Are you using AI Chatbots / Reasoning Models / AI Agents for Creative Work? We are! And today we want to share some ideas & tutorials for people who create something (doesn’t matter if its content, research paper, market research or search for ideas ). Check our tutorial by Joel, tested by Creators AI Team !
This post is prepared with Guest Author - Joel Salina. Creator of Leadership in Change.
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Most creators are using AI like a Swiss Army knife when they need a power drill.
Think of this image… You're trying to build a content empire, but every day you're reaching for that same multi-tool. Need market research? Pull out the knife blade and start scraping. Want competitor analysis? Switch to the tiny scissors and start snipping away, one piece at a time. Content calendar? Back to the knife, cutting and pasting manually.
It works, sure. But you're exhausted.
Meanwhile, there's a creator down the hall who hits "start" on something at 9 AM, grabs coffee, and by noon has a complete trend analysis, competitive research, content calendar, and three polished posts ready to publish. She's not using a multi-tool. She built a workshop.
I’m Joel Salinas, and that's how I manage everything I do on a daily basis, from my SaaS products to my humanitarian aid work, to running my publication focused on helping leaders and creators maximize their impact through tech and AI globally, along with all the specialized AI tools I build for my subscribers. As both a leader in the nonprofit space and an investor, I've learned that the difference between surviving and thriving in the AI age isn't about having more tools… It's about having the right system.
This is the difference between horizontal and vertical AI integration, and it's why some creators are scaling effortlessly while others are burning out with the same AI tools everyone else has.
The McKinsey research is clear: vertical AI integration delivers 3-5x more value than horizontal approaches. But most creators don't even know it exists.
Here's What Nobody Tells You: You're Only Using 10% of AI's Power
Most creators think they're "using AI" because they prompt ChatGPT daily. But here's the reality check: 90% of vertical AI use cases remain stuck in pilot mode, according to McKinsey's research. You're not behind on AI. You're using the wrong type of AI.
Horizontal AI = asking ChatGPT to help with individual tasks, one at a time
Vertical AI = building automated systems that handle entire workflows without you
Think of it like this: horizontal AI is hiring an intern who needs constant direction. Vertical AI is hiring a department that knows exactly what to do and when to do it.
The numbers tell the creator economy story nobody wants to admit:
46% of creators say it's hard to be successful in the current economy
58% struggle with monetization despite the creator economy being worth $250 billion
84% of creators use AI tools, but still face quality and originality concerns
The average creator takes 6.5 months to earn their first dollar
Why the disconnect? Because they're stuck in horizontal AI thinking. They prompt, wait, copy, paste, repeat. Every single day.
But here's what changed everything for me...
Yes, Creators can learn from Builders here. Check our series of posts about agents to find out power of Vertical AI:
What Happens When You Stop Prompting and Start Building - Agent Mode
Vertical AI integration means building systems that understand your creative process and execute multiple connected tasks automatically. Instead of asking AI to help you research trends, you build an AI agent that researches trends, analyzes engagement patterns, identifies content gaps, and generates topic ideas while you focus on what only you can do: creating.
Let me show you exactly how this works. Here are three vertical AI systems I use every week that have transformed how I create content.
You can run these using ChatGPT Agent:
And then use the scheduler to run your prompt automatically!
Use Case 1: Automated Trend Analysis (My Personal Favorite)
The Problem: You need to know what topics are trending in your industry, and what questions your audience is asking. However, manually browsing Reddit, forums, and social media for content ideas is time-consuming and inconsistent.
The Vertical Solution: A ChatGPT agent that automatically scours multiple platforms, identifies trending topics in your niche, analyzes engagement patterns, and delivers a weekly trend report.
Real Impact: I set this up once and now receive a comprehensive trend analysis every Monday morning. Last week, it identified 12 trending topics across 47 different sources in my leadership and AI space.
💡 Copy-Paste Prompt for Trend Analysis Agent:
I'm a creator in the [YOUR NICHE] space. I need you to act as my automated trend research agent.
Your weekly mission:
1. Search Reddit, Quora, LinkedIn groups, and relevant forums for trending discussions in my niche
2. Identify the top 5 most discussed topics, questions, or pain points
3. Analyze engagement levels (upvotes, comments, shares)
4. Look for content gaps where questions are being asked but not well answered
5. Create a structured report with:
- Top trending topics with brief descriptions
- Content opportunity assessment
- Suggested content angles for each topicKeep reading with a 7-day free trial
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