“The key to success in an AI-driven world is not to compete with machines, but to learn how to collaborate with them”. – Grant McLaughlin

As a Public Relations graduate student, I’m learning that creating a strong narrative is only the first step in building credibility with an audience. The real challenge is sustaining interest, growing subscribers, and keeping people engaged. To support that process, I’ve been using ChatGPT to refine my writing and Beehiiv to grow my newsletter for my blog, The Constructive Gaze.          

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room… AI… ::shudders::!

At first, I was skeptical of AI. As a former educator, I saw students rely too heavily on it, which made it feel like a shortcut rather than a learning tool. That changed when I used ChatGPT to quickly restructure a lesson plan—something that would normally take hours. Now, I use it as a guide and editing assistant, not a replacement for my own writing. PRSA even describes AI as a “creative collaborator,” and I’ve found that to be true. It helps streamline workflows, personalize content, and save time, especially on a graduate student budget.

While I am not as “put off” by the idea of using AI tools like ChatGPT- I used it to shorten this post! I still maintain that we have a heavy reliance on AI and that our “voice” can be lost while trying to perfect our written communication. A major downside to AI is the environmental impact it has to be about to run data centers that have high carbon emissions and require ridiculously high amount of electricity to run it and of course since its tech water is needed to cool down processors. AI is still in its infancy but our reliance on it isn’t sustainable in its current state.

“The key to success in an AI-driven world is not to compete with machines, but to learn how to collaborate with them”. – Grant McLaughlin

When it came to newsletters, I initially chose Substack but found it limiting and disconnected from my WordPress blog. Beehiiv stood out because it lets me publish blog posts and email newsletters in one place, integrate with WordPress, and offer exclusive content to subscribers. With features like analytics, monetization tools, and automated workflows, it aligns with my long-term goal of expanding The Constructive Gaze into a podcast and PR workshops for creatives.

As a content creator, I don’t need every tool—just the right ones. Even in their free versions, ChatGPT and Beehiiv have become essential to my workflow. As I grow from student to PR professional, I plan to continue exploring and upgrading these platforms to build my audience and strengthen my brand.