Best AI Tools for Diagrams
AI can help you create all kinds of diagrams faster. You can either provide these tools with your data or chat with them to generate a diagram like it’s any other text.
Most of these tools use OpenAI’s GPT tech in order to understand your request and process the data — or, if you haven’t provided the data, to generate it from the ground up.
Then, they use their own technology to create a chart, and you get to choose what kind of a chart that will be (i.e. bar, pie, flow, Gantt, etc).
All in all, we like how AI keeps making things easier for the general public. No longer do you need special skills to create diagrams or even an Excel license – these tools can do it all without such requirements. Here are some of the best AI tools for diagrams:
DiagramGPT by Eraser
👍 Pros
👎 Cons
- Generate diagrams with ease
- Fast start with one of the presets or examples
- API access (for paid customers)
- Only 4 diagram types available at the moment
DiagramGPT is an AI-enabled tool that lets you generate technical diagrams from code or plain language prompts.
Powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4, it lets you start quickly by selecting one of the presets, or browse the use case video library for more inspiration. Alternatively, you can start from scratch and generate a new diagram from your data or from a text prompt.
Once created, diagrams can be edited using the diagram-as-code syntax.
At the moment, DiagramGPT supports 4 diagram types, including flow charts, entity relationship diagrams, cloud architecture diagrams, and sequence diagrams.
The tool also offers an API to its paid customers, who also get the option to opt out of sharing their data. DiagramGPT may use it for the purpose of improving the product.
ChatUML
👍 Pros
👎 Cons
- Converts text inputs to diagrams
- Supports multiple diagram types
- You can try it out for free
- The free version is very limited
ChatUML is an AI-assisted diagram generator that simplifies the creation of complex diagrams by utilizing cutting-edge AI algorithms to produce clear and concise visuals. As such, it provides an effortless way to transform your idea to diagrams in no time.
Instead of doing the “math stuff,” the tool — powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4 — lets you chat and create diagrams.
ChatUML supports various diagram types, including Sequence, Use case, Class, Object, Activity, Component, Deployment, State, Timing, BNF, Gantt, Mindmap, Work Break Down, and Entity Relationship.
Once created, you will be able to access your diagram from anywhere, whenever you need them.
ChatUML can be tried for free, but it is very limited — offering just 5 credits. In order to do more with it, you will have to pay for more credits. AI computing is not cheap, so it makes sense…
Highcharts GPT
👍 Pros
👎 Cons
- Create charts in any language
- Refine and correct output via follow-up prompts
- Ability to copy/paste data from a spreadsheet
- Data used for chart generation may not be accurate (AI hallucinations)
Highcharts GPT is a part of the bigger package (tool) Highcharts, which makes it easy for developers to create charts and dashboards for web and mobile platforms. It is not really a tool for the general public, but it does work with all the popular programming languages and frameworks — including Javascript, Angular, React, VueJS, iOS, R, .NET, Python, and more.
Highcharts GPT on its end is made to make life easier for Highcharts users, allowing them to create reliable and secure data visualizations in seconds of different chart types such as line, bar, pie, and more with natural language inputs using human-like conversations.
For instance, it can handle inputs like “Create a donut chart of the world’s top 5 car manufacturers,” “Show me how to load data dynamically,” “Create a pie, line and column chart,” “Create a stock chart that compares 3 series over 10 years,” “Create a Choropleth map of the United States,” and more.
Highcharts GPT is free to use, but it does require a Highcharts commercial license to publish generated charts.
Highcharts is one of the most popular charting tools, with 80 out of the world’s 100 largest companies using it for their charting. The company’s clients include BBC, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, HSBC, Samsung, Sony, and Thomson Reuters, among others.
Whimsical AI: Text-to-Flowchart
👍 Pros
👎 Cons
- Quickly translate ideas into flowcharts
- Part of the bigger tool for charting
- Used by some of the world's fastest-growing companies
- Not all parts of Whimsical are powered by AI
Whimsical is an online tool that combines whiteboards and docs in an all-in-one visual collaboration hub.
It consists of several elements — including Flowcharts, Wireframes, Whimsical Mind Maps, Whimsical Docs, and AI Text-to-flowchart.
The last mentioned, Whimsical AI: Text-to-flowchart, lets you translate ideas into flowcharts in seconds. You can use it to, for instance, create user flows in seconds, share process flows and concepts, and/or guide your thinking to find solutions.
The tool is either available through Whimsical’s website or as a ChatGPT plugin.
The entire Whimsical package is one of the most popular tools in its category, with some of the world’s fastest-growing companies using it. These would include the likes of Notion, Strip, Intercom, P&G, Rippling, Retool, Carbon Health, and HashiCorp, among others.
What can AI tools for diagrams do for you?
There are multiple reasons why you would want to use one of these tools; here are some that we think you should know:
-
Save time
That’s what AI is all about – to streamline and automate tasks that would otherwise require manual labor. You will still need to provide these tools with some data in order for them to “do their magic” or you can…
-
Chat to create diagrams
You can ask AI to create a diagram from a single sentence. Then, the algorithm will find the data for you and create a diagram for you. This is very helpful for some general, population-wide information that could be found online.
-
Don’t start from scratch
Most of these tools provide examples you can use to create a sample diagram. Then, you can tweak it and change the data to your liking. It is easier to start with something (rather than nothing).
-
Create different chart types
In most cases, you can choose a chart type you want to create. The best tools offer multiple options, including bar charts, area charts, line charts, composed charts, pie charts, scatter charts, radar charts, radial bars, treemaps, and funnel charts.
-
Export to other apps
Once you create the diagram you want, you can export it for use in other apps/services. Or you can just grab the image and put it in the document you’re creating. It’s up to you.
-
Integrate with other tools
Finally, we should mention that some of these tools are made to sing along with other apps and services, namely those for project management, collaboration, note-taking, and more.
If you’re not already using some software for creating diagrams, you *must* try one of the tools listed on this page. They will not only save you time but also make sure you get a fancy diagram you can then use however you like. It’s common sense.