Why Using AI Just for Content Creation Is a Massive Waste

There’s no denying that AI tools like OpenAI’s GPT and Google’s Gemini can spit out a blog post or a product description in seconds. And sure, that’s handy. But if that’s all you’re using AI for, you’re missing the real opportunity—and that’s using AI to actually make your business smarter and more efficient.

I’m talking about using AI not just to write, but to think with you. To help map out strategies, solve tactical problems, and even build customised tools that fit your business like a glove.

AI as Your Strategic and Tactical Brainstorming Partner

Whenever I plan something new in my business—whether it’s a marketing funnel, a sales process, or even just a way to streamline internal reporting—I lean on AI. I don’t just tell GPT to “write a campaign.” I have a full-on conversation with it, asking it to think like a strategist:

• What pain points would my customers feel at this point?
• What’s the smartest way to segment my audience based on past behaviour?
• If this campaign flops, what’s the likely reason?
• What are 3 alternatives I could try instead?

This is where the Projects feature in OpenAI comes into play. I can create a Project dedicated to something like “New Service Funnel 2025,” and inside that, I can keep my notes, AI-generated drafts, brainstormed workflows, and process diagrams all in one place. I can revisit it any time and ask GPT to review or refine my plan based on new ideas. Moreover, you can give specific instructions for the project (like adding more instructions to a prompt) in order to get more focused results.

Gemini and Anthropic have started offering similar tools—allowing you to work with their AI models over time, keeping context across sessions so you’re not starting from scratch every time. That’s a game-changer for businesses thinking strategically.

Building Custom Tools with AI (Without Being a Developer)

This is the part I find most exciting. I don’t just use AI to think or plan; I also use it to build small, highly customised tools for my business. With OpenAI’s Custom GPTs, I can create a version of GPT that knows my sales process inside-out. I can build one for my onboarding team that automatically drafts welcome emails or processes customer feedback into actionable insights.

In Gemini’s case, there’s a similar concept where you can train the AI on your documents and processes, so it behaves like a tailored assistant. And Anthropic’s Claude has powerful context handling, which makes it great for working on larger projects where continuity matters.

For Non-Technical Business People, This Changes Everything

The beauty is, none of this requires me to code. I’m not a software developer, and I don’t have to be (I can code at a decent level, but my programming days are long over). These platforms are getting better at letting business owners like me design solutions without needing to hire expensive developers or wait months for IT projects to finish. Alternatively, one can get a pretty good idea of the programming effort necessary to develop something, long before involving the devops team to estimate it.

That’s what makes AI truly valuable—it’s not just an output machine; it can be a creative partner that helps me rethink how my business works, and then automates parts of it along the way.

The Outcome? A Smarter, More Profitable Business That Scales Itself

That’s the real goal. I’m not interested in being stuck fixing spreadsheets or chasing up leads manually. When I use AI to build smarter processes, I’m building a business that knows how to grow itself—with better data, smarter follow-ups, and automated decision-making that reflects my strategy, not just random guesswork.

Want to See How This Works in Real Life? Let’s Talk

If you’re curious about how to apply this to your own business, just drop me a message—I’m happy to show you exactly how I use OpenAI, Gemini and other tools to rethink processes, build automations, and unlock growth. The future isn’t about buying more tools; it’s about building the right ones for your business.