I’ve always been driven by authenticity. On Life Unfiltered, I openly discuss the messiness of real life, leaning into uncomfortable truths over curated perfection. So, when people learn about my deep interest in artificial intelligence (AI), it often comes with a raised eyebrow.
Isn’t AI just the latest shiny object threatening to erode genuine human interactions? No.
I see it differently. AI is the ultimate amplifier of human potential. Let me show you why I’m optimistic, and I encourage you to be too.
AI: The Ultimate Amplifier
Whatever your strengths and weaknesses, AI can enhance or supplement your capabilities. Maybe you’re an incredibly creative artist, but lack the business acumen to turn your passion into profit. AI can be your behind-the-scenes business partner, analyzing the market, suggesting pricing strategies, and turning your creative dreams into a sustainable reality.
Perhaps you’re bursting with brilliant ideas, but when it’s time to articulate them clearly, you find yourself stuck. AI becomes your personal assistant, turning your scattered thoughts into cohesive narratives ready for you to polish, add a touch of your own swagger and present.
It’s not about replacing what you can do. It’s about helping you achieve what feels just beyond reach, or handling the pieces that simply aren’t a good use of your time.
My First Big Win
I am obsessed with efficiency.
Ask my friend Dana, who recently endured my five-step system for folding laundry faster. If I rewrote the Ten Commandments, “Thou shalt not waste time” would be right at the top.
When ChatGPT started making headlines in November 2022, I had to see what the fuss was about. I typed in something like, “Write me an essay on Lord of the Flies,” and seconds later, there it was. A full essay. I was floored.
My mind immediately jumped to work. I manage dozens of brands, so I built a few custom chats, loaded them with brand context — voice, audience, imagery, tone — and tested them out. With a little finessing, I had relevant, on-brand content almost instantly.
Game changer.
Now… I’m a responsible marketer. I’m not just copying and pasting. I always edit, refine, and make it mine. But what impressed me was how much better the output got when I gave feedback. It learned quickly, and before long, it was getting me 85 to 90 percent of the way there — a massive head start.
That one win opened the floodgates.
I started trying it everywhere. Some things worked right away, others didn’t, but I kept pushing. If it could do this, could it do that?
Turns out, it could.
I had it batch my to-do list by focus and task type. I used it to plan a family vacation in under 90 minutes. It helped me brainstorm event activations, create content calendars, and even map out weekly meals for my picky eaters.
Each small win built on the last. AI wasn’t a novelty anymore. It became a trusted co-pilot (no Microsoft pun intended. I’m a ChatGPT gal). Now I use it all day, every day. Often multiple times an hour.
You don’t have to love AI. But I know it can simplify some part of your life. So here’s my challenge: pick one thing you hate doing and see if it can help.
If you’re not sure where to start, reach out. I’d be happy to help.
Time: The Ultimate Currency
Time is the one resource you can never replenish, yet we often waste hours on repetitive tasks. Think about it: Would you rather spend an hour manually compiling data from multiple reports, or spend that same hour crafting a meaningful strategy based on insights served directly to you? The answer is obvious.
AI handles routine, data-heavy tasks better and faster than we ever could, freeing humans to focus on things that computers can’t: creativity, empathy, and human connection. For me, that reclaimed hour might mean cheering at my daughter’s softball game, strolling in the sun with my family, or crafting something meaningful for my readers.
Getting It Wrong Is Part of Getting It Right
When I talk to people about AI, I hear the same thing over and over:
“I tried it once. It didn’t work. It’s overhyped.”
I get it. But here’s the truth . . . avoiding AI isn’t neutral. It’s stepping out of the conversation entirely. These tools are reshaping industries, workflows, and expectations. Don’t you want a say in how they shape your life and career?
Using AI well takes curiosity and intentionality. It’s not about chasing shortcuts or overnight success. It’s about learning how to harness a tool that amplifies your strengths and supports your weak spots. And that means experimenting. Iterating. Missing the mark. And trying it all over again.
There’s this inaccurate notion floating around that AI is plug-and-play perfection. That you can throw in a prompt and get a six-figure business or a flawless creative product on the first try. It’s simply not true. AI is powerful, but far from perfect. It’s about understanding what it can do today, and staying curious about what it might be able to do tomorrow as the tools evolve.
