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Get UNSTUCK by Pat Flynn

Why I stopped fearing AI and started using it


Issue #152 | July 22nd, 2025

Presented by Poppy AI

Hey there,

Last week, I was preparing for a podcast interview with a guest I'd never spoken to before. In the old days, this would have meant hours of work: researching their background, diving into their recent projects, reading their latest articles, and trying to craft thoughtful questions that would create real value for my audience.

Instead, I spent 15 minutes with AI getting comprehensive background research, key talking points, and even suggested questions based on their expertise and my audience's interests.

Same quality preparation. Same depth of understanding. But instead of spending my afternoon buried in research tabs, I spent it thinking about the conversation I actually wanted to have and how to make it uniquely valuable.

This is the reality we're living in: AI isn't replacing human creativity — it's amplifying it.

And if you're not using it as your creative partner, you're not just missing out on efficiency gains; you're missing out on doing the work only you can do.

Let's get unstuck.

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Story of the Week

The Fear We've Seen Before

Every transformative technology faces the same resistance. When cars were invented, people worried they'd scare horses and cause accidents. When calculators arrived, teachers feared students would lose their math skills. When computers emerged, workers panicked about losing their jobs.

Sound familiar?

The pattern is always the same: initial fear, gradual adoption, then wondering how we ever lived without it. We're in that first phase with AI right now, but the early adopters are already seeing the benefits while others are still debating whether to engage.

What AI Actually Does for You

Here's what I've discovered after using AI tools daily for the past year: AI doesn't replace your thinking — it accelerates it.

Instead of spending hours on research, I spend minutes. Instead of staring at a blank page, I start with a rough draft to refine. Instead of getting stuck on routine tasks, I focus on strategy and creativity.

AI handles the heavy lifting so I can do the work that only I can do: making decisions, building relationships, creating unique perspectives, and solving complex problems that require human judgment.

The Time Liberation Effect

That podcast interview I mentioned? The AI research didn't just save me time — it liberated me to focus on what actually mattered.

Instead of frantically gathering basic information, I spent my prep time thinking about the unique angles I could explore, the stories I wanted to draw out, and how to create a genuine connection with both my guest and audience.

The result was one of my most engaging interviews in months, because I could focus entirely on the human elements that make conversations memorable.

That's the real power of AI: It doesn't just save time, it frees you to focus on your unique human contributions.

My AI Research Revolution

This transformation became real for me when I started using Poppy AI for research and content creation. What used to take hours now takes minutes.

Need to understand a complex topic? Poppy can synthesize information from multiple sources and present it in exactly the format I need. Want to explore different angles on a business idea? It can generate perspectives I might not have considered. Looking for data to support a point? It finds and organizes relevant information faster than any manual search.

But the magic isn't just the speed — it's what that speed enables. When research takes 15 minutes instead of 3 hours, I can explore more ideas, test more hypotheses, and spend more time on the creative and strategic work that actually moves my business forward.

The Creative Partnership Model

The most successful AI users I know don't see it as a replacement for human creativity — they see it as a creative partner.

Here's how this partnership works in practice:

AI handles research, first drafts, data analysis, routine tasks, and information synthesis.

You handle strategy, decision-making, relationship building, creative direction, and final judgment.

AI suggests options, possibilities, frameworks, and starting points.

You choose direction, priorities, voice, and final execution.

AI accelerates the mechanical parts of creative work.

You elevate the work with your unique perspective and experience.

The goal isn't to replace your thinking — it's to amplify it.

Remember: Every transformative technology feels overwhelming at first. But those who learn to use these tools as creative partners — rather than fearing them as replacements — are the ones who will thrive in this new landscape.

The future belongs to those who can combine human creativity with AI efficiency.

Your creative partner is ready when you are.

Here's to amplifying your creativity!

P.S. If you want to experience this kind of AI-powered research and content creation, I highly recommend checking out Poppy AI. It's become an indispensable part of my creative process, helping me get to the work only I can do, faster. It helps me write newsletters, script videos, and more.

You can learn more here.

Heads up: All links to Poppy AI in this newsletter are affiliate links — that just means if you make a purchase through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Quote of the Week

“The real question is not whether machines think but whether men do."

—B.F. Skinner

SPI News and Notes

Turn your knowledge into a course that sells! Creating an online course is one of the best ways to share your expertise, grow your audience, and build a scalable income stream. But if you’ve ever felt stuck, unsure what your course should be about or whether anyone would buy it, you’re not alone. That’s why I’m hosting a free, live webinar on Monday, August 4th at 10:00 AM PT / 1:00 PM ET, where I’ll show you step-by-step how to create your first online course and build an asset that keeps paying you back. Click here to secure your spot!

Whenever people ask me what I use to supercharge my content creation, Poppy AI is my top recommendation. In this episode of The Smart Passive Income Podcast, I sit down with the creators of Poppy AI, Rafeh Qazi and Nazariy Dumanskyy, to explore how this tool combines AI power with a visual canvas designed for how we actually work. Together, we share the real ways we’re using Poppy — from writing newsletters and planning video essays to pulling insights from hundreds of podcast episodes. Tune in here!

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SPI 877: My Favorite AI Tool...
Jul 2 · The Smart Passive Income...
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Cheers,

Pat Flynn

Founder, SPI

Dad Joke of the Week

What's an AI's favorite type of music?

Algo-rhythm and blues.

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