Your AI Thought Partner

How to use AI as a strategic partner to amplify your work.

Author

Jaime Solis
02 May

Welcome to Red Threads

Insider strategy for creators who lead.

Actionable insights and tools at the intersection of music, podcasting, marketing, AI, and culture–delivered every Friday.

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes."
— Marcel Proust

It’s Friday and welcome to Red Threads! Today we’re exploring how to elevate your work by using AI as a strategic thought partner–not just a taskmaster.

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The Red Thread This Week

Your AI Thought Partner

Most people use AI like it’s a vending machine.

Ask a question. Get an answer. Hope it’s satisfying. Move on.

But creators and entrepreneurs who get it?
They use AI like a collaborator. A strategist. A sharp second brain.

The best CEOs don’t write every report or design every presentation slide.
They lead smart people and build systems to make better decisions.

That’s how you need to think about AI.

It’s your strategist.
Your researcher.
Your brainstorm partner.
Your content team—on demand.

But only if you treat it that way.

This week’s Red Thread is about how to stop using AI to check boxes—and start using it to level up your thinking, your process, and your creative edge.

Let’s dive in!

~ Jaime

🔑 The Unlock

3 Ways to Use AI Like a CEO

Recommendation: Test drive these 3 points with a few different AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Bearly, etc.) for maximum benefit.

1. Train It to Think Like You
Start with tone and context. Upload past writing. Use Custom Instructions in ChatGPT. Refine outputs until it sounds like a sharp version of you. Stop getting generic output. Instead, teach the tool who you are and how you work.

Prompt to try:

“Here are 3 writing samples that reflect my style, tone, and voice [upload writing samples]—analyze the key style cues and create a writing persona I can use for future prompts and requests. Use this new persona to transform my notes below into an email I can share, and match my voice.”

2. Use It to Challenge Your Thinking
AI doesn’t just summarize. It interrogates. Ask it to poke holes in your argument.
Ask:

  • “What am I missing?”

  • “Play devil’s advocate.”

  • “What would a critic say?”

Prompt to try:

“Act as a sharp business strategist. Here’s my idea: [insert idea]. Now, play devil’s advocate. What are the biggest risks, weak spots, or reasons this could fail?”

Prompt to try:

“What’s a counterpoint to this? And how might someone with an opposing worldview argue against it?”

3. Expand the Field of View
Use AI to stretch beyond your industry.
Ask for angles you hadn’t considered.
Use it to simulate trends, test business strategies, or remix ideas across disciplines.

Prompt to try:

“Take this idea—[insert]—and reframe it as if it were a children’s book, a sci-fi film, and a Harvard Business Review case study. What new angles emerge?”

Prompt to try:

“What lessons from the restaurant industry could apply to building a brand for an indie musician?”

📌 Try this: Next time you open ChatGPT or something similar, don’t ask it to complete a task. Ask it to help you think bigger. Ask it to push you past the obvious.

💡 Creative Edge

Most Creators Still Think of AI as a Content Mill

But the real advantage? It’s a second brain that never sleeps.

Use it to rehearse. To pitch. To reflect.

Prompts to test-drive today:

  • Creative Self-Audit Prompt

“Act as a creative coach. Ask me 5 hard questions about how I spend my time, what I'm building, and what I'm avoiding.”

  • Audience Research Prompt

“List 10 questions my target audience—[describe your audience]—might be secretly asking themselves but never say out loud. Focus on emotion, fear, and ambition.”

  • Brand Strategy Refinement Prompt

“Here’s how I currently describe my brand: [insert]. Break it down and tell me where it’s clear, where it’s generic, and how to make it more emotionally resonant.”

These aren’t just prompts.
They’re multipliers.

 🎲 Prompt Playground

Test drive AI with this very serious prompt.

Just plug it into your AI tool of choice, fill in the blanks, and see what unfolds!

This week’s challenge:
Create a historical fiction movie pitch featuring a surprising main character.

Copy + paste this prompt into ChatGPT, Claude, or Perplexity:

“You are a world-class screenwriter. Pitch a 60-second movie trailer script for a historical fiction film where the main character is a [profession] from [time period], who unexpectedly becomes involved in [conflict or event]. Make it dramatic, inspiring, and slightly absurd.”

🎯 Try it with:

  • Profession: Beekeeper

  • Time period: Ancient Rome

  • Conflict/Event: The invention of the espresso machine

✅ Bonus challenge: Ask AI to give the movie a title, tagline, and streaming platform it would debut on.

Reply to this email and send me your favorite result! I’ll send you my free AI prompting guide to help you unlock even more productivity and fun.

📡 Industry Pulse

  • Takeaways from Universal Music Group’s Q1 Earnings Call
    UMG says platforms like TikTok and YouTube Shorts are booming—but monetization for artists remains inadequate. The growth is real, but the revenue model is still broken.
    Read more ›

  • Jack Dorsey Calls to Abolish IP Law—Again
    The ex-Twitter CEO ignites controversy with a hot take: “Delete all IP laws.” Critics say it's a luxury belief from billionaires who profit off content creators without creating content themselves.
    Read more ›

  • Smart TVs Are Reshaping Podcast Consumption
    New data shows more podcast listening is happening on smart TVs—blurring lines between traditional media, video, and audio platforms.
    Read more ›

  • Spotify Launches First Podcast Awards in Mexico
    The streaming giant celebrates Mexico’s surging podcast market with a new awards show, spotlighting local talent and regional growth.
    Read more ›

  • Meta Launches Standalone AI Assistant App
    Meta just rolled out a ChatGPT competitor—with real-time image generation, search capabilities, and tight platform integration.
    Read more ›

🛠️ Trending AI Tools

  • MakerBox – Instantly generate high-performing bios, covers, and posts that drive 3.5x more engagement and 87% more connections.

  • PixelFox Object Remover – Instantly remove unwanted objects from images. Great for thumbnails, mockups, or social content cleanup.

  • FlowSage – Create custom GPT workflows for repeatable processes like content planning, social scheduling, or onboarding sequences—no code needed.

  • GuideJar – Turn AI-generated answers and workflows into step-by-step user guides or SOPs you can share with your team or clients.

  • Kayak AI – Plan trips and compare options with conversational AI.

⚡ Final Note

Want more Red Threads in your life?

You can find daily blog posts here and connect on LinkedIn here.

You’ve got an idea. A message. A story worth telling. The only thing standing between you and your own podcast? Getting started.

That’s why I put together The 7-Day Podcast Challenge—a simple, step-by-step guide to getting your podcast live in a week. No fluff, no wasted motion. Just a clear path from idea to launch.

And thank you for spending time with Red Threads this week. I’m glad you’re here.

~ Jaime

P.S. Could you use some help with a project you’re working on? Let’s talk! 

📌 If this issue sparked something for you, forward it to a friend.

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