🛶 How you know ChatGPT can't replace you

Sooo I had the most interesting convo with ChatGPT last week about wine for our anniversary dinner.

And TBH? It was suuuuuper helpful. I was genuinely shook.

But here's the thing.

It was only because I knew what questions to ask.

See, we were making a reverse-seared steak and steamed artichokes (notoriously tricky to pair). And while it may seem frivolous to care so much about a pairing, I rarely get to drink due to migraine. And these days, I try to find joy in the moments I can.

So it mattered to me 🤷🏻‍♀️

While I know a buttload about wine from owning my cheese shop & wine bar back in the day, I needed some strategic guidance:

We had two special bottles we've had for over 10 years that we were considering opening. I'm no wine snob, but it was a special occasion. So I wanted to get it right.

Anyway ChatGPT told me both would work beautifully. It gave me tasting notes, food pairing suggestions – the whole shebang.

But here's what it couldn't tell me without the right prompts:

… how would each wine be right now, in 2025?
… does either need to be opened sooner rather than later?
… are they past their prime?
… how long does each bottle need to breathe?

^ I knew to ask those questions because I've lived it.

I know some wines are okay to age longer than others, even if I don't know which ones. I know that opening some wines an hour or two before drinking is the difference between meh and OMGGGG.

You need expertise to see the “known unknown.”

And this is exactly why your business is safe from AI takeover.

Sure, my clients could ask ChatGPT instead of my Brand Roots Blueprint. They could ask it to choose fonts and pick colors, but they won't know to ask:

• "How will this font make my target audience feel?"
• "Are these color recommendations overused in my industry?"
• "Does this palette pass accessibility standards?"

They could try AI instead of the Northstar Site Solution to build a website. But they won't know to ask about URL optimization for search. Or how to create a user journey where every page leads toward conversion.

The magic isn't in having access to information. It's in knowing what questions unlock the right answers.

Your lived experience – those "Reader knows exactly what they're doing" moments – they're what make you irreplaceable.

Someone can ask ChatGPT for "lower back pain exercises" and get a dozen generic stretches.

→ But they won't know to ask about their sleep position, their workstation setup, or how their stress levels might affect their recovery. It can't make a micro-adjustment to their PT exercise so the client bends her knees.

An online business owner could ask AI to create project timelines and task lists.

→ But they won't know to dig into decision-making patterns, or ask about the team's communication preferences, or anticipate where bottlenecks typically happen based on company size and growth stage. You know what questions prevent the chaos because you've lived through it.

Until AI has lived experience, your expertise is safe.

(And honestly? Maybe that day is coming. But thankfully we’re not there yet.)

So next time you feel that little AI anxiety creeping in, remember: anyone can get answers. But knowing which questions to ask? That's where your true value lives.

Keep on doing you,

PS. Want that anniversary wine pairing? We drank a 2006 Corison Kronos Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, picked up from the winery during a dreamy convertible road trip up the northern coast of California in 2013.

Chef's kiss – the AI pick WITH my follow-up questions delivered.

Reader, when you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help you:

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