Presentations and slides with AI
From outline to finished deck in half an hour: how to choose the right tool (Gamma, Claude, ChatGPT, Canva, PowerPoint and Google Slides), write a good brief, fix charts and numbers, and avoid "AI-looking" slides.
Mattia PanattaPublished 2 October 20269 minBeginner
In short
- A good presentation starts from a good outline: have AI work on the message first, the design second.
- Gamma is fastest for a complete deck; Claude and ChatGPT build slides from documents and data; Canva, PowerPoint and Google Slides when you must follow a company template.
- Numbers in charts must always be checked at the source: AI sometimes rounds or invents them.
- Less text per slide: one sentence stating the conclusion, an image or chart that proves it.
Message first, slides second
The typical flaw of AI-made presentations is that they are pretty and empty: lots of tidy slides, no strong idea. The reason is starting from the design. Start from the outline instead.
Read just the slide titles one after another: if they tell the story on their own, the presentation works.
Which tool to use
| If you need to… | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Make a complete, good-looking deck in minutes | Gamma | Generates slides, layout and images from an outline or document |
| Turn a report, PDF or spreadsheet into slides | Claude or ChatGPT | They read the document, extract the points and build slides with charts |
| Follow the company’s template | PowerPoint (Copilot) or Google Slides (Gemini) | They work inside the file and theme you already use |
| Very visual posts, flyers and decks | Canva | Ready-made templates and AI tools for images and text |
Features change often between free and paid plans: check the pricing page before choosing.
From document to slides
If you already have a document (a report, a proposal, financial statements), don’t rewrite it: upload it.
Charts and numbers
Ask AI to suggest the right chart type (bars for comparisons, lines for trends over time, no pie with more than 4 slices), then check every figure. If the assistant builds the chart with data analysis, ask to see the table behind it.
The check you can't skip
Before presenting, compare every number, name and date with the original source. A single wrong figure in front of a client costs more than all the time AI saved you.
Avoiding “AI-looking” slides
- Generic images (robots, glowing brains, handshakes): replace them with real photos, your own diagrams or a chart.
- Lists of 6-7 bullets: keep three at most, say the rest out loud.
- Same tone everywhere: add a concrete example from your work or your client.
- Random fonts and colours: set the palette and fonts (or the company template) once and ask AI to stick to them.
Rehearsing
The last step is the most underrated: get questioned. Paste the slides and ask AI to act as the most critical audience member, with the 5 hardest questions you could face. Preparing for those is worth more than any animation.
In one line
AI gives you the slides in half an hour; the message, the right numbers and the answers to questions are still your job.
Sources
Informational content, current as of the date shown. Prices, models and rules change often: always check official sources. Written with the support of AI tools and reviewed by the author.
