AI Doesn't Have an Ego.

Every day I read how AI is replacing content creators. And content creators loathe AI because it churns out literary slop littered with em dashes.

But in my marketing and content team of one, I have long embedded AI into my workflows to accelerate content production without forfeiting quality or ramping up costs. And for marketing teams with limited budgets and resources, especially in small to medium-sized companies, there’s no getting away from AI. So, why not embrace it?

Even today, with heads on the chopping block and companies everywhere wielding the AI axe, I take no moral high ground and jump straight onto ChatGPT for help. From copy to coding, we’ve built my new online portfolio (coming soon — shameless plug) and continue to position the value I bring as a creative professional in the age of AI. I know. Such a cliché.

But this is where the speed and low cost of ChatGPT and Claude become secondary. How I show up through my work must reflect quality. First and foremost. Yes, I said quality, again. And no, I have not been digitised and held captive by AI while forced to write this. Tron is still fiction and I am still human... as far as I know and hope.

The thing that surprised me most when I started using AI wasn't how quickly it worked, but how tirelessly it collaborated with me. It now indulges my endless spitballing and final nit-picking until I navigate my way to something that feels right.

AI doesn't have an ego.

It doesn't get defensive.

It doesn't lose patience.

It doesn't mind if I ask the same question fifteen different ways and then ask it again because I forgot where we landed.

It just keeps turning ideas over with me. And that's the bit I think creatives underestimate.

When a leader throws a topic or title at me, AI helps me dig for the unique story that will cut through the noise and build authority.

It helps me make sense of my thoughts. Because when I’m looking at data and insights, my thinking is linear, but when I’m creating content, it can get super squiggly.

AI is not only a sounding board for ideation — it’s a safe space to share even the crazy ideas that I would never say out loud. My work should be seen as bold, not bonkers.

And lastly, it helps me sanity-check I’ve covered everything, because 5 hours or even 5 days into our conversation, it still remembers what I said. Unlike me, who has to religiously record everything, transcribe it, and play it back 10x over.

Which means we quickly get to an outline and a rough-and-ready first draft.

And this is where the magic happens. My human instinct and editorial judgement kick in. The craft of turning thoughts into thought leadership. And even here, I find AI can be a valuable sparring partner:

“What do you think of this?”

“Maybe try this?”

“Not quite.”

“Too clever.”

“Too salesy.”

“We've already said that.”

“That doesn’t sound like him/her/them.”

There is no frustration. No sugar-coating our conversation (although I never fail to say please and thank you). No need to defend my position. No attachment to being right.

Just another attempt. And another.

It’s not afraid to tell me I’ve gone down a rabbit hole or that my viewpoint lacks differentiation or substance. Although admittedly, I have to repeatedly coach it to not be so agreeable, backtrack on its challenge, or do a 360 and come around to my way of thinking.

Our candid collaboration and two-way discussion help us get to my happy place of authoritative and authentic. So, while others herald AI's speed and cost-cutting, I am grateful for its patience and candour. It’s where I go to think out loud, discover something that stands out, and refine it into something worth reading.

Which is why, when creatives say AI cannot replace human creativity, instinct and judgement, I completely agree. It doesn't. 

AI gives me the time and space to listen to my instincts and make better judgements. 

And it doesn’t spell the end of human creativity. It simply changes where creativity begins.