Learning from the Unexpected: How TikTok Creators Are Teaching Me About AI in the Real World

Recently, I completed a course on ai and what tools you can use for what. While it offered a solid foundation, I quickly realised something surprising — I already knew more than the course could teach me. That was encouraging, but also humbling, because it still wasn’t enough. The most practical, innovative applications of Ai I’ve discovered lately? They’re not coming from formal education or traditional thought leaders — they’re coming from TikTok.

Yes, TikTok. The platform that many dismiss as frivolous is, for me, a goldmine of actionable Ai insights. I'm learning more from creators who are using Ai to actually make money — building side hustles, automating content creation, launching apps, and scaling ecommerce operations with astonishing speed and creativity.

What sets these creators apart is their ability to turn Ai into tangible outcomes. They’re not just talking about theory — they’re implementing systems. They’re automating video production, leveraging ChatGPT for scripts, generating product images with AI tools, and instantly deploying content across marketplaces like Etsy, Amazon, and Shopify. Some even use Canva and other design tools to give it all a polished, professional edge.

As someone focused on driving efficiencies, delivering top-tier work, and — most importantly — generating ROI for my clients, this kind of thinking excites me. While I use many of the standard tools, the real-world ingenuity shown by these creators is what’s pushing me to think bigger. I’m now focused on how to adapt these consumer-focused strategies for a B2B environment. It’s a creative challenge I welcome.

And let’s be honest — life is a learning journey. I’m thrilled to say I’m learning from an unexpected source: the TikTok community. Who would’ve thought I’d be discovering workflows where you write a prompt into ChatGPT, pass it through another AI to build a no-code app, and then wrap it all up with a Canva presentation?

It’s wild. It’s inspiring. And it’s exactly where innovation is happening. Get on TikTok and watch in wonder at the celeverness.