Staying Authentic with New Tools: How AI Helps (Not Replaces) Your Creative Work

Hey! This is Ep#147 of Amplify Ai - Integrating Intelligence, Preserving Identity presented by Ronsley Vaz.

What happens when a Shazam co-founder trades algorithms for plot twists? In this episode, Ajay Chowdhury reveals how he accidentally became a bestselling crime writer, his surprisingly simple 5am writing routine, and how he uses AI as a creative enhancer (not a replacement). Plus: the five P's that make readers care about your characters.

What You'll Learn:

✅ Why "creator" is the best way to describe what you do (tech, theater, or books)

✅ How debate competitions and theater in school build fearless communication skills

✅ The "holy trinity" of Indian childhood reading that shaped a crime novelist

✅ How to win a writing competition when you've only written 3 chapters (don't try this)

✅ The 5 P's framework: Plot, People, Pace, Place, and Prose

✅ Smart ways to use ChatGPT for research, feedback, and editing without losing your voice

✅ Why your book needs something important to say (wrapped in entertainment)

✅ How to keep authenticity while using AI tools in your creative process

🎯 Key Points:

- Creation is about making things that didn't exist - same high whether it's tech or novels

- Growing up moving between Bombay and Calcutta, speaking English at home

- English teachers really do set you up for life (not just a cliché)

- First creative win: Debate competition at 12-13 on "Should boys learn to cook?"

- Theater in college: Directing plays unlocked the creator identity

- Dad worked in banking, wanted him to do economics not literature

- Left India for MBA in US, started business and tech career

- Wife spotted a tweet for first-time crime writer competition

- Concept: Corrupt cop from Calcutta becomes waiter in East End London restaurant

- Entered with 3 chapters and synopsis, won without finishing the book

- Had to "hurriedly" finish the rest after winning

- Now six books into Kamil Rahman series, completely in love with characters

- Angel (sidekick) adds humor and humanity to the stories

- The Five P's framework: Plot (paramount), People (characters you care about), Pace (keep them turning pages), Place (bring locations to life), Prose (write well)

- Uses AI for: Creative enhancement (Google's "The Invitation" project), research verification (quantum physics fact-checking), feedback (24/7 editor), nuts and bolts (tense changes, etc.)

- AI should enhance your soul and voice, never replace it

- Authenticity means saying what YOU want in YOUR words

- AI is like a spell checker or synonym finder - a tool, not the creator

⏰ TIMESTAMPS:

[00:00] Introduction: Shazam founder turned crime novelist

[01:00] How to introduce yourself: "Creator" of tech, books, and theater

[02:00] First creation memory: Winning a debate at age 12-13

[03:00] Growing up in India: Debate teams and conquering stage fright

[04:00] Bombay and Calcutta childhood, great English teachers

[05:00] The holy trinity: Enid Blyton, Agatha Christie, P.G. Wodehouse

[06:00] Wanting literature but studying economics instead

[07:00] The accidental author: A tweet, 3 chapters, and a competition win

[08:00] Kamil Rahman: The corrupt cop who becomes a waiter

[09:00] Six books later: In love with the characters

[10:00] The Five P's: Plot, People, Pace, Place, Prose

[11:00] Using AI for creative enhancement and Google's storytelling project

[12:00] ChatGPT as research assistant: Quantum physics fact-checking

[13:00] AI as 24/7 editor and feedback tool

[14:00] Keeping authenticity: Your soul, your words, AI as enhancer

[15:00] The romance novel fail: When AI overtly shows up in print

#ShazamFounder #CrimeWriter #AIWriting #CreativeProcess #TechEntrepreneur #KamilRahman #WritingTips #FivePsOfWriting #ChatGPTCreativity #IndianAuthor #CareerPivot #CreatorMindset #AuthenticWriting #AITools #WritingProductivity

Find out more at:

- https://amplifyais.com/academy

- https://wearepodcast.com/

- https://amplifyais.com/podcast

Much love,

Ronsley