Co-authored by Brent Peterson and Isaac Morey
Our paths to this merger started at different points but converged on the same truth: AI changes everything, but humans remain essential.
Brent’s Story From Code to Content
As a serial entrepreneur who's built multiple technology businesses, I've always integrated marketing into my growth strategies. My last venture was a digital agency specializing in Magento e-commerce platforms, where content played a crucial but often challenging role.
When generative AI arrived, I saw its potential to transform how businesses communicate. At Content Basis, we quickly incorporated these tools into our operations. The efficiency was remarkable. Suddenly, we could produce more content than ever before.
But something was missing. The AI-generated content lacked authenticity—that distinctive human element that engages readers. I realized we needed to blend technological efficiency with human creativity and judgment.
This search for balance reconnected me with Isaac, whose content agency had provided services to my business years earlier. Our conversations revealed we were tackling the same challenge from different angles.
Isaac's Journey
Ten years ago, I landed my first freelance writing gig.
Today, I'm working on the exciting first steps of a merger between the writing agency I founded, Content Cucumber, and a full-service digital marketing provider called Content Basis.
It's been an interesting journey, full of challenges like graduating from "writer" to "editor," or pivoting our services to a more digital-first audience in the wake of the pandemic. But the moment that most forced me to reconsider and redefine how I approach my work was the first time I tried ChatGPT.
When my brother and co-founder Sam told me about this software, I knew what was at stake. The first prompt I ever gave ChatGPT was: Will Generative AI replace the need for human writers?
The response was something akin to the increasingly popular adage:
"AI will not take your job—but someone who knows how to use AI better than you might."
My initial reaction to that statement was a bit skeptical. From phone addiction to climate change, examples of how technology can have negative unintended consequences are all around us. This cynicism would soon be reinforced as our company started seeing clients leave on the grounds that they could "do content marketing themselves with ChatGPT in like, five minutes."
Despite these misgivings, another part of me saw the logic in the notion that learning how to wield new tools like ChatGPT would be a good strategy to future-proof my skill set. (And the offerings of Content Cucumber!)
I started learning about and experimenting with AI tools, and quickly realized something important: the clearer and more thoughtful your writing, the clearer and more powerful your results with AI.
Here’s a simple example of how smarter prompting makes all the difference:
Prompt 1:
What do you think about this article?
Prompt 2:
Please review this article on organic dog food, and provide feedback on its grammar, structure, thoroughness, etc., in the format of a bulleted list.
Prompt 3:
You are acting as a senior editorial consultant specializing in ecommerce and pet care content. I just finished drafting an article about organic dog food for ecommerce-dog-food-example.com. The client specifically requested we highlight the risks of low-quality dog food in a way that feels empowering and encouraging—not judgmental.
Please review the article and provide detailed editorial feedback, following these specific guidelines:
Completeness: Evaluate the "5 major downsides to poor dog food" section. Is it thorough? Are there additional points you would recommend including?
Tone Sensitivity: Identify any language that could come across as overly critical or judgmental toward pet owners who buy conventional dog food. Suggest edits to ensure we maintain a tone of encouragement and opportunity, not shame.
Brand Accuracy: Confirm that "Chow" (a brand name) is consistently capitalized throughout the article.
Additionally, please flag any issues with grammar, structure, clarity, tone, layout, or brand alignment. Provide your feedback in a structured bulleted list, separating major revisions from minor edits where appropriate.
These examples show how AI can provide a springboard for creativity, not just replace it.
Nowadays, I tend to think of generative AI like ChatGPT similarly to how I think of Google: it's a powerful tool, but it requires critical thinking to use well. You certainly can't copy and paste a ChatGPT response into WordPress and call it a blog.
Over time, Content Cucumber began seeing some rebound customers: people who realized that using ChatGPT to run their blog would inevitably be either too low quality, too time-consuming, or, in the worst case scenario, both. We also began offering a cost-effective, openly AI-driven plan featuring human prompting, fact-checking, and revision, which proved a great middle ground for clients looking to stay active online without breaking the bank.
But we also saw a need to continue evolving and expanding the services we offered with the help of these tools. Rather than replacing human writers, AI multiplies the impact of clear thinking, creative strategy, and expert craftsmanship. It offers new opportunities to identify, understand, and act on the data and opportunities around us. We wanted to harness this to give our clients a compelling, effective growth engine that went beyond blogs, email newsletters, and web copy.
That's when we started talking to Brent Peterson—one of the first ever Content Cucumber customers, and the new founder of a full-service e-commerce marketing agency called Content Basis. These conversations led us to the conclusion that our dynamic mix of human creativity and technical savvy could help us build something truly special. A "whole is greater than the sum of its parts" scenario.
