“Coming in for some mindset help, lol.” That’s how a recent LinkedIn message from niche and personal brand coach, Lily Rudolph, started.
She continued:
“Every time I use AI to refine, I feel like I’m cheating and going against my brand identity – my values of authenticity and integrity. It’s like I’m scared to be caught out as a fraud!”
She wasn’t asking for AI tips. She was asking for reassurance. And I get it.
That uneasy feeling? It’s real – even for smart, self-aware, brand-savvy humans. Myself included.
Hello – experienced human copywriter here. I used to feel completely ethically challenged. If I use AI to help me… can I still call myself a writer?
It’s normal to feel this way. Because we’ve been taught that real work means doing everything ourselves. That asking for help – or using a tool to refine our words – somehow makes us less credible. Less creative. Less authentic.
But here’s what I told Lily:
“If you’re using AI to refine, you’re already doing more than most. The problem isn’t that you’re using it – it’s when people use it without thinking.”
Let’s talk about that.
The guilt is real – but it’s misplaced
That fear of being “caught out” isn’t just about tools. It’s about maintaining a sense of (human) identity.
As business owners, marketers, writers – humans – we’ve built our reputations on being the expert. The creator. The thinker. The voice behind the words. So the moment we introduce AI into the process, even as a collaborator, it can feel like we’re somehow letting ourselves down. Or worse – misleading our audience.
“If AI helped with this, can I say I really wrote it?”
“If I didn’t start from scratch, does it count?”
“What if someone finds out I used AI?”
Here’s the reframe: Using AI isn’t a shortcut. It should be seen as a tool – just like autocorrect, spellcheck, or that brilliant Canva template you keep recycling.
Authenticity doesn’t come from whether you used AI. It comes from whether your brain was present and active when the content was created. Are you refining the output? Prompting with intention? Editing like your brand depends on it?
If yes, then you’re fine. You’re not handing over complete control. If no, maybe it’s time to reflect.
The real problem? Thoughtless AI use.
Let’s delve deeper…the fear isn’t really about using AI – it’s about losing yourself in the process, am I right? Well, the good news is that only happens when you switch off your brain, hit copy-paste, and hope no one notices.
We need to let go of this old-school belief that being a “real” writer, marketer, or leader means doing everything from scratch. That was never the gold standard – it was just the default before we had better tools.
You’re not a fraud for using AI. You’re smart if you’re using it well.
Here’s the difference:
🔻 Blind AI use looks like this:
- Prompt once, post whatever comes out
- Robotic or generic tone
- No clear purpose or strategy
- Hide the AI use like it’s a dirty secret
✅ Human-first AI use looks like this:
- Experiment, refine, and edit like it matters
- Inject your voice, personality, and tone
- Start with intention – know the goal and the audience
- Be transparent about how AI supported you
You don’t lose your authenticity by using AI. In fact, I’d argue that the most authentic thing you can do is acknowledge the support you’re getting – while still owning the final result. That’s why I include a simple transparency line at the bottom of my articles like below. But when it’s all me, I say something quirky like 100% written by my human brain.
You lose authenticity when you hand everything over to the bots and pretend that it’s you. As long as your brain and heart are part of the process, your integrity stays intact.
Want help building a human-first AI habit?
Feeling a bit better? I love talking about mindset when it comes to AI. It’s featured in all my workshops, keynotes, coaching sessions, and inside my book AI-Human Fusion.
Because using AI itself isn’t the problem – you just don’t know how to use it.
Grab your copy here or message me if you’d like support with making AI work for you, not instead of you. You’ve got this, fellow human!
P.S. This article was drafted with AI help, reviewed by a real-life overthinker.
