AI agents and large language models are everywhere right now, and their impact is massive. Rather than trying to cover everything, I’ll stay in my lane and talk about what I know best: how experienced marketers use AI responsibly and effectively.

The way I think about tools like ChatGPT is simple.

AI is a calculator. Calculators are only useful after you understand the math problem you’re solving.

Why Marketing Fundamentals Matter Before Using AI

Most of us weren’t handed a calculator on day one of math class. We learned how division worked first. We learned why 42 ÷ 7 equals 6. We learned how to check our work.

So when we did start using calculators, we already knew 42 ÷ 7 could never equal 100.

That gut check matters.

Marketing fundamentals work the same way.

If you don’t understand positioning, audience intent, messaging, funnels, or measurement, and how organizational alignment and execution discipline tie those elements together, AI can easily produce something that looks polished but is fundamentally wrong. Without that baseline mastery, you won’t know it’s wrong until it fails in the real world.

AI Speeds Up Thinking. It Doesn’t Replace It.

When I use AI, I’m not asking it to do my thinking for me. I’m asking it to:

• Pressure-test ideas I already have

• Accelerate drafts that I know how to evaluate

• Help me explore variations faster than starting from a blank page

• Surface blind spots I can validate (or reject)

The value comes from speed plus discernment, not automation alone.

Just like a calculator doesn’t teach you math, AI doesn’t teach you marketing. It only amplifies what you already understand.

The Part of Marketing AI Can’t Do

One of the most important skills marketers have right now isn’t prompt writing. It’s judgment.

You need to be able to look at AI output and ask:

• Does this make sense for my audience?

• Is this aligned with how real people actually search, decide, and buy?

• Does this align with the brand voice, strategy, and goals we set?

• Would I stand behind this if my name were on it for the whole world to see?

If you can’t confidently and reliably check your own homework before turning it in, you could end up submitting the wrong assignment altogether.

Where AI Works Best for Experienced Marketers

With strong fundamentals in place, AI becomes incredibly powerful:

• Turning rough notes into structured outlines

• Translating strategy into multiple content formats

• Reducing time from research to insight

• Helping draft variations for testing

• Supporting SEO and AI visibility work when paired with real expertise

In other words: it helps you move faster without lowering the bar.

The Real Differentiator Is Experience, Not the Tool

Everyone has access to the same tools now. That’s not the advantage.

The advantage is knowing:

• What good looks like

• What “off” feels like

• When to trust the output and when to throw it away

AI doesn’t replace experience. It rewards it.

And that’s why I use it the same way I use a calculator: to move a little faster, reduce friction, and stay focused on the work that actually requires my expert judgment. And believe me, I always check my homework.