"Who owns that data? Who owns that relationship?"
In this episode, Michael sits down with Adam Ferguson, ex-Global Head of Product Marketing at HMD and the leader of Better Phone Project, to talk about where AI is really taking us.
From kids and smartphones to the rise of personal AI assistants, Adam unpacks why the next 18–24 months will decide who these technologies actually work for: you, or the companies building them.
A conversation about trust, data, authenticity, and what it really means to let AI into our lives.

Adam Ferguson

https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-ferguson-b614b924/

Michael Leckie
https://www.michaelleckie.co.uk/

The Story Lens
https://www.youtube.com/@TheRealStoryLens

"... it's never been more important to be able to know if something's real or not, especially in that kind of world. And I'd be happy for everything to be labelled, everything to show the process of what's been done to it, or if anything's been done to it, to be able to give clarity."
Joe Howard at Haydon's mic.

Joe Howard
https://www.instagram.com/jwhowardphoto/
https://www.instagram.com/joewhoward/
https://www.jwhowardphotography.com/

Haydon Perrior
https://www.haydonperrior.com/
https://www.instagram.com/haydonperrior/

The Story Lens
https://www.instagram.com/the_real_story_lens/

AI can write.

We've all seen it.

It can draft emails, knock out blog posts, and even produce an entire book in a few minutes. Which sounds impressive...until you actually read it. That was one of the most interesting parts of our chat with ghostwriter Ginny Carter on The Story Lens Podcast.

Ginny has written more than 25 books for entrepreneurs, founders and business leaders. So if anyone has a front row seat to how AI is changing creativity, it's her.

She uses AI.

Just not in the way most people expect.

She'll use it to challenge an idea. Spot gaps in an argument. Help her think differently.

"As a ghostwriter, you're working from a person. With AI, you're working from words."

A conversation gives you tone. Personality. Hesitation. Excitement. The little details that make someone sound like themselves.

AI can't do that.

Because it hasn't sat across the table from someone. It hasn't listened. It hasn't noticed what they care about.

That's why this conversation isn't really about AI replacing writers.

It's about AI and creativity. It's about creative thinking with AI instead of handing creativity over to AI.

The best AI tools for creators aren't replacing human creativity. They're helping people spend more time on the parts only humans can do.

Connection. Curiosity. Story.

That's where creative authenticity still lives.

And maybe that's what human-centred creativity looks like now. Not rejecting AI. Knowing where it belongs.


Ginny Carter
https://marketingtwentyone.co.uk/
https://mybook.to/HTWASHB

Michael Leckie
https://www.michaelleckie.co.uk/

The Story Lens
https://www.instagram.com/the_real_story_lens/
https://www.youtube.com/@TheRealStoryLens

The tricky part, commercially, with AI is all in licensing. I think, fortunately, at the moment, whilst it's difficult to license or litigate, it's important to get that bit right for clients; then we can still work with it rather than it doing our jobs. I think when we get to a point, if we get to a point where it can all be licensed, or clients don't care and they'll just use it anyway, that's probably the point where we all need to worry a little more about. 
Simon Thorpe and Haydon Perrior get into creativity, authorship, AI, rejection, collaboration, and why the work that matters most is often the work nobody sees.



Simon Thorpe
https://www.instagram.com/simonbrannthorpe/
https://www.simonbrannthorpe.com/film

Haydon Perrior
https://www.instagram.com/haydonperrior/
https://www.haydonperrior.com/

The Story Lens
https://www.instagram.com/the_real_story_lens/
https://www.youtube.com/@TheRealStoryLens

"I've noticed many more people saying, "Tim, is that real?" I didn't get that when I photographed it, say 10 years earlier. Because it wasn't even a consideration. So we've got a situation where the real is being doubted. It's not just the synthetic. And that, as a consequence."
Tim Flach talking about animals, authenticity, storytelling and empathy with Haydon Perrior.

Tim Flach
https://timflach.com/

Haydon Perrior
https://www.haydonperrior.com/

The Story Lens
https://www.instagram.com/the_real_story_lens/
https://www.youtube.com/@TheRealStoryLens

"... Sunday Times or the Guardian.. I don't think they can go anywhere near AI because once they start to, if they ever get caught using an image that is fake, that's their whole business model is blown wide open… the trust will disappear, won't it?"

David Vintiner's story at Michael Leckie, The Story Lens mic.

David Vintiner
https://davidvintiner.com/

Michael Leckie
https://www.michaelleckie.co.uk/

The Story Lens
https://thestorylens.co.uk/

"I think we’re all still learning with AI, but I feel positive about it. Some brands are experimenting with it, then coming back to more authentic, human-made content. Real photography still has something tangible and genuine that AI can’t replicate."
New episode with Chris Day from Kintzing Licensing and Haydon Perrior.

Chris Day
https://www.instagram.com/christopheday/

Kintzing
https://archive.kintzing.com/

https://www.instagram.com/kintzing_licensing_/

Haydon Perrior
https://www.haydonperrior.com/

The Story Lens
https://www.youtube.com/@TheRealStoryLens
https://www.instagram.com/the_real_story_lens/

“There will be a point at which you'll look at two photos, a photo which you or I have taken and a photo which has been created on AI, that on looking at can generate an emotional reaction but the backstory of one will be rich and there'll be more to talk about, we'll be able to chat about it for long time and understand more and I think that's what matters, the other one will just remain a picture.”

Rory Langdon-Down
https://rorylangdondown.co.uk/

Haydon Perrior

https://www.haydonperrior.com/

The Story Lens

https://thestorylens.co.uk/

"I couldn't have written these stories back then when I was younger, in my 30s. I hadn't lived enough. I hadn't suffered heartbreak. I hadn't lost anyone close to me. hadn't, you know, I didn't have friends that felt ill."

Author Jo Lyons tells The Story Lens how she uses life experience in every book!


Joanna Lyons
https://jolyonsauthor.com/

Michael Leckie
https://www.michaelleckie.co.uk/

The Story Lens
https://thestorylens.co.uk/

Michael Leckie talks with artist Heath Kane about art, identity, and creativity in today’s world of AI. Heath discusses the inspiration for his bold, thought-provoking work, touching on topics like branding, wealth, politics, and authenticity, and explains why imagination is still so important.

Heath Kane

https://www.heathkane.co.uk/

Michael Leckie
https://www.michaelleckie.co.uk/

The Story Lens
https://thestorylens.co.uk/