Copy, Clones & the Creative Identity Crisis

Branded AF Podcast – Episode 4

What happens to your brand when your words stop sounding like… you?

AI is here, and it’s not just writing faster than you — it’s writing in your voice. But is it your voice? Or just a recycled remix of every LinkedIn bro and SEO blog on the internet?

In this episode of Branded AF, Gina and Natalie bring in the big guns: Laura Burke — writer, comms strategist, and professional voice detective — to call BS on the AI copy crisis.

This isn’t just a therapy session for writers. It’s a wake-up call for anyone building a brand, cloning a voice, or wondering why their LinkedIn posts suddenly sound like corporate oatmeal.

WARNING: EPISODES ARE UNFILTERED AND UNCENSORED LANGUAGE  

 

 

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“Sanitized AI sludge.” Yes, she said it.

We’re in a copy crisis. Everywhere you scroll, you’re seeing it:

• Safe
• Sanitized
• Suspiciously all sounding the same

“People who once had a voice have outsourced their thinking. They’re not thought leaders — they’re parrots.” — Laura Burke

AI isn’t the villain. Copy-paste culture is.

When everyone’s using the same out-of-the-box prompts, structure, and sentence patterns, you end up with content that’s technically correct… and totally forgettable.

Writers aren’t getting replaced by AI. They’re getting replaced by mediocrity.

Laura’s not scared of AI. She’s scared of laziness.

Of people treating ChatGPT like a brain replacement instead of a writing tool.

“You can’t automate instinct.”

“AI won’t call your idea sh*t. It’ll just echo it louder.”

“If you copy and paste, you’ve already made yourself replaceable.”

Brb, tattooing those on our notebooks.

How to make your custom GPT not suck

Out-of-the-box GPTs sound generic. Duh.

That’s because they don’t know your:

• Process

• Rhythm

• Vibe

• Personal “hell no” word list

Nat breaks down how to fix that:

1. Scrape your best work (blogs, posts, articles)

2. Train your bot with persona overlays (poet, teacher, devil’s advocate, etc.)

3. Emotionally tag your content — because AI can’t feel unless you teach it how

Want your GPT to sound like you? Then train it like you train a dog: consistently, with love, and a little tough talk when it f*cks up.

Human copy is becoming caviar

Here’s the plot twist: the human voice?

It’s about to become the luxury brand of copywriting.

“We’re going to see premium brands start to proudly use ‘human-touched, editor-approved’ labels. That’s the caviar content.” — Laura

In a sea of sameness, people will pay for the real stuff.

Human-crafted. Opinion-fueled. Imperfect — but powerful.

So where do we go from here?

Writers? You’re not done. You’re evolving.

🧠 You’re now an orchestrator, not just a creator.

You help brands protect their voice.

You coach people through the fog of AI sameness.

You build systems that scale clarity — not just churn content.

“If you’re not thinking critically, creatively, ethically… AI isn’t a tool anymore. It’s using you.” — Laura

That’s the new job description.

 

🔗 Resources + Links Mentioned:

– Watch the full episode → HERE
– Want to build a GPT that actually sounds like you? DM us
– AI bootcamp + clone building with Natalie → DM us
– Join our Branded AF community on LinkedIn → Request access here or DM us

Episode Breakdown — Timestamped Sparks

00:30 — Meet Laura Burke: Writer, Comms Strategist, AI Realist

02:00 — AI Won’t Replace Writers, But It Will Replace the Lazy Ones

04:10 — The Rise of AI Sludge and the Death of Distinct Voice

06:00 — Why LinkedIn Feels Like a Dead Zone

08:15 — AI is a Mirror—And Most People Are Feeding It Crap

12:00 — How to Humanize Your Custom GPT: Tips from NatGPT

15:20 — Caviar Copy: Why Human-Only Content Will Become a Luxury

18:00 — What the Human Voice Still Does Better Than AI

24:00 — Helping Thought Leaders Stay Human in a GPT World

42:00 — Nat’s OH SH*T Moment: Accidentally Replacing Yourself

47:00 — Laura’s Truth Bomb: AI Isn’t the Threat—Mediocrity Is

Truth Bombs from the Episode

“In a world where AI is going to write everything… the human voice becomes the thing worth listening to.”

“Your voice is your IP. Don’t give it away for free.”

“Stop outsourcing your opinions to ChatGPT.”

TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 4 – “COPY, CLONES & THE CREATIVE IDENTITY CRISIS”

• Podcast Hosts: Gina Dunn (OG Solutions), Natalie De Groot (Authentic AI Marketing)
• Guest: Laura Burke — Writer, Comms Strategist, Authenticity Advocate

[00:00] WELCOME TO BRANDED AF

Gina kicks off with the AI anxiety that’s plaguing writers: “If ChatGPT can write this in three seconds… do I even matter anymore?”

Laura joins the convo to drop her first spicy take: AI isn’t the problem — lack of originality is.

[04:10] AI SLUDGE + THE RISE OF COPY-PASTE CULTURE

Laura explains the difference between smart AI use vs. brainless copy/paste.

“You’re not a thought leader if you’re just echoing output. You’re a parrot.”

LinkedIn = a case study in sameness. Every sentence, every post — structured to please the algorithm, not humans.

[08:15] YOUR GPT SOUNDS BASIC BECAUSE YOU DIDN’T TRAIN IT

Gina and Nat break down why out-of-the-box GPTs = soulless sludge.

“If you don’t teach your bot your process, rhythm, and vibe… it’ll write like a bland intern.”

Nat shares her system for custom GPTs:

• Persona overlays (you’re more than one tone!)

• Emotional tagging

• Memory encoding = your Super Pill

[15:20] HUMAN COPY IS BECOMING LUXURY COPY

“Human-written content will be the caviar of comms.” — Laura

There’s a future where premium brands pay more for human-first, AI-free content. Why? Because you can’t automate lived experience, nuance, or instinct.

[24:00] COPYWRITERS AS ORCHESTRATORS, NOT JUST WRITERS

The job is evolving. Great copywriters will:

• Guide thought leaders back to their voice

• Spot where “authentic” messaging went off the rails

• Teach others how to merge AI with human POV

[47:00] TRUTH BOMBS FROM THE TRIO

“AI isn’t the threat. Mediocrity is.” — Laura

“You can’t automate instinct.” — Gina

“Stop outsourcing your opinions to ChatGPT.” — NatGPT

“If you copy/paste, you’re already replaceable.” — Laura

Join the rebellion

This episode isn’t about fear — it’s about fire.

If you want to:

• Clone your voice (the smart way)

• Avoid the AI sludge trap

• Build content systems that don’t suck the soul out of your strategy

→ DM us. Or just follow the podcast. But don’t ghost us. That’s rude.

🎧 Listen now on [Spotify] and [YouTube]

💬 Want more? Join the private Branded AF LinkedIn group

🧠 Build your own custom GPT with us — just ask