I hit walls all the time.
Just yesterday, I carved out time to build my first AI agent. (The definition of an agent varies, but to me, it’s an autonomous tool that completes a task on your behalf.) I watched a tutorial, mapped out the task I wanted it to perform, spent 15 minutes setting it up, hit “go”… and it bombed. Totally flopped. Nothing worked.
I probably missed a step. I’ll go back, figure it out, and try again. Because once it works, it’s going to save me a TON of time.
And just for fun, let me share one more example where AI fell far short of meeting my expectations.
I wanted to create a short video clip to show off some features of an apartment community. Here was my prompt:
“Create a cinematic B-roll sequence for a luxury apartment community in a modern urban setting. The video begins with a stylish resident casually tapping their smartphone to unlock their apartment door using smart access technology. Transition to smooth, slow-motion shots of a Cadillac Lyriq parked in a sleek, automated garage. Follow with sweeping rooftop views of the city skyline at golden hour, complete with fire pits and lounge seating. End with calm, elegant footage of wellness spaces, including a serene yoga room and a modern fitness studio with natural light. The overall tone should be upscale, modern, and effortlessly polished, with soft lighting and clean, architectural framing.”
And here was the result: 😂
Watch it here
Clearly… not quite what I had in mind.
Maybe the prompt was too complicated. Maybe I asked for too many transitions. Or maybe it’s time to start putting Cadillacs and fire pits in indoor hallways — who am I to judge? 😆
But in all seriousness, this is just part of the process. AI won’t always get it right. But that doesn’t mean you give up. You refine, you reframe, and you try again.
Because when it does work, it’s a game changer.
Intention First: Finding the Right AI Tools
Not every AI tool is right for you. The market is flooded with overpromises, from tools claiming to “write your novel by lunchtime” to apps that insist they’ll “run your entire business effortlessly.” Success with AI begins by clearly understanding your goals and then finding (or creating) solutions that fit.
I call this approach Intentional AI. It’s simple: just because you can do something with AI doesn’t mean you should. Define what you genuinely need, then invest time in solutions that specifically address those needs. This helps you avoid wasting precious time and money chasing flashy distractions.
(More on building your Intentional AI roadmap in my next post. Stay tuned!)
A Glimpse into the Future: Real-World AI That Inspires
When I look ahead, what excites me most is just how much potential AI has to transform our world. We’ve only begun to scratch the surface of what’s possible. In real estate, for instance, Deepki’s ESG platform, which intelligently identifies building improvements that enhance property values and align with environmental goals, guiding developers to a net-zero impact, is already remarkable. But applications like this are just a hint of what’s coming.
AI isn’t just another technological leap. It’s a seismic shift that can fundamentally change how we live, work, and thrive as a society. Imagine a world where predictive AI anticipates infrastructure failures before they happen, preventing disasters. Picture medical breakthroughs accelerated by AI-driven discoveries that humans alone would take decades to achieve. Think of a daily life where mundane tasks vanish, leaving more room for meaningful connections, creativity, and innovation.
We haven’t yet fully grasped how profoundly different and better our world can become. The real power of AI isn’t in automating our present; it’s in reshaping our future in ways we’re only beginning to understand. This kind of possibility is what makes me genuinely optimistic, not just about AI itself, but about the extraordinary human potential it can unlock.
It’s Our Turn to Shape the Future
Make no mistake: the AI we have today is the least capable it will ever be. You can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube.
AI itself isn’t inherently good or bad. It’s simply a tool. People determine its purpose and impact.
Will jobs change? Of course they will, but that’s not new. Jobs and roles are constantly shifting with the flow of global events. Recent MIT research finds that most work is new work, and 60% of the jobs we have today didn’t exist in 1940. AI will change our existence, expectations, and needs, and jobs will change accordingly.
One of my favorite marketers, Seth Godin, had a mic drop line in one of his recent posts: “You’re either going to work for an AI or have an AI work for you. Which would you prefer?”
We have an incredible opportunity right now. Will we let AI define our futures? Or will we be intentional, thoughtful, and authentic, using AI to enhance our lives, deepen connections, and create genuine value?
I’m choosing optimism, intentionality, and authenticity. Join me.
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