AI Tools I Actually Use as a Creator (And the Ones I Don't)

Everyone has an opinion about AI in creative work. Here's mine: it's a tool, not a replacement. And like any tool, its value depends entirely on how you use it.

Tools I use daily:

Runway ML — For rotoscoping and object removal. What used to take me an hour in After Effects now takes five minutes. I don't use it for generation, just for cleanup tasks that are tedious but necessary.

Descript — For transcription and rough cuts. I speak my scripts before I write them, and Descript's transcription is accurate enough to be a genuine time-saver. I still rewrite everything manually, but the first draft is faster.

Midjourney — For mood boards and concept visualization. Before I pitch a project, I use Midjourney to create visual references that help clients understand my vision. It's a communication tool, not an art tool.

Tools I've tried and abandoned:

AI voice-over generators. I tested three different services. Every single one produced audio that was technically perfect and emotionally dead. Voice-over is performance, and performance requires a human.

AI thumbnail generators. They produce images that look good for about two seconds before you notice the uncanny valley. Thumbnails need to feel authentic, and AI-generated faces don't pass the trust test.

AI scriptwriting tools. I've tried them all. They produce exactly what you'd expect: competent, generic, and completely devoid of personality. My voice is the one thing I can't outsource.

The principle I follow: AI should handle the mechanical parts of creation so I can focus on the meaningful parts. If a tool automates a task I hate (transcription, rotoscoping, file management), I'm in. If it tries to replace the creative decisions that make my work mine, I'm out.