By Jae Logan | March 2026
In this day and age, the answer to many questions will undoubtedly include the abbreviation “AI.” That is completely understandable. As a small business owner, you only have two hands but could really use eight. Likewise, you have a strict budget to spread amongst all of your operating expenses. AI may appear to be the perfect solution to a multitude of business needs. However, user beware – AI is not as intelligent as you need it to be, and it can put your proprietary secrets at risk.
AI’s “Intelligence Level”
First, let’s start with AI’s intelligence level. If you program your thermometer to 74 degrees, it will work with your HVAC system to ensure that your home is 74 degrees. Your thermostat knows how to do this because it is programmed that way. As simplistic as this example is, that is exactly how AI works. It is programmed by companies, individuals, old databases, the internet, books, tv shows, movies, images on the internet and so many other points of data.
Now, you may have gone out and purchased a smart thermostat (possibly one recommended by Wayne DeCouteau –( Your Partner in Solar). That’s great. If you aren’t home, but you realize there is a cold front moving in quickly, you may want to change the temperature of your home, so it is toasty when you get home. You reach for your portable computer (your cell phone), you open the app, change the temperature setting and done. This wonderfully “smart” thermostat will magically have the house at your preferred temperature setting when you get home – amazing! However, how smart is it? You opened the app and changed the temperature; the magic of the internet sent the message and told the thermostat to change the temperature. You still adjusted the thermostat, but you didn’t use your hands (Abracadabra!).
Now if there is a blackout or your Wi-Fi at home goes down – the temperature will not be to your liking when you get home. It requires internet access and your data to make changes to your thermostat. AI also needs data and internet access to function.
AI Programmers and Intellectual Property
Let’s discuss the data portion a little more. Whatever information you put into Artificial Intelligence, it will learn AND it will “own.”[1] Remember all of those long-winded agreements that we just click through in social media? Well AI has one, where is it? It could have been on the browser agreement if you use Google AI, it was in ChatGPT when you first downloaded the app, etc.
I put quotation marks around “own” because it is not the author; you own the copyrights (if you are copyrighted). However, if you are an author (I know there are at least three of us in this group) and you decide you want to change your cover art and look to AI for suggestions, this is where it gets tricky. You upload the cover page or describe the cover page and give a brief summary of the book – it can now reuse that information when another user has a similar request. You have now programmed AI from the comfort of your computer, just like that and you will not get credit for doing so.
AI can now share your book cover with the next individual who wants to create a book on home inspections and make suggestions to their book based on the information that you shared with them. While knowledge regarding businesses like yours is all over the internet already. You may have put your information together in a unique way that will show your expertise and drive consumers to select your book over another’s.
Is AI Worth It?
Is AI worth it? How can I use it wisely and protect my intellectual property (IP)? How does everyone do it and not have their IP stolen? I only use it for (fill in the blank) _____ should I be worried?
AI is worth the effort.[1] Just think carefully about what you are using it for. How can you use it AND protect your IP? Do not put your IP into any AI apps. I don’t care what you use it for, do not put your IP into any AI apps. You can download the small business[JW2]
AI is a particularly useful tool when used carefully. Here are key things to remember:
- AI is not a replacement for life experience and research.
- AI does not work for you personally; there are a thousand companies like yours out there – many of which are looking to AI for help as well.
- Any information you provide AI with, it will keep and use it.
- Use AI as an outline.
For instance, I asked ChatGPT how to become a NY Times Best Seller instead of “how to make my book ‘Mommy Doesn’t Look Sick’ a best seller.” Here is a sample of what AI returned:
“Becoming a New York Times Best Seller isn’t just about writing a good book. It’s a combination of great content, strong positioning, and a coordinated launch strategy. The NYT list measures sales velocity from selected bookstores and retailers in a short period, so the goal is concentrated sales in week 1–2.
Here’s the practical roadmap many bestselling authors follow.”
It goes on to provide a “roadmap” on how to be a NY Times best seller, which is full of other authors who have used this method. I provided it with a high level of information. Likewise with blogs and marketing.
Recommendations on How To Use AI
Ask AI whatever you want. Here are some recommendations:
- How can I increase my social media followers?
- How can I engage my followers to get them to open their eyes to use my business (solar energy, SEO services, insurance, catering, appliances – see where I am going here).
- What is an ideal blog topic for a home inspection business?
- Take the ideas and the additional information they provide.
- Make a list of future blogs out of the response you received.
- Ask AI to write a blog for you on one of the topics, but do not provide details regarding your business; it is up to you to add that. Then take that blog and edit the crap out of it.
- NEVER copy and paste the blog.Do research on the information AI provides you with. Never take AI’s word for it.Make it sound like a human wrote it – add personal touches from your business.
- Add links to your blog that take the reader to different areas of your site, or trusted sites such as government agencies that back up the information on your blog.
- Ask AI to provide you with ideas on updating your internet site for your plumbing/house washing/financial services business?
- Only make the edits to your site that make sense to your business model, do not go overboard and automatically make one hundred changes to your website. It may be hard to manage and keep up with the changes for you, and if done incorrectly for your business, it may confuse your clients when they visit your website.
- How can I increase sales and interest in my printing business?
- Take the suggestions with a grain of salt, some may be great ideas, while others may not be.
These are not all of the questions you should ask, but it is a really good start. Recently I have participated in and overheard so many conversations around AI. The numbers are almost equal when it comes to those for and against AI.
Bottom Line on AI
As an author, I do not approve of using AI to write or edit books. First of all, if you use AI to “write” a book for you – I do not consider you an author. You are an AI programmer who is looking for an easy way to make money. It will affect sales because there is an entire audience that frowns upon using AI to replace human talent. There have been instances when AI has plagiarized other authors. It is not wise to publish something you take from the internet. It could be inaccurate, it could be plagiarized, and it is in poor taste to make your clients believe it is your work.
The bottom line is that there are no shortcuts in using AI for your business. Protect your IP, verify and research any information you receive from AI. Everything you post/print/blog about reflects you, your work, and your business. Treat it all with the respect that your experience deserves.
If you need a writer, a blogger, a social media person – reach out to me! I can help you. I have developed trainings, policies and procedures documents, written and edited books, blogs, regulatory responses and event planning processes.
