April 28, 2025
How this former NYT columnist uses ChatGPT to brainstorm ideas, do research, and find the perfect metaphor | Farhad Manjoo
How I AIAbout this episode
Farhad Manjoo , a former New York Times and Wall Street Journal columnist, reveals his AI-enhanced writing workflow, from research to finding the perfect metaphor, and how these tools have transformed his creative process without replacing his unique voice. What you’ll learn: • How AI evolved from a simple tool to an essential writing companion • Using ChatGPT as a research assistant with web search capabilities • The “super-thesaurus” technique for finding the perfect words and idioms • How AI helps brainstorm ideas and refine arguments • The benefits of having an “always-on” writing partner in a remote work world • Using AI as a first reader to evaluate drafts in progress • Why AI enhances rather than replaces a writer’s unique voice • Practical tips for getting unstuck when AI doesn’t deliver • How AI speeds up the writing process while improving quality • The future improvements that would make AI even more valuable for writers — Brought to you by: • Enterpret —Customer SuperIntelligence Platform for Product and CX teams • Vanta —Automate compliance and simplify security with Vanta — Where to find Farhad Manjoo: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/farhad-manjoo-161229/ • X: https://x.com/fmanjoo — Where to find Claire Vo: • ChatPRD: https://www.chatprd.ai/ • Website: https://clairevo.com/ • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairevo/ • X: https://x.com/clairevo — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Intro (02:40) Farhad’s journey from skepticism to adoption of AI tools (04:20) Brainstorming with ChatGPT (06:54) Assessing the quality of AI-sourced information (08:34) How ChatGPT helps identify new angles and perspectives (10:52) Using ChatGPT to find alternatives to clichéd expressions (16:44) The “super-thesaurus” technique for finding perfect words and idioms (20:12) Using AI as a first reader for draft evaluation (22:15) Lightning round — Tools referenced: • ChatGPT: https://openai.com/chatgpt/overview/ • Cursor: https://www.cursor.com — Other references: • New York Times : https://www.nytimes.com/ • The Wall Street Journal : https://www.wsj.com/ — Production and marketing by https://penname.co/ . For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email jordan@penname.co.