How I Really Use AI as an Entrepreneur and an Animator
You’ve heard me talk about AI before. I’m often excited about its possibilities — but let me be real with you here.
Last week, I heard about protests happening in the industry against generative AI. And I get it. There's tension, fear, and valid concerns. I won’t get political here, but I do want to share how I personally use AI — not for content generation or replacing jobs, but for something simpler: staying sane and getting things done.
Because honestly? I use it a lot.
First, ChatGPT. I pay for the Plus plan because I use it every single day. Every newsletter, article, email — even this one — starts with me rambling for 10+ minutes into a voice note. Then I run that through transcription tools and iterate it with GPT. It’s still my voice. My syntax. My tone. Just clearer, sharper, and faster.
I don’t have an assistant. I can’t afford one. But with AI, I have a 24/7 writing companion. That’s huge.
On my Mac, I use an app called Superwhisper. It’s a speech-to-text tool that not only transcribes, but runs my spoken words through any prompt I set. It cleans things up, pastes the results into wherever I need them — and saves me about 70% of my time. Seriously, if you’ve never tried it, it’s a game changer.
I also use Claude (Anthropic's LLM) for more literary writing and for coding workflows — especially with tools like Cursor, Lovable, and n8n. Claude writes clean JSON and JavaScript, and helps me build tools and automations for running Animator NOW.
Then there’s Perplexity — an AI-powered search engine. I rarely use Google anymore. Perplexity gives me structured, clear answers, with sources, and lets me speak naturally. No more keyword gymnastics.
For creative work? I dabble with Midjourney, Sora, and a few image editing AIs. I’ve used AI in Photoshop to extend backgrounds, explore mood boards, and even retouch thumbnails. But that’s another topic for another day.
When it comes to using AI for animation, though?
Honestly — I don’t.
Not because I’m against it. But because right now, there's nothing out there that truly works in a meaningful way for keyframe animation. And frankly, I like it that way.
When I animate, I want to enter that alpha state — deep focus, no distractions. I shut the door, turn off the phone, and just animate. I don't want shortcuts there. I don't feel like there’s fluff in that process that needs cutting. It’s time-consuming, yes. But it’s rightfully time-consuming.
Maybe if I were animating eight hours a day again, I’d look for speed tools. And even then, I'd probably lean on things like AnimBot — clever helpers that respect the craft — rather than generative AI.
That said, I’m curious. I’m watching the space. I don’t like to close doors. But for now, give me a good rig and a quiet room, and I’m happy.
This isn’t about replacing creativity. It’s about enhancing clarity, speeding up busywork, and making room for what matters: making art.
So if you’ve been skeptical, I get it. But I also think there’s a quiet, helpful side to AI — one that feels less like a threat and more like a brush, a pen, or a Wacom tablet.
A tool.