Matt Barker’s LinkedIn Strategy: Using AI as an Editor, Not a Ghostwriter

In a recent LinkedIn post, Matt Barker offers a contrarian take on using Artificial Intelligence for content creation on the platform. Rather than advocating for AI to generate posts wholesale, Barker, a known figure in the business and marketing space, suggests a more nuanced approach where AI serves as an editor and assistant, not a replacement for original thought.

Barker begins by humorously critiquing the common practice of simply asking AI to write a post, stating:

My hottest LinkedIn writing tip of 2026: Go to ChatGPT and ask it to write you a post. Congrats. You now write exactly like everyone else 🙂

This opening sets the stage for his core argument: that true improvement with AI tools comes from leveraging them to refine one’s own work, not to bypass the writing process entirely. According to Barker, the key lies in a specific workflow.

AI as a Collaborative Editor

Barker emphasizes that the effective use of AI for content improvement involves a deliberate process. He outlines his recommended method:

write your post yourself first > paste that into AI > ask for actionable feedback

He is adamant that users should avoid having AI perform full rewrites. Instead, he positions AI as a tool for enhancement and learning. As Matt Barker notes, the goal is to use AI as an editor, a teacher, and an assistant. This approach, he argues, helps users develop their own voice and writing skills while still benefiting from AI’s analytical capabilities.

The Importance of AI Training

A crucial caveat from Barker is the necessity of properly training AI models to provide valuable feedback. He warns that without adequate training, the AI’s suggestions can be superficial and unhelpful. Barker points out:

(warning though: if you haven’t trained your AI to give proper copywriting feedback, the feedback will be absolute garbage. It’ll tell you your post is “great” and suggest you “add a call to action.”

This highlights a common pitfall for users who may be disappointed by generic or irrelevant AI-generated advice. Barker’s insight suggests that the quality of AI feedback is directly proportional to the quality of the prompts and the AI’s underlying training data regarding copywriting principles. He advises users to “Train it properly first. Then it’s actually good.”

Addressing the ‘What to Write About’ Dilemma

Beyond the mechanics of writing and editing, Barker also touches upon a more fundamental challenge many content creators face: idea generation. He acknowledges that for many, the biggest hurdle isn’t the writing itself, but figuring out what topics to cover. In his view, this requires tapping into personal experiences.

To address this, Matt Barker introduces a tool he has developed, designed to help users find content ideas rooted in their own lived experiences. He promotes this tool as a solution for overcoming creative blocks and ensuring content authenticity. As Barker states:

But if your biggest problem isn’t writing, it’s actually…what to write about? You need a tool that finds ideas for you, from YOUR Lived Experience.

He makes this tool available for free, encouraging creators to explore it as a means to generate unique and relevant content ideas. This part of his post underscores his belief that personal experience is a rich, often untapped, source of valuable content.