You Are the Spellcaster: How AI Can Give You Back Time for What Really Matters
Last December, I did a talk about AI for the Performing Arts Center Coalition at Lincoln Center and I summarized the chat in an article format for your snackable consumption. YUM!
Marketing Today is a Nightmare-Let AI Do Some of the Suffering for You
Can we be honest for a second: marketing today is exhausting. There are more platforms than ever, algorithms that change overnight, costs are rising, and a pressure to “engage” with audiences with bespoke, curated content every day, while also, you know, doing your actual job and trying to be a human.
If you’ve ever thought, I just need few more hours in the day to deal with this endless razzmatazz, congratulations! AI is here to be those few hours. (And unlike you, it doesn’t need coffee, lunch or existential “crying in the bathroom breaks” to function.)
This isn’t about replacing your creativity. AI won’t suddenly start writing your next great play or directing a show (yet). What it can do is handle the soul-crushing parts of marketing — so you can focus on the stuff that actually lights you up.
AI as Your Overworked, Unpaid Intern
Cue the cigar: “Back in my day…” I used to intern, for free, for many hours a week while in school and managing a job and a fabulous social life. Imagine having a creative assistant who doesn’t ask for a raise, doesn’t take sick days, and doesn’t complain about working at 3 AM or show up hungover in the same clothes you saw them leave in. That’s AI. It can:
Write your social media posts — ChatGPT, Jasper, Copy.ai — so you don’t have to sit there thinking, how many ways can I say “get your tickets now” before I lose my mind? I often use this as a way to reengage my brain to think of creative social copy. While not perfect and needs my attention, it cuts the brain rot time in half.
Design a poster in minutes — Midjourney, Canva AI, Adobe Firefly, Runway ML — instead of the endless back and forth with designers.
Schedule content automatically — Later, Buffer, Hootsuite OwlyWriter — so you can pretend you’re active online while actually watching White Lotus in sweatpants dreaming of being Carrie Coon’s bestie.
Find your audience & boost engagement — Google Keyword Planner, Meta Ad AI, TikTok’s Creative Center — because the platforms already know everything about your audience, you might as well use that data to your advantage.
Even make Email work harder. Google’s Gemeni for Gmail, For you Outlook Girlies: CoPilot Pro
AI Isn’t Here to Kill Art — Just to Help You Stop Crying Over It
The biggest fear people have about AI is that it’s coming for our jobs. Relax, Ron Weasley. AI isn’t some evil villain twirling its handlebar mustache and plotting the downfall of human creativity. (Please, no disrespect to those who fashion a handlebar mustache.) Or at least for now.
AI is a collaborator. It’ll help you make them bigger, bolder, and faster. Think of it as a brainstorming buddy who never runs out of energy. (Unlike you. Because you stayed up late endlessly scrolling on ebay for vintage culottes. Just me? Awkward.)
For example, AI can:
Generate mood boards & concept art — DALL·E, Runway ML, Midjourney — a great way to give your designers the big idea that’s in your head, so they have a clear brief to follow.
Help compose original music — AIVA, Soundraw, Udio — Need a unique sound for a marketing video? AI can create a distinct vibe without licensing headaches.
Find the best audience for your show — Google Keyword Planner, Meta Ad AI, Exploding Topics — AI can analyze trends and consumer behavior so you’re not screaming into the void.
AI doesn’t replace creativity — it just removes the annoying, time-sucking parts so you can spend more time doing what actually matters. Like making art. Or doomscrolling TikTok.
AI Tools That Could Save You From A Meltdown
For Social Media & Content Creation:
ChatGPT & Jasper — Generate captions, blog posts, and snappy emails when your brain refuses to function.
Canva AI & Adobe Photoshop (Generative Fill) — Let AI do the heavy lifting on your show posters, blog imagery or just creative inspiration for your next post.
Later, Buffer & Hootsuite OwlyWriter — Automate and schedule posts so you can pretend to be online while binge-watching something.
For Audience Growth & Engagement:
Meta Ad AI & Google Keyword Planner: AI finds your people so you don’t have to.
TikTok’s Creative Center : Helps you hop on trends before they die.
Persado & Phrasee: AI-optimized ad copy that actually gets people to click.
Broadwai: The geniuses at Broadwai are using chat bots to power quick customer service, effectively converting to sales within moments of entry to a theatre website.
For Video & Audio Production:
Runway, Sora & Synthesia — AI-powered video tools to help you create video and characters for some really impressive visuals.
AIVA, Soundraw & Udio — Original music, minus the stress of composing.
For Writing & Storytelling:
Sudowrite & Quillbot — Brainstorm, edit, and refine scripts without the existential crisis.
Plot Generator — Because sometimes you don’t know what happens next, but AI has a suggestion.
For Everything Else:
Future Tools: There are quite literally hundreds of LMMs that are being built for specific tasks EVERYDAY (there’s even a page that is dedicated to the last 24 hours). This site aggregates EVERY known ai tool in one place. Some fun ones that stuck out:
AI Is Here to Give You Back Some Sweet Time
Marketing shouldn’t feel like you’re the newest member of the Death Eaters. It’s hard out there in a late-stage capitalist society, AI can help you work smarter, not harder, so you have time to actually enjoy your work. Or, you know, your life.
So go forth, be brilliant, and remember:
It's you that has to go on, I *know* it. Not me, not Hermione, YOU…
RESOURCES
AI is the wild west, but it’s moving faster than the horse and buggy. Here are some resources to help you navigate the new Oregon Trail (NOW WITH LESS DYSENTERY):
Future Tools - every LMM updated here.
OpenAI Blog - Updates and insights directly from one of the leading AI research labs.
Towards Data Science - Articles and tutorials on AI, machine learning, and data science.
AI Alignment Forum - Discussions on ethical AI development and new research.
DeepMind Blog - Research updates from the team behind AlphaGo and other groundbreaking AI.
Hugging Face Hub - A repository of AI models, libraries, and community updates.
Social Media Profiles
@OpenAI (Twitter/X) - Regular updates on GPT models and AI advancements.
@DeepMind (Twitter/X) - Research and breakthroughs in AI and machine learning.
Lex Fridman (YouTube/Twitter/X) - AI researcher who interviews industry leaders and shares insights.
MIT Technology Review AI Section - Social updates on the latest AI trends.
AI Dungeon (Reddit/Discord) - Community-based exploration and fun discussions around AI tools.
Educational Platforms
Coursera (AI and ML courses) - In-depth courses from top universities.
Kaggle Learn - Hands-on tutorials and exercises on machine learning and AI.
Fast.ai - Practical tutorials on AI and deep learning.