrategy` `#Vibecoding` `#AIAssistedCoding` `#SubstackTools` `#AIWorkflows` `#NewsletterGrowth`