i use AI. here's what that actually means.

a potential client asked me recently if i use AI in my work.

i said “honestly, yes”.

he loved it.

not because he expected me to hide it. because i didn't.

what followed was one of the best conversations i have had in a while. we talked about how i use it, where it helps, where it doesn't, and what i actually do with the time it saves me. and then he said something that stuck with me.

"if you can do the same work in less time using AI, and use that time to grow your business, be more present for your kids, or take better care of yourself, that's someone using it wisely."

i could not agree more.

AI does not do my job. it helps me do it better.

the strategy still comes from me. the understanding of who your client is, what they need to hear, and how to say it in a way that actually connects, that still comes from 16 years of doing this work. AI just means i am not spending 45 minutes staring at a blank page before i get there.

and what do i do with the time i save? i get to the gym. i take the dog out for a trail run or a mountain bike ride. i am more present with my kids because i am not running on fumes trying to do everything manually.

that is not laziness. that is using a tool the way it was meant to be used.

how i actually use it

i use Claude and ChatGPT every day. Claude is my go-to for longer, more nuanced work. drafting proposals, writing blogs, refining strategy documents. it thinks carefully and the writing comes out sounding like a person wrote it, which matters a lot in this business. ChatGPT is great for fast ideation and brainstorming.

but here is something most people don't talk about. sometimes i don't even start with a prompt. i ask the AI to ask me questions first.

i will tell it what i am trying to create and say "before you write anything, ask me the questions that would help you do this better." and then it does. it asks about the audience, the tone, what i want the reader to feel, what to avoid. and by the time we have gone back and forth a few times, the brief is sharper than anything i would have put together on my own in the first place. the output is better because the foundation was built better.

it sounds simple. it changes everything.

what's worth paying for

there are hundreds of AI tools competing for your attention right now. most of them are not worth it. here is how i think about it.

if a tool does not solve a real, recurring problem in your workflow, it is not worth paying for.

for writing and content: Claude and ChatGPT are both worth $20 a month if you are writing anything regularly. both have solid free tiers if you are just starting out.

for visuals: Canva AI is a game changer for anyone who is not a designer but still needs to produce clean professional content. $15 a month. worth it. Midjourney is the move if you need elevated image generation for campaigns or creative direction.

for saving time: Otter.ai for meeting transcription if you are on calls constantly and writing up notes after. Zapier for connecting apps and automating the repetitive tasks that eat time without creating any real value.

what is not worth paying for right now

anything that promises to replace your strategy, your voice, or your relationships.

and five tools at once is a trap. you will not get good at any of them. start with one. get good at it. add a second only when you have a specific gap the first one cannot fill.

the real difference between good and bad AI output

most people underprompt. they type three words, get a mediocre response, and blame the tool.

the tool works. the prompt needed more.

think of it like briefing a new team member who knows nothing about your business yet. the more context you give, the better the output. tell it who you are, who your audience is, what tone you want, what format you need, and what to avoid. and when you are not sure where to start, let it ask you the questions first. you will be surprised how much clearer things get before you even write a single word.

the bottom line

i am not hiding that i use these tools. i am using them to do better work, get home earlier, and make it to the gym. and i would argue that is exactly what they are for.

the businesses that will win are not the ones with the most subscriptions. they are the ones who use a few tools consistently, prompt them well, and keep the human judgment front and center.

the AI does not have sixteen years of experience. it does not know your client, your market, or your voice. it just helps the person who does move a little faster.

that is how we think about it at the abc firm. if you want to talk about what that looks like for your business,let's start that conversation.