The “Unshittification” of AI

By Jeffrey Mangus, CEO, Mangus Media Group

As a ghostwriter who’s spent a decade crafting stories on a deeply human level, I’ve watched the rise of AI with a mix of fascination and frustration. Don’t get me wrong—I’m not some Luddite shaking my fist at the machines. But let’s be real: the way AI has been weaponized in content creation lately? It’s turning the digital landscape into a swamp of sludge.

Cory Doctorow coined “enshittification” to describe how platforms degrade over time, prioritizing profits over users. Well, AI is undergoing its own enshittification, flooding the market with low-effort, generic drivel that drowns out genuine voices.
Today, I want to talk about the flip side: the “unshittification” of AI. It’s about reclaiming this technology not as a content mill, but as a catalyst for elevating human creativity, producing work that’s intentional, high-quality, and profoundly impactful.

First, let’s acknowledge the mess we’re in. Walk into any online space—blogs, social media, even bookshelves—and you’ll see it: AI-generated articles that read like a malfunctioning vending machine spat them out. They’re stuffed with keywords, devoid of soul, and often riddled with hallucinations (that’s AI-speak for straight-up lies). I’ve had clients come to me after burning cash on “AI writing services” that promised the moon but delivered dust. One entrepreneur I worked with paid thousands for an e-book that was 80% fluff—repetitive phrases, awkward transitions, and zero personal insight. It didn’t just fail to sell; it eroded his brand’s trust.
This is enshittification in action: tools like ChatGPT and its cousins are being abused to churn out volume over value, turning the internet into an echo chamber of mediocrity.

The result?

Readers tune out, creators burn out, and the whole ecosystem suffers. But here’s the good news: we can unshittify AI by putting humans back at the helm. At Mangus Media Group, my mantra has always been “human-first.” AI isn’t the enemy; it’s a tool, like a hammer or a paintbrush. The key is using it to amplify our creativity, not replace it. Think of AI as a brainstorming partner, a research assistant, or an editor’s sidekick—roles that free us up to focus on what makes content truly shine: intention, emotion, and originality.

Take idea generation, for starters. Instead of letting AI write your entire blog post, use it to spark concepts. I often prompt tools like Grok or Claude with something specific: “Give me five unique angles on leadership in a post-pandemic world, drawing from real historical examples.” Then, I sift through the output, get rid of the bland, and building on the gems with my own experiences.

This isn’t lazy; it’s efficient. It lets me dive deeper into research, weaving in personal anecdotes that AI could never generate.

For instance, when ghostwriting a memoir for a CEO, I used AI to outline chapters based on interview transcripts. But the heart—the raw vulnerability, the turning-point stories—that came from hours of human conversation.
The end product? A book that didn’t just inform but inspired, selling out its first print run.

Editing is another arena where AI shines without stealing the show. Tools can flag grammar issues, suggest tighter phrasing, or even analyze sentiment to ensure your tone lands right.

But here’s the unshittification twist: use these suggestions as a mirror, not a mold. I run my drafts through AI for feedback, then ask myself, “Does this enhance my voice or dilute it?” The goal is intentionality—crafting content that serves a purpose, whether it’s educating, entertaining, or evoking change. In my podcast, “Book DRAFT DAY,” I’ve interviewed authors who’ve embraced this approach. One guest, a novelist, uses AI for world-building in fantasy realms, generating maps or lore ideas.
But the characters’ arcs? Pure human empathy.

Her books feel alive because they’re not algorithmically written or built; they’re thoughtfully curated with a human touch.

The payoff of this human-AI synergy is immense.

Higher-quality content stands out in a sea of sameness, building loyal audiences and lasting impact. It’s more ethical, too—avoiding the plagiarism pitfalls that plague pure AI outputs.
And creatively?
It’s liberating. By offloading rote tasks, we reclaim time for what matters: ideation, revision, and connection. Studies from places like MIT show that AI-augmented creatives produce work 20-30% faster without sacrificing quality, but only when humans guide the process.

Of course, this requires discipline. Resist the temptation to hit “generate” and call it done.
Set boundaries: AI for drafts, humans for polish. Educate yourself on prompts—make them detailed and iterative. And always, always infuse your unique perspective.

With Mangus Media Group, we guarantee authentic, human-touch writing because we know that’s what moves people.
In the end, unshittifying AI isn’t about rejecting progress; it’s about steering it toward elevation.
Let’s stop flooding the market with generic mush and start using AI to craft content that’s deliberate, delightful, and distinctly human. As writers, creators, and leaders, we owe it to ourselves—and our audiences—to aim higher.

If we do, AI won’t be the end of creativity; it’ll be its renaissance.

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