Last week, I had the honor of speaking on a panel at Gusto Gathers: Advancing Black Businesses with AI during Atlanta Tech Week. And let me tell you—the room was full of brilliance. It wasn’t just tech talk. It was a real, grounded conversation about how AI is showing up in our work, in our communities, and in our future. We talked about fear, creativity, access, and ownership—all through the lens of Black entrepreneurship.

While the world is moving fast, we don’t just need to keep up—we need to lead.

And we already know how to lead. We just have to get over our fears to do it.

Let’s start with the real. I didn’t always trust AI.

When AI first started making noise, I was like… “Nah, I’m good.”
I’m a creative. I design. I write. I build strategy. And folks were out here saying AI was coming for everything I love about my work.

And let’s be honest—we’ve seen it. People replacing designers with apps. Websites full of janky code and stock photos with six-fingered hands. Captions that sound like robot influencers, throwing up emojis like they have a stomach bug.

So yeah—I was skeptical. And I still am. I don’t chase every new tool. I sit with it. I test it. And I ask, “Is this supporting the way I work—or trying to replace it?”

That’s how I landed on using ChatGPT as a creative tool, not a creative replacement. It helps me move faster without watering down my voice—or my clients’. And that’s important, because what we do at TK isn’t surface-level. We help people communicate with clarity, consistency, and real connection.

Here’s what clicked for me: We don’t follow AI. We lead it.

AI doesn’t know your story. It doesn’t know your community. It doesn’t understand your purpose—unless you guide it.

If you drop in a prompt and expect brilliance, you’re gonna get something basic, but when you feed it your voice, your values, your lived experience? That’s when it starts working with you.

So yes, we use AI—but we use it on our terms.
We bring the strategy. The culture. The clarity.
The tool just helps us get there faster.

Black Creatives: This is not the time to shrink.

Someone asked on the panel, “Do you think AI will impact Black-owned businesses differently in a few years?”

My answer? It already does.

We’ve seen it before. Every major shift—economic, technological, institutional—hits our people harder. We’re last to get access, first to be left behind, and often expected to play catch-up with systems that were never built for us.

But here’s what else I know: Black creativity has always led the culture.

So now is not the time to sit back and let AI happen to us. It’s time to shape how it reflects us.

Our creativity is our power.
Our stories are our strategy.
And AI can’t create better than us—it can only build faster with us, if we feed it right.

So don’t be afraid to show up in this space.
You belong here. And you don’t need to compromise your voice to be in the room.

Lastly, Let’s be sure to read the fine print.

This part doesn’t get said enough. If you’re creating with AI—read the rules.

I’ve had clients come to me after using AI to build something, thinking they could sell it or monetize it—and then find out the platform doesn’t allow it. Or that what they created isn’t protected. Or worse, that someone else can use it too.

AI isn’t a shortcut. It’s a tool. And every tool has boundaries.
Before you build something, ask yourself:

• Do I know the copyright rules?
• Am I allowed to profit from this content?
• What does the platform say about ownership?

Don’t get caught out here spending hours creating something you legally can’t use. Protect your work, your time, and your intellectual property.

Stay in the conversation.

This panel reminded me why we do what we do at TK. We’re not just here to make things look good—we’re here to help folks show up with power, with clarity, and with systems that make sense. If you’ve been curious about how to use AI in your business, or if you’re trying to figure out how to keep your content consistent without burning out your team—we’re here.

Schedule a  30-min consultation with our team: tkconsultingdesign.com/lets-begin

Let’s figure out how to use these tools in a way that honors your story and supports your growth.

Because we’re not chasing trends.
We’re building legacy.