How an 80/20 “synthetic” workflow cut costs by 91% and turned a 10-day turnaround into 24 hours.
Most businesses don’t struggle with ideas.
They struggle with producing content consistently.
Video takes time.
It takes coordination.
It takes money.
And by the time it’s ready, the moment often passes.
So, I ran a 30-day experiment.
What would happen if I replaced most of the creative production process with AI?
What’s really happening
There used to be three levels in video production.
High-end agencies.
DIY phone videos.
And a “middle class” in between.
The middle class was small teams. Freelancers. Editors. Camera operators. Reasonably priced, decent quality.
That middle layer is shrinking fast.
Why?
Because AI now handles a big portion of what that middle layer used to do.
Script drafts.
Rough cuts.
Captions.
Basic graphics.
Voiceovers.
Here’s a simple example.
Before:
Idea on Monday.
Shoot on Wednesday.
Editing for 5–7 days.
Publish next week.
Now:
Idea in the morning.
Script in 10 minutes.
Visuals generated.
Edit assembled the same day.
Published tomorrow.
That’s not theory.
That’s workflow compression.
Why this matters for business owners
If you own a business, this isn’t about tech.
It’s about leverage.
Time
Money
Speed
In my experiment, production costs dropped by 91%.
Not because quality vanished.
But because coordination vanished.
No back-and-forth emails.
No scheduling conflicts.
No waiting for files.
Turnaround dropped from 10 days to 24 hours.
For a business owner in Toronto or anywhere else, that changes how you think about marketing.
Instead of “Can we afford to produce this?”
You start asking, “Should we test this idea today?”
Speed improves clarity.
When you can produce more content faster, you learn faster.
You see what customers respond to.
You refine your message.
That improves customer experience.
Clear message = less confusion.
Less confusion = easier decisions.
What changes when done right
This only works with structure.
My workflow became 80/20.
Eighty percent AI.
Twenty percent human oversight.
AI handled drafting and assembling.
Humans handled judgment.
Is this clear?
Does this sound real?
Does this align with our brand?
The result wasn’t just cheaper video.
It was more consistent output.
More testing.
More iteration.
More momentum.
Instead of treating video like a big event, it became a daily tool.
Common misunderstandings
Let’s clear something up.
AI does not replace thinking.
If your offer is weak, faster content won’t fix it.
If your positioning is unclear, AI will just spread that confusion faster.
Another misunderstanding:
“AI video looks fake.”
Sometimes, yes.
Fully synthetic content can feel cold.
That’s why hybrid works better.
Use AI for speed.
Use humans for tone, story, and trust.
The real shift isn’t replacing people.
It’s reducing friction.
Practical takeaway
If you’re a business owner and want to experiment, here are simple steps:
- Start
with one small content format.
Don’t overhaul everything at once. - Use AI
for first drafts only.
Think of it as an assistant, not a decision-maker. - Track
turnaround time.
Measure how long ideas take to reach customers. - Test
multiple versions.
Two hooks are better than one.
You don’t need a full transformation.
You need faster cycles.
Additional resources
· Everyone’s Arguing About AI Tools. That’s the Wrong Conversation.
· AI Search Optimization: How ChatGPT Understands and Recommends Businesses
· Stop Doing Video Marketing Wrong — Try This Instead
· Best Short Video Strategies for Local Businesses in Toronto
Closing thought
The “video middle class” isn’t disappearing because creativity died.
It’s shrinking because tools changed.
When production friction drops, strategy becomes the advantage.
The question isn’t whether AI replaces teams.
It’s whether you use it to move faster without losing your human edge.
“Bio: Maede is a
content curator at UnlimitedExposure, a company dedicated to providing a wide range of digital
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