I’m absolutely allergic to AI slop. I guess we all are. For me, it evokes the same terror I feel walking into my parents’ basement and realizing that one day this mess will all be mine. AHHHH!
Here’s how I try to minimize it while still jamming with AI and producing work at pace:
1. I warn people it’s slop
Sometimes I flesh out an idea quickly after a call. I feed AI the transcript, talk through my thinking, and let it cook. The result is often an incredible starting point, but it’s still a first draft. I label it AI FIRST DRAFT at the top of the doc so nobody mistakes AI generated scaffolding for finished work.
2. I use my voice
I transcribe everything. I’m transcribing this right now! Speaking lets me give AI more context than I would ever type. It also captures how I naturally communicate: the jokes, the false starts, the energy, and the phrases I actually use. The result sounds much more like me because AI has heard what I sound like when I’m thinking, not just what I type.
3. I ask AI to interrogate me
I use our Interview Me skill to make AI ask questions, challenge my assumptions, and find the gaps in my thinking. It forces me to explain what I mean before starting something. The better AI understands my intent and judgment, the less likely it is to produce generic slop.
4. I break it down
It’s tempting to highlight the entire draft and tell AI to get to werk. I get better results working through it piece by piece, deciding what each section needs to accomplish. This keeps me involved in the thinking and stops AI from flattening the whole thing into something unusable.
5. I choose the right model
Model choice and effort level matter. Some models are better at reasoning through complex problems, while others are better for fast, straightforward drafting. I choose based on the work and switch when the output feels flat. A weak result isn’t always a you problem. Sometimes you’re just using the wrong model!
The common thread is staying involved. AI accelerates the work, your judgment leads it.