How Artificial Intelligence Changed the Way I Create and Communicate Online
It’s hard to believe it’s been over two years since I first opened ChatGPT and typed in something like,
“Write me a blog post about affiliate marketing.”
What I got back in a matter of seconds was… impressive. Basic, but impressive.
At the time, I had no idea what a “prompt” was, let alone how to write a good one. Yet somehow, this tool seemed to understand me.
And so began my journey down the rabbit hole of AI content creation.
🚀 A Spark That Became a Habit
Back then, I wasn’t entirely sure what I wanted from AI. What I did know was that it was fast, it was helpful—and it had potential. I’ve always enjoyed writing, but here was something that could give me structure, ideas, and even whole drafts to work from.
Of course, my first few tries were a bit ropey. The output was generic. It lacked voice. It needed polishing.
But then again—so did I.
As I experimented, I realised I could steer the outcome by asking better questions. AI isn’t magic—it’s more like a brilliant assistant. You get out what you put in.
🧠 Exploring the AI Landscape
Since those early days, my toolkit has expanded.
I’ve used:
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ChatGPT (now GPT-4) for most of my content creation and editing
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Copilot for design and document formatting
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Claude for nuanced long-form writing
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Napkin.ai for fast visuals and layout ideas
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And many other tools—some great, some not-so-much
Each one has its strengths. Some are better at research, some excel at summarising, and some are handy for outlining or simplifying complex ideas.
But the real magic happens when you learn to combine them.
📰 The Newsletter: Practice with Purpose
About eight months ago, I launched a small weekly email newsletter.
It’s divided into two parts:
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A short summary and link to an article I’ve published on my main site, GoGetAhead.com
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A short educational piece about the origin of an interesting word or phrase (I’ve always had a soft spot for etymology)
The newsletter has been a quiet success. It’s helped me:
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Stay consistent with publishing
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Learn to write clearly and concisely
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Offer real value to readers
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Build a stronger relationship with my small but growing list
And almost every week, AI is there beside me—organising, suggesting, and occasionally pointing out I’ve used “however” three times in one paragraph!
🖼️ The Illustration Evolution
Visuals were always the weak link in my content. I’m no graphic designer. And while I can knock together a PowerPoint slide, that’s not exactly blog-worthy.
Enter Copilot.
With a few simple prompts, I could create illustrations that actually looked good. But there was one problem: text. Any words in the images—especially product names or titles—were misspelled or mangled.
This is where ChatGPT-4 has made a real leap forward. The new version of DALL·E inside GPT-4 now creates sharp, accurate illustrations with text that reads properly. That’s a game changer.
Now, I can illustrate my blog posts, lead magnets, and even emails with visuals that match my tone and message—without hiring a designer or spending hours in Canva. In fact the illustration at the top of this post was created in this way, by just asking it to create an illustration that suitable describes this post and its content.
📘 A Free Gift from Me to You
One of the things I enjoy most is showing others how to use what I’ve learned. That’s why I created a short guide for my subscribers called:
“My Secret AI Cheat Sheet”
It’s a straightforward, practical PDF showing how to:
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Use free tools to generate content quickly
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Create outlines and ideas in seconds
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Format articles and reports professionally
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Combine writing, image and video tools to elevate your content
You can grab your free copy here:
👉 Download the Guide
🤖 Lessons I’ve Learned So Far
If I had to sum up what two years with AI has taught me, it would be this:
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Start with curiosity. Don’t be afraid to explore.
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Learn the art of prompting. Clear inputs = quality results.
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Keep your voice. Use AI as a helper, not a ghostwriter.
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Mix your tools. Use the right AI for the right task.
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Stay human. Add your stories, your humour, your quirks. That’s what makes content truly yours.
🧭 What’s Next?
AI isn’t a fad—it’s the future. But more importantly, it’s the present. If you’re in affiliate marketing, content creation, or even just running an online business, these tools can save you hours and open up whole new possibilities.
And you don’t have to do it alone.
That’s what this blog is here for—to share the journey, the tools, the wins and the missteps.
If you haven’t already, make sure you’re subscribed. And feel free to pass this post—and the free AI guide—on to someone who might need it.
Here’s to working smarter, not harder.
Until next time,
Roger Wingfield
