Ryan Conway CreativeHow I use AI
AI is one of the most useful tools I've added in 25 years. What it produces depends on the direction and the input it's given, and that's where experience comes in.
What AI speeds up
- First drafts and quick variations
- Research and brainstorming
- Resizing and adapting content for each platform
- Cleanup and repetitive production work
What I decide
- What your brand stands for
- What's worth making at all
- Whether it looks and sounds like you
- Final quality, every time
How I work with AI
Start with the idea, not the tool
Every project starts with what you need and who it's for. Then I decide which tools, AI or otherwise, will get there best.
Your brand is the input
AI works from what you give it. Specific direction, real photos, your actual voice, and brand guidelines produce work that's yours. Vague prompts produce work that looks like everyone else's.
A person reviews everything
Nothing goes out without a human review for accuracy, quality, and fit with your brand.
Proof: this website
I built this site with Claude, an AI assistant. I set the strategy, wrote the brief, made the design decisions, and reviewed every page. The AI wrote much of the code. It's a small example of the approach: experienced direction, AI speed, and a human in charge of the result.
Tools I use
Claude, ChatGPT, Adobe Firefly, and ElevenLabs, alongside Adobe Creative Cloud: Premiere Pro, After Effects, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and Lightroom.
Questions
Do you use AI on every project?
No. I use it where it makes the work faster or better, and skip it where it doesn't. Many projects use it for drafts and research, but not for the final creative.
Will my brand look AI-generated?
It shouldn't. AI produces generic results when it gets generic input. With clear direction, strong source material, and careful review, the work looks like your brand.
Can you tell me where AI was used?
Yes. Just ask, and I can always tell you which parts of a project used AI tools.
Can you help my team use AI better?
Yes. That's what AI creative direction is for: guidelines, workflows, and training matched to your brand.
Want to use AI well in your marketing?
Tell me where you are now. I'll reply within two business days.