Content Creation Pitfalls: My AI Tool Confessions

Last Updated on March 24, 2026 by Aimee Jurenka

I just reread my first post about AI that used ChatGPT to create, and I am horrified. Okay, I’m not that horrified. I am a recovering alcoholic, so as far as my embarrassment in public goes, it’s not an 11. But I digress.

What Happened

• First, in my original version of the post, which I shared on LinkedIn (smh), I interchanged Bard with SGE, and I can’t even remember what I called Bing’s AI overviews. (This was when Bing had released its AI answers to the wild, and Google was still working on their version in Labs.) I unquestioningly trusted AI to do my research for me. 
• Second, I described BARD as an acronym with a complete AI hallucination of a definition. Why? Because I input it into the chatbot as “B.A.R.D.” I was so focused (hyper-focused) on playing with a new toy (chatGPT) that I just panned and scanned my edits—resulting in a frantic research & updating session once I realized my mistake. Full disclosure: I did cheat in every way possible in school, so I was all hopped up on the idea that AI could take my low-effort trash and magically transform it into a content masterpiece. 
• Third, I got so caught up in the ability to change the “tone” of the article that I ended up sounding nothing like me. As I reread it today, it appears to be factual at the time of publication, but I sound like a chatbot valley girl. I have nothing against chatbots or valley girls; I am just not one and shouldn’t be presenting myself as one on my website. (I’m torn now. Should I update the entire article to be authentically me? Leave as is to point out an example of what not to do. Maybe add a blurb to the beginning/end of confessing my sins and link to this article? I don’t know.)

That said, am I going to stop using any and every AI tool I can get my hands on? Absolutely NOT. (Screenshot of me using multiple tools at once while working on this post.) I am still obsessed with figuring out ALL THE THINGS I can use AI for. I have, however, learned a few things since that first post that I need to remember.

What I Learned

1. AI can not do ALL my research for me. I drafted the post before ChatGPT had access to the web, so it is better at helping with research but still is far if ever going to be a plug-and-play tool for topic research.
2. AI can only work with the knowledge base it has been provided with. If I enter the wrong information, it will not correct it. (I found out the same goes for misspellings in ChatGPT knowledge docs.)
3. AI sounds like AI. Not only does it create word soup regularly, but no matter how many “tone” options it provides, it will not sound authentically like me. I will always need to share me to be me. (I hate being vulnerable and really liked the idea of a magic button that would spiff me up to a socially acceptable, easily palatable version of a human, so I am a bit crestfallen about this one.)

My Ever-So-Boring Conclusion

AI is a tool, just like any other tool. No matter how nice or how many tools I buy for drywall, I will still have to take the time and effort to learn how to drywall before I get great (or even good enough) results (as my husband and I, unfortunately, found out last summer) and the same is true for AI.

Update: AI Tools I Use Now

Now that it’s (practically) 2025, it feels like the perfect time to update this post with the AI tools I’ve relied on the most this year—and, more importantly, how I’ve learned to use them while keeping my personality intact.

Grammarly → Grammarly Pro for Email Mastery Okayness

Grammarly has always been my go-to for catching typos and smoothing out grammar. But the upgrade to Grammarly Pro has been an absolute game-changer. Why:

• Email drafting: I struggle to make my words come out and just can’t spell or grammar well (not a real word combo), no matter how hard I try. (Some days worse than others.) This helps me create polished, professional emails in half the time.
• Tone-perfect suggestions: It ensures my voice stays clear and on-brand (and not like a chatbot valley girl- lesson learned the hard way). Or even more importantly, I can check to see if I am being too casual, too direct, or downright mean before I hit send.

ChatGPT: Finally, A Personal Assistant I Can Afford

If Grammarly Pro is my editing ally, ChatGPT is my Swiss Army knife for everything else. It’s like having a super-organized assistant who never sleeps. Here’s how I use it:

Spelling & Grammar: ChatGPT is a regular part of my editing process. It’s like having a second set of eyes that respects your tone while fine-tuning your work.

• My favorite prompt:
  “Check the following for spelling, grammar, flow, and brand voice, and list your suggestions: [insert text].”

This gives me a clean list of recommendations to review and decide whether to implement rather than letting the tool rewrite my original work.

Fact-Checking: Accuracy is critical, especially when working on Your Money, Your Life (YMYL) topics like finance, health, or law. ChatGPT is my first step in fact-checking content for these sensitive niches. Let’s be real: do I know the ins and outs of Washington State prenup laws? Absolutely not. I’m an SEO, not a lawyer. But ChatGPT can give me a foundational understanding and help me identify gaps in the content.

• My go-to prompts:
  1. “Is the text factual for XYZ (e.g., Washington State prenup laws)?”
  2. Follow it with: “Please cite your sources.”

ChatGPT provides a concise summary, highlights potential inaccuracies, and suggests areas for improvement. Of course, I always cross-check with trusted resources before signing off on the final draft.

The Dreaded Long, Rambly Email: We’ve all been there: a client or boss sends you an epic, unorganized email outlining updates or ideas, and your brain instantly short-circuits. Here’s what I do: I copy the chaos into ChatGPT with this prompt:

• “Please summarize this and bullet the key requests.”

In seconds, I get a clean, actionable list that saves me from drowning in word soup.

Custom GPTs for Branding

Custom GPTs have been a revelation for maintaining brand consistency. Building one for SEO Sustainable was surprisingly straightforward.

1. GPT Instructions: Use Chat GPT to summarize your site and core beliefs. This will be your GPT instructions.
2. GPT Knowlege: Upload your logos & images. Then, create a PDF with hex colors, fonts, and website URLs, and paste a few examples of your pages and blog posts. You can go as in-depth as you like on this; just make sure each section/example is clearly labeled. Upload these assets to create a custom GPT that understands my tone, values, and overall style.
3. Train the GPT: While going through these steps, ChatGPT will ask you questions about you, your company, your brand, your tone, etc. Take the time to read and reply with revisions. This will expedite the creation process immensely. (Spoiler: if your GPT doesn’t “get” your brand, it’s time to revisit your website or messaging.)