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After a whirlwind couple of weeks of travel, conferences, and speaking… I am very happy to be home. I love that part of my job, but I’m a homebody at heart, and back-to-back travel will take it out of you.

Coming back, one of my goals was to get ahead on content again. And honestly, that’s  kind of what inspired this episode along with the fact that there was one topic that kept coming up at every conference that I went to: AI.

Specifically, AI for content creation—and how we’re all supposed to be using it.

And I have thoughts.

My Honest Feelings About AI for Content Creation

Let’s just start here: I feel behind.

There’s this constant sense of “if I don’t figure this out right now, I’m going to fall behind,” and it brings up a weird mix of pressure, guilt, and honestly… dread. I’m watching people in the industry jump in, seemingly have success, and even enjoy it. Meanwhile, I’m over here not really having fun with it.

Part of that is the pressure, but part of it is also real concerns.

I have ethical concerns. I have environmental concerns. I have concerns about what this does to creativity and to artists. And maybe the biggest one? I’m worried about what this does to critical thinking.

So when I talk about using AI in my business, just know all of that is sitting in the background.

Why I’m Still Using AI Anyway

Here’s the tension: AI is both incredible and concerning at the same time.

It’s being used in really powerful ways by really smart people. And it’s also being used poorly. Both can be true.

So instead of trying to figure out the “perfect” or “ethical” way to use it (I don’t have that answer), I’ve focused on how I can use it in a way that still protects my brand, my voice, and my thought process.

That’s the non-negotiable for me.

You will never see me using an AI-generated version of myself in ads or content. That goes completely against what I believe about building a brand rooted in actually being yourself.

But there are ways I am using it—and they’ve made my life a lot easier.

AI Tools I Actually Use in My Photography Business

Before we get into content specifically, there are a few AI tools I’ve been using for a while that I genuinely love (*some of these are affiliate links, for which I may earn a small commission):

• Evoto: AI retouching software that makes editing dramatically faster
• Imagen: Great for culling and editing (and continuing to expand with other features!)
• Descript: Podcasting and video editing by editing the transcript
• Fathom: AI note-taker for meetings and calls

These tools save time in very tangible ways. They remove repetitive tasks so I can focus on higher-level work.

But where I think things get messy is AI for content creation—because that’s where your voice is on the line.

The Biggest Mistake With AI for Content Creation

Most people are starting in the wrong place.

They’re asking AI to create content from scratch.

And that’s where everything starts to sound the same.

The key (that you might not want to hear) is that you have to start with original thought. Ideally, long-form original thought. For me, that’s my podcast.

AI should not be the source of your ideas. It should be supporting them.

How I Use AI to Support (Not Replace) My Content

My entire workflow is built around starting with my own thoughts, then using AI to expand and repurpose them.

If I’m struggling with structure, I’ll open up a tool like Claude and literally word dump everything I want to say. No filter. Just get it out. Then I’ll ask it to turn that into an outline—without adding anything new.

That alone is incredibly helpful.

From there, once I have a podcast or blog post, I’ll take that transcript and use AI to:

• Create a teaser email
• Pull out 5–10 “micro stories” or key moments
• Turn those into additional emails
• Help generate social posts from those ideas
• Suggest hooks or angles I might not have thought of
• Break content down into Threads

The key is that every single piece is coming from my original content. My voice. My stories.

That’s why it still sounds like me.

Why Original Thought Matters More Than Ever

We are already seeing so much AI-generated content online—and you can tell.

It’s not even just the phrasing. It’s the fact that it doesn’t sound like a real person.

I’ve read captions from students and thought, “This is not how you speak.” And that disconnect breaks trust immediately.

We’ve always had a tendency to try to sound smarter or more polished than we are. AI just amplifies that.

That’s why original thought matters more than ever.

AI doesn’t have your experiences. It doesn’t have your stories. It doesn’t have your perspective.

That’s your edge.

You Don’t Need to Shortcut Everything

Using AI for content creation can save time, but it doesn’t remove the work entirely—and it shouldn’t.

You still have to sit down and think. You still have to create the original content. You still have to show up.

And yes, that takes time.

But this is your marketing. This is the main driver of new business for most brand photographers. Whether it’s your podcast, your emails, or your social content, this is how people find you and decide to work with you.

So the goal isn’t to eliminate the effort. It’s to make the effort go further.

Build A Brand AI Can’t Replicate

If you’re worried about AI replacing you or making everything feel saturated, the answer isn’t to avoid it completely.

It’s to double down on what makes you human.

Your stories. Your opinions. Your way of explaining things. Even the imperfections in how you write or speak—that’s the good stuff.

That’s what people connect with.

AI can support that, but it cannot replace it.

Want Help With Your Content Strategy?

If you feel like you’re putting in the time with content and it’s not paying off, that’s a different problem—and it’s one I’d love to help with.

Inside Rebrand, we focus on refining your messaging, building a content strategy that actually works, and creating a brand that stands out (with or without AI).

Because at the end of the day, this isn’t about keeping up with trends.

It’s about building a business that actually works for you.

And yes… good things take time.