AI Queens: Smart AF AI Tools, Automation, & Business Tips with Erika Stanley

Happy New Year, Queens! While you were wrapping presents and eating cookies, the AI world didn't slow down. It accelerated. And if you're still using AI just to write Instagram captions in 2026, it's time for a serious shift. This episode breaks down the major AI updates you might have missed over the holidays, from OpenAI's GPT 5.1 and 5.2 releases to Google's Gemini 3 and the wildly named Nano B...

Earlier this year, I joined Sarah Heeter on her Big Brave Business podcast for a roundtable conversation about something that matters deeply to all of us: the ethics of AI usage in business. In this episode, Sarah and I are joined by AnnMarie Rose: three women who are navigating AI adoption while staying anchored in our core values. We talk openly about the ethical complications that come with gen...

What if AI could help you discover your artistic voice instead of stealing it? In this episode, Erika sits down with Marisol Rios—also known as The AI Witch—to bust the myth that AI is cheating or soulless. Marisol is a branding expert, AI educator, and creative visionary who guides neurodivergent, witchy women entrepreneurs to blend Mexican ancestral wisdom with cutting-edge tech. She shares how...

Holiday stress doesn't have to be part of the package. Whether you're hitting the road for Thanksgiving or prepping for any upcoming family gathering, AI can help you navigate travel chaos, dodge awkward dinner conversations, and actually enjoy your time off without losing your mind. From smarter route planning to boundary-setting scripts to capturing meaningful family stories, these 12 practical...

Ever wonder what happens when an AI strategist gets completely obsessed with building apps? This episode pulls back the curtain on exactly what Erika has been creating lately, from business tools that surprise and delight clients to a personal project that solves her book-hoarding problem. In this behind-the-scenes episode, you'll discover: The three business apps Erika built in just weeks using v...

What if the income security you've been searching for isn't in a promotion or a raise, but in the skills you already have? In this powerful conversation, Erika sits down with Trudy-Anne Armand, small business AI strategist and creator of the 5 to 9 Freedom Framework, to explore how women entrepreneurs can use AI to identify and monetize hidden revenue streams without burning out. Trudy-Anne challe...

What if you could build a custom app for your business in about an hour without writing a single line of code, hiring a developer, or having a massive budget? That's exactly what vibe coding makes possible. In this episode, Erika breaks down vibe coding—a no-code way to build apps that solve specific problems in your business. She walks through the entire process, shares real examples, reveals the...

Your lead magnets are sitting in a folder somewhere, forgotten and unused. We've all been there: spending hours creating PDFs, guides, and freebies that people download once and never touch again. But what if you could turn those dusty resources into interactive, engaging experiences that actually convert? In this episode, Erika sits down with Sarah K. Heeter, CEO of Podfox Media and host of the B...

Season 2 is here, and we're kicking things off with something powerful: a conversation about how AI can be the executive function partner that neurodivergent entrepreneurs have been waiting for. If you've ever felt like traditional business systems just don't work for your brain, or if you're constantly battling overwhelm, time blindness, or that voice that says you're "too much," this episode is...

Season two is here, and it's bigger, bolder, and more collaborative than ever. For the first time, Erika is bringing guests into the mix—brilliant, inspiring voices who are ready to shake up how you think about AI, business, and what's possible when women step fully into their power with technology. This season isn't just about learning new tools. It's about preparing your business and your mindse...

If you've been waiting for AI image generation to actually be useful for your business, this is your moment. Google's Nano Banana isn't just another flashy tool—it's a complete game-changer for women entrepreneurs who want professional-level visuals without the professional-level price tag. In this mini episode, Erika breaks down why Nano Banana is different from every other AI image tool out ther...

If you've been wondering why ChatGPT suddenly feels like a boring robot instead of your enthusiastic business bestie, you're not alone. OpenAI overcorrected with GPT-5, dialing back the personality that so many of us relied on. The good news? You don't need to pay $200 a month to get your supportive AI assistant back. This mini episode breaks down what changed, why it happened, and most importantl...