Brent’s experience building full-funnel marketing solutions (and his vision for where human + AI partnerships can take us next) was the spark that led to this merger. I'll let him share more about where we're headed.
Brent’s Vision for the Human-AI Partnership
I'm excited to pick up where Isaac left off.
As someone who has gone through the complete cycle of AI content adoption, from initial enthusiasm to practical reality, I've discovered what matters: humans remain the critical factor. (Dare I say the real factor?)
Our merger with Content Cucumber gives Content Basis something exciting: the ability to offer full-service content development with real humans at scale. YES AT SCALE.
Previously, we were limited by editorial bandwidth. Now, we have a specialized team ensuring content truly serves the client.
Humans Are Essential
When AI Goes Wild
Without human oversight, AI produces content no sane person would write.
Consider these examples:
Example 1: AI Gone Rogue "Supercharge 🔋 your marketing strategy TODAY with our REVOLUTIONARY 🚀 approach to content optimization!!! Our GAME-CHANGING methodology will LITERALLY transform 🔄 your business overnight! Don't miss this INCREDIBLE opportunity to DOMINATE 👑 your industry! Act NOW!!! #BusinessSuccess #Marketing #Innovation #DigitalTransformation"
Example 2: The Corporate Buzzword Generator "We leverage synergistic cross-functional methodologies to ideate scalable solutions that drive meaningful engagement across omnichannel touchpoints, enabling stakeholders to operationalize mission-critical initiatives while maintaining a forward-looking perspective on holistic growth objectives."
No human talks like this. Yet this is what happens when AI runs unchecked—creating content that screams "artificial" to readers.
The Human Difference
AI creates scale, humans create meaning.
Technology should serve humans, not replace them. Human judgment determines what's worth reading. The gap between AI-generated and human-refined content is obvious to readers.
When you examine content closely, the human touch becomes apparent in the nuance, the understanding of context, and the ability to connect ideas in emotionally resonating ways.
AI might produce words efficiently, but humans bring the wisdom to make those words matter.
The Business Impact
Brand Voice Consistency Matters
Having 10 different humans write your content is no different than using 10 different AI models—everyone brings their own voice. What matters is having a central system to maintain brand voice consistency.
This is precisely why we're excited about PersonAloha, which helps marketing teams standardize brand voice across both human and AI content creators.
The Real Cost Consideration
The question isn't just about production costs, it's about reputation costs. What happens when you continually publish content no one wants to read?
You suffer a loss of credibility with your audience.
Your brand perception diminishes with each generic, AI-sounding article. Marketing budgets get wasted on ineffective content that generates no engagement or conversions. Perhaps worst of all, you face the opportunity cost of not pursuing better approaches that could have actually connected with your audience and driven business results. These hidden expenses far outweigh any savings from fully automated content generation.
Beyond "Good Enough"
Are you asking if AI content is "good enough"?
The better question is: will "just good enough" help or harm your business?
Who's driving your content strategy?
Competitors investing in quality content will outperform you while you settle for mediocrity.
Search engines increasingly recognize and prefer authentic human content, pushing generic AI material further down in rankings.
Readers develop "AI fatigue" from encountering the same templated content everywhere they look. The difference maker is strategic human oversight, which transforms adequate content into exceptional content that actually achieves your business goals.
In a world flooded with average content, "good enough" is increasingly not good enough.
The Client Reality
Our clients repeatedly tell us they can't keep up with AI's output volume. They don't have time to edit or even read everything AI produces. That's where our human team becomes essential. We filter the signal from the noise, identifying which content deserves attention and which should never see the light of day.
We apply strategic thinking AI can't replicate, connecting content to business objectives. We ensure every piece serves a purpose rather than just filling a content calendar.
We can publish content for you and make sure it's readable. And crucially, we maintain quality at scale, allowing businesses to grow their content footprint without sacrificing the standards that built their reputation in the first place
The Future Is Here
Content Cucumber handles all content generation, including text, image, audio, and video. Combined with Content Basis, we're providing the growth engine clients need and deserve. This isn't about choosing between human or artificial intelligence.
It's about creating the perfect partnership between them. AI provides speed and scale, enabling production volumes previously impossible. Humans provide judgment and quality, ensuring everything published actually serves a purpose.
Together, they create content that actually works, engages real people, builds genuine connections, and drives measurable business results. This human AI partnership represents the future of content marketing and is available today.
The Path Forward
If your content will be read by humans, it must be reviewed by humans first. The right balance creates truly valuable content that drives business results.
The future belongs to those who understand this partnership, who use technology as a tool rather than a replacement for human creativity and judgment.
Is your content strategy ready for this future?
Did you like what you read here? DM Brent for a free content strategy meeting.
