Do you feel like AI-generated content comes out too generic? Then this article is for you. I’m diving into the five most common mistakes I see when teams try to integrate AI tools into their workflow. Let’s explore how to use AI tools for better, more impactful results.
1. Inadequacy in prompting
So, you fire up ChatGPT, type something like, “Write me a blog post” and expect a Pulitzer-worthy piece? Here’s the thing: the quality of the output depends entirely on the quality of your input. Generative AI tools don’t magically know what you’re looking for. They adapt to the wording, style, and context of your request. A vague, generic prompt leads to, well, a vague, generic content. What’s the fix? Master the art of prompting! Here’s how:
Specify your audience: Who’s this for? A professional crowd, a fun-loving social media audience, or a specific niche group?
Define the purpose: Is this content meant to inform, convert, entertain, or engage?
Set the tone: Formal, casual, playful, or informative? Be clear about the voice you want.
For example, instead of saying, “Write me an email” try:"Write a playful promotional email for a fitness app targeting millennials, focusing on its convenience and fun design."
2. Expecting the machine to do all the work
AI tools don’t do the job for you. They help you do your job better. Period. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking AI can solve all your problems with minimal effort, but here’s the truth: you get what you give. Yes, AI tools can save you tons of time. They can help brainstorm, outline, and generate drafts, but the outcome still relies on human input, context, creativity and expertise for better results. Here's what to do:
Train your team in prompt engineering; crafting specific, actionable requests that maximise output quality
Use AI tools to enhance workflows; proper integration = better results and a insane good ROI
3. Using ChatGPT as Google
ChatGPT is an incredible tool, but it’s not a search engine. It doesn’t “browse the web” for real-time information or fact-check what it tells you. Here’s a breakdown of how they work:
Google Search is your go-to for facts, stats, and real-time news. It scours the internet and serves up content from live sources
ChatGPT is a language model. It generates text based on patterns it learned during training on a massive dataset. But here’s what to remember: while it’s brilliant for creating, brainstorming, and drafting, it doesn’t have real-time awareness or access to live data. Its “knowledge” stops at the point it was trained and isn’t automatically updated. This means it’s not ideal for finding the latest data or verifying facts.
4. Using the wrong tool for the job
I see many clients struggle with this one. Companies install ChatGPT and Canva for their workforce and expect stunning presentations and flawless storyboards in return. The result? Frustration and disappointment because they didn’t select the right tools for the job. Take Canva AI, for example. It’s fantastic for designing slides, but when it comes to storyboarding an animation concept, it lacks the capabilities of tools like Storyboarder or Procreate. These mismatches often occur due to a misunderstanding of the tools’ function. Generative AI can only be truly helpful when it’s used for the tasks it was designed to handle.
ChatGPT: Use it for drafting text, brainstorming creative ideas, coding assistance, or outlining stories
MidJourney / DALL-E / Runway: Perfect for generating visuals based on detailed prompts
Canva AI: Best for polished presentations, social media graphics, and straightforward design work
Notion AI: Great for organising projects, creating structured content, and team collaboration
5. Not editing the generated content
AI tools like ChatGPT might generate flawless paragraphs of text, but they don’t know your company’s style, values, or audience. Publishing raw, unedited AI-generated content is like putting a dummy on stage; it might look human, but it’s lifeless. Why humans need to edit machine-generated content:
Match their brand’s tone of voice (academic, casual, informative, etc.)
Resonate with their target audience (niche, interests, demographics, etc.)
Carry their company’s purpose and values
Think of generative AI as your brainstorming buddy, helping you overcome writer’s block and structuring ideas in an instant. But the final polish? That’s your job. AI drafts the skeleton; you breathe life into it. The same goes for designers: AI-generated images might look incredible at first glance, but they still often require manual retouching to align perfectly with your company’s vision or brand – don’t get rid of Photoshop just yet. 😊
So, what’s the fuss about AI, then?
Although AI tools can’t entirely replace creative processes and require proper training to use effectively, they make our lives so much easier. One of AI’s most powerful advantages is its ability to process hundreds of billions of data points in a fraction of a second. They can instantly provide information, analyse research, and summarise data. This immense speed of processing enable humans to make much faster, more informed decisions and provide more time to focus on the aspects that require human creativity.
Bonus tip: Stay updated
AI tools are evolving fast. What was cutting-edge yesterday might be outdated tomorrow. Your team just got the hang of using an AI tool properly, and then BANG! An update. So, what can you do? Stay curious! Regularly check release notes, tutorials, and industry blogs to learn about new functionalities or tools. For example, knowing when to switch from GPT-4 to GPT-5 or how to leverage new plugins can significantly boost efficiency.