I’m Emily Hatton, and I help founders build scalable, thriving businesses. With expertise in strategic operations and business growth, I’ve scaled a remote agency from 8 to 45 team members and grew an online course business from £20K to £120K in monthly revenue within a year. My passion lies in creating operationally efficient, long-lasting businesses, with a focus on remote-first companies.
There’s a phrase I’ve found myself saying on repeat lately: Just because everyone’s using AI doesn’t mean they’re using it well.
It’s true, isn’t it? AI tools are everywhere now — woven into marketing workflows, sales outreach, customer support, and product development. We’re all being told it’s the future. And it is. But somewhere between the hype and the frantic adoption, a lot of businesses are missing the point.
AI isn’t a magic wand. It’s not going to fix your strategy gaps or your lack of process. If anything, it will magnify the cracks that were already there.
So, why are so many businesses getting it wrong? And what does ‘using AI well’ actually look like?
Let’s unpack it.
AI is only as good as what you feed it
First things first: AI is only as smart as the data and direction you give it. A good AI prompt isn’t just “Write me a LinkedIn post.” The best results come when you know why you’re asking, what tone you want, who you’re talking to, and what action you want people to take.
I’ve seen people say AI can ‘do your job for you.’ But the real magic happens when you use it as a collaborator — not a replacement. It’s a creative amplifier, a research sidekick, an editor, an idea generator. But it still needs you at the centre to make the output valuable and relevant.
People are skipping the thinking part
This is the trap: AI gives us speed and scale, so we’re tempted to skip the human thinking that makes ideas stick.
I’ve read AI-generated blogs that are technically fine — but they’re hollow. They don’t say anything new. They’re missing a point of view, an opinion, a story that makes the reader feel something.
And that’s the gap. Good strategy takes time. Clear messaging takes intention. Strong positioning takes an understanding of your audience’s real pains, hopes, and barriers to action. AI won’t do that for you — it will only echo what’s already out there. So, if you don’t put something distinct in, you won’t get anything distinct out.
Processes matter more than tools
Here’s another thing: too many teams get excited about the tools but don’t build the processes to use them well.
They hand everyone access to ChatGPT or Midjourney but don’t train people on how to craft good prompts, sense-check outputs, or integrate them into existing workflows. Then they wonder why the results are underwhelming.
It’s the equivalent of giving everyone a shiny new power tool without teaching them how to use it safely or effectively. Chaos, inconsistency, and rework follow.
So, if you want AI to actually save you time, invest in the upfront work:
Create clear guidelines for how AI should (and shouldn’t) be used.
Set expectations for quality control and human oversight.
Share best-practice prompts and examples so people learn from each other.
Review what’s working and refine your approach.
It’s not the sexy part, but it’s what makes AI adoption sustainable — and actually useful.
Keep the human touch
If there’s one thing AI can’t do, it’s be you.
It can’t understand your client’s offhand comment on a call and see the gold in it. It can’t sense when an idea is missing heart. It can’t share your lived experiences or bring your unique perspective to the table.
The brands that use AI well keep the human touch front and centre. They use it to free up their team’s brain space, not replace it. They use it to spark ideas, speed up research, or turn a rough draft into something polished — but they still add the nuance, story, and soul that only a human can.
So, how do you fix it?
If you’re reading this and thinking, Hmm, we might be guilty of this…, you’re not alone. Most teams are still figuring it out. But here’s where to start:
Get clear on your strategy first.
What do you want AI to help you do? How does it fit into your bigger goals? What can it take off your plate so you can focus on higher-value work?
Train your people.
Don’t assume everyone knows how to get the best out of AI. Run workshops. Share good prompts. Encourage people to test, experiment, and share what works.
Put quality checks in place.
Always have a human sense-check AI output. Does it sound like you? Is it factually accurate? Is it actually useful for your audience?
Keep asking: does this add value?
If AI content isn’t adding anything new or interesting, don’t publish it. Use AI to enhance your voice, not drown it out.
Iterate and improve.
AI will keep evolving — so should your approach. Keep an eye on what’s working, where you’re wasting time, and how you can get better results.
The bottom line
AI isn’t going away. And that’s a good thing — when you use it well.
Done right, it frees up your time for the deep work that actually moves the needle. It helps you stay consistent, get unstuck faster, and push out ideas you might have abandoned because they felt too hard or time-consuming.
But it’s not a shortcut for thinking. It’s not a replacement for your voice. And it’s certainly not a fix for bad strategy or broken processes.
Everyone’s using AI. Be one of the few who uses it well.
