There seems to be a lot of conversation at the moment about AI and whether it belongs in the crafting world.
So I thought I’d be completely open about something:
Yes, I use AI in my business.
I use it to help with some of the jobs that happen around the crafting – things like organising my thoughts, planning content, writing and polishing advertising copy, coming up with ideas for how to explain something clearly, and helping with some of the admin that comes with running a small business.
And honestly? It has been incredibly helpful.
But there’s a rather important distinction.
AI doesn’t create Studio@316. I do.
AI can’t sit at my craft table and decide which products, colours and techniques I’m going to use for a project.
It can’t rummage through my craft stash, change my mind halfway through making a sample, or discover that something works much better than I expected.
It can’t make the sample.
It can’t order the supplies.
It can’t cut, score, fold, glue, stamp, sew or assemble the projects.
It can’t prepare the class kits — including all those little jobs that nobody sees before class day.
And it certainly can’t walk into the classroom, sit down with my customers, demonstrate the project, answer the “Barbara, I’ve done this… is it supposed to look like THAT?” questions, laugh when something goes slightly wonky, or share the excitement when someone looks at their finished project and says:
“I made that!”
Most importantly, AI can’t provide the fun.
That bit is all me. ❤️
I see AI rather like I see all the other tools I use to run my business. It can help me with the jobs that take time but aren’t necessarily the reason I started crafting in the first place.
It gives me another pair of hands for some of the behind-the-scenes work.
But the creativity, the decisions, the making, the teaching, the experience and the relationship with the people who come to my classes?
That’s human. That’s personal. That’s Studio@316.
So if you see an advert, blog post or bit of business content from me that has had a little help from AI, I’m quite happy to tell you that it has.
Because there’s nothing dishonest about using a tool to help me do the business side of running my business.
What matters to me is that the thing I’m actually inviting you to come and experience — the crafting, the projects, the classes and the community — is something I’ve created, prepared and delivered myself.
AI can help me run Studio@316.
It can’t be Studio@316.
And I wouldn’t want it to be. 💕
Transparency matters to me, so I’m happy to say when I’ve used AI to help with the wording or planning of my business content.
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