Feeling overwhelmed by the digital chaos? Between viral memes, questionable news stories, and platforms owned by tech billionaires who treat truth like it's optional, it's tough to know what's real anymore. But here's the twist: we're going to use their own tools to fight back. In this episode, Erika breaks down 10 practical ways to use AI to cut through the noise, verify what you're seeing, and s...

This week I'm sharing a replay from my appearance on Emanuel Rose's "Marketing in the Age of AI" podcast - and this conversation goes places most AI discussions don't. While everyone else is still figuring out basic prompting, Emanuel and I dove deep into the practical systems that are actually moving the needle for businesses right now. Emanuel is a marketing strategist who gets something most pe...

Sometimes the most important conversations happen when we're just being completely honest about where we are with AI. This week, I'm sharing a replay from when I appeared on Lisa Demmi's podcast "That's What I'm Talking About" - and this conversation hits different because Lisa asked the questions so many of you have been thinking but haven't asked yet. Lisa reached out after discovering AI Queens...

Most business podcasts end their season with highlight reels and success stories. But that's not how we roll at AI Queens. Instead, Erika is sharing her most expensive AI failures: over $6,000 in combined costs and countless hours that could have been spent making money instead of chasing shiny AI objects like a squirrel with a credit card. Key Failures Covered: The $500/month tool addiction - How...

OpenAI just released GPT-5, and while everyone's buzzing about the improvements, most people are still going to use it exactly like they used GPT-4 - generically. The real power isn't in the new features; it's in how you personalize AI to work as your strategic business partner instead of just another content generator. In this episode, Erika breaks down what's actually changed with GPT-5 and then...

What happens when AI confidently tells you something that sounds completely plausible, but is totally wrong? Erika's husband discovered this the hard way when ChatGPT served up false facts about Taylor Swift's Grammy wins with complete authority. This 'fight with the robots' quickly became a perfect example of AI hallucinations in action. Here's the bigger picture: If AI can lie this convincingly...

Most entrepreneurs are amazing at what they do, but when it comes to making big strategic business decisions, they're flying blind. You know you need that C-suite level thinking, but you can't afford a six-figure CMO or even a fractional one at $5,000 a month. What if you could build your own AI-powered executive team instead? In this episode, Erika breaks down exactly how to create strategic AI a...

Get ready to level up your business intelligence game. In this episode, Erika reveals how deep research capabilities in AI tools can give you the same competitive insights that Fortune 500 companies pay thousands for—all for the price of a monthly subscription you might already have. Plus, she introduces the upgraded Crown 2.0 prompting framework and announces some exciting new ways to work with h...

Welcome back, queens! This is the second part of our milestone 20-question series, and we're diving deep into the career stuff that keeps you up at night. We're talking jobs, staying relevant, pricing your AI-enhanced services, and what's coming next that you absolutely need to know about. If you missed part one, go back and listen because we covered the business basics, ethics, privacy, and trust...

We're celebrating a big milestone as season one comes to an end! In this two-part series, Erika answers the real questions women business owners are asking about AI. No fluff here—just honest answers about using AI in your business. Part one covers the basics: how to use AI to save time, privacy concerns, and the big picture stuff that might be stopping you from trying it. This isn't about becomin...

Picture this: it's Labor Day weekend, and while everyone else is scrambling back from vacation panicking about their Q4 content, you're sipping something cold because you've got 20+ story-driven emails locked and loaded. This episode breaks down Erika's nine-week email empire framework that turns your summer downtime into your most strategic business move of the year. If you're tired of staring at...

Stop letting your best conversations disappear into the void. If you've ever finished a client call thinking "I wish I had written that down," this episode is your goldmine roadmap. Erika breaks down her actual workflow using tools like Fathom and Fixer AI, then shares six creative strategies that go way beyond basic note-taking. This isn't about replacing human connection—it's about capturing the...

Feeling overwhelmed by the digital chaos? Between viral memes, questionable news stories, and platforms owned by tech billionaires who treat truth like it's optional, it's tough to know what's real anymore. But here's the twist: we're going to use their own tools to fight back. In this episode, Erika breaks down 10 practical ways to use AI to cut through the noise, verify what you're seeing, and s...