The "Cloner vs. Creator" Principle
Why I'm not worried about AI video... and why it's the greatest thing that's ever happened to authentic storytellers.
My feed is having a full-blown existential crisis right now.
On one side, the alarm bells are ringing.
The Doomers are already picking out a tiny coffin for “authenticity.”
They see tools like OpenAI’s Sora and are convinced an ocean of AI-generated “slop” is coming to drown us all in a sea of uncanny valley sameness.
On the other side, you have The Dreamers.
They’re the ones busy storyboarding their own personal Avatar, convinced they’re one prompt away from winning an Oscar (or at least a very prestigious Webby).
Here’s the thing:
The Doomers are wrong.
The Dreamers are... well, they’re half-right and probably need more sleep. 😜
This new wave of AI isn’t just a new tool. It’s a new mirror.
It’s forcing every single one of us to ask a fundamental question: “What part of me is un-replicable?”
The way I see it, the answer is simple:
AI can replicate your likeness, but it can never replicate your life.
Trust isn’t built on production value; it’s built on shared experience. (This is the line you should read 10X..aloud)
It’s earned in the trenches of real life.
And now—for the first time in history—you can have your hard-earned experience plus the god-like ability to create anything your mind can imagine.
An AI can’t generate the story of your kid sleeping in his own bed for the first time, or the lesson you learned from a tough conversation with your wife.
That’s your gold. That’s what builds trust.
And here’s the game-changer: AI is also the tool that helps you get that story out.
It’s your co-writer. Your tireless creative partner.
Your intern who never needs a coffee break and doesn’t steal your good ideas. It can visualize your metaphor.
It can help you get out of your head and onto your feet.
Sora is just a tool.
And when you use this tool to amplify your humanity, it’s revolutionary.
This leaves every one of us at a crossroads.
And I believe we’ll see two paths emerge.
Path 1: The Transactional Shortcut
This is the path of the cloner, the transactional entrepreneur.
They see AI tools like Sora and HeyGen as the ultimate shortcut to flood our newsfeeds.
They will use avatars as a replacement for human connection, hiding behind the tech, hoping it’s “good enough” to fool the algorithm.
Spoiler: it’s not.
It’ll be polished. It’ll be fast.
And it will completely miss the mark.
It’s a digital cardboard cutout with all the charisma of... well, a digital cardboard cutout.
Path 2: The Human-Powered Hybrid
This is the path of the storyteller. The artist. The leader.
This creator understands the winning formula is the hybrid.
This is where people get confused.
They also use avatars and AI tools. But they’re not hiding behind them.
They use Sora to visualize a concept that was once impossible, creating a “wow” moment that stops the scroll.
They use an avatar to scale their message, allowing them to produce 10 helpful videos instead of just two.
But and this is the key…they blend it all with raw, authentic, human-generated content.
They are honest about their tools.
One video is their avatar breaking down a complex idea; the next is them, in their kitchen, unshowered, sharing a real, vulnerable story.
It’s the high/low. That’s the real magic.
They don’t use AI to hide their humanity. They use it to amplify their message.
So, how do you start walking Path 2 and how do you start today?
It’s simpler than you think.
You don’t need to go get a PhD in prompt engineering.
You just need to master your own stories.
Your First “Human-Powered” Prompt
Here’s the one thing I want you to do today. I want you to think “AI First” not as a videographer, but as a storyteller.
Open up Gemini or ChatGPT.
Find one small, human story from your day. The conversation with your kid. The “a-ha” moment you had in the shower. A memory from your first job (and the terrible haircut that came with it).
Now, give the AI this simple prompt:
“I’m going to tell you a short personal story. Act as a world-class storyteller and help me find the core lesson in it. Once we find the lesson, give me three compelling hooks to start a video script about it.”
That’s it.
You’re not asking it to replace you. You’re using it as a creative partner to get the gunk out of the way so you can get to the gold.
So no, I’m not worried about the coming zombie apocalypse of AI slop. Let it come.
It’s just a filter. A cosmic-level sorting hat, here to separate the wheat from the chaff.
The cloners will be exposed. The creators will be unleashed.
This isn’t the death of the creator.
This is your promotion.