Daniel Travers, founder of Redideo Studio, provided commentary to CBS News 8 on how AI is already affecting creative work and small businesses in San Diego.
The story looked at how AI is changing the workplace across California and what those changes could mean for businesses here in San Diego.
Read the full CBS 8 story here: Newsom issues executive order aimed at preparing California for AI workplace disruption
Why This Matters for San Diego Businesses
AI is already being used every day, and it is changing how creative, marketing, and business work gets done.
For small businesses, the shift can be both useful and overwhelming. AI tools can help speed up content creation, research, planning, design concepts, estimates, and everyday admin tasks. At the same time, the technology is still developing and still needs careful oversight.
“It’s really scary how many large businesses are going all in on AI while the technology is still developing. AI can be extremely useful, but it still makes mistakes and needs careful human review. I catch errors from AI on a daily basis, which is why strategy, experience, and professional judgment still matter.”
For businesses in San Diego, the opportunity is real, but so is the need to use these tools carefully. AI can help businesses move faster, but it should not replace the thinking, accuracy, and human judgment behind the work.
A Few Things That Didn’t Make It Into the Story
After almost 14 years in a corporate job that ended during the pandemic, Daniel Travers went all in on building Redideo Studio.
Around the same time, AI tools started becoming more useful for everyday business and creative work. The timing worked out well for a small creative studio because AI helped speed up both the business side and the creative side of the operation.
“AI has helped increase productivity on everyday tasks like estimates, accounting, research, and admin work. It also helps during the early creative planning phase, when the goal is to explore ideas quickly before refining them into something stronger.”
That extra efficiency creates more time for the actual creative work.
“I used to draw every logo concept by hand. Now I can use AI to quickly explore several directions, then improve the strongest ideas using my professional experience.”
AI can help move the early idea phase faster, but it still takes skill to use it well.
“You still need to know what instructions to give AI, how to guide the process, and how to recognize what is actually worth developing. It saves time, but it does not replace experience.”
These changes have made a real difference in how Redideo Studio operates day to day. Work that once took hours of manual sketching or admin work can now move faster, creating more time for strategy, execution, and the details that make projects stand out.
The Benefit for Small Businesses and Individuals
For small businesses and individuals in San Diego, AI can offer practical support.
It can help people get more done with limited resources while still producing quality work. Instead of needing a large team or a much bigger budget, small businesses can use AI to support parts of the workload and compete more effectively.
“For a small studio, AI can help close some of the gap between a one-person or small-team operation and much larger agencies. But the advantage comes from knowing how to use it, not just having access to it.”
Redideo Studio combines AI with real creative experience across video production, branding, website design through SD Web Co, SEO, and digital campaigns. The goal is to use AI as a support tool while keeping the work personal, strategic, and human.
What Businesses Should Watch as AI Keeps Developing
Governor Newsom’s executive order is a reminder that AI is no longer just a tech-industry issue.
It is becoming a workforce issue, a business issue, and a local economic issue.
For businesses, the next few years will likely separate those that use AI thoughtfully from those that either ignore it completely or rely on it too heavily. The risk is not just falling behind. It is also putting too much trust in tools that still need review, context, and direction.
The real advantage will come from learning where AI fits into the process and where it does not. Used well, it can save time, reduce repetitive work, and help small businesses move faster. Used carelessly, it can create inaccurate content, generic ideas, and decisions that look efficient but miss the bigger picture.
As AI continues to develop, businesses will need more than access to new tools. They will need strategy, judgment, and a clear understanding of how those tools support the work instead of taking over the work.
Bring More Strategy to Your Marketing
Redideo Studio is a creative agency in San Diego located in the Gaslamp Quarter.
We help businesses plan and create stronger videos, websites, search visibility, branding, and AI-supported marketing.
Ready to talk about your next project?
Share with others
About The Author
With 20+ years in digital media and marketing, Daniel Travers is the visionary of Redideo Studio, a San Diego-based creative agency. His expertise spans creative & marketing services, video production, website design, social media, and more.
Daniel’s experience includes working with brands such as iHeartMedia, Disney, Lexus, and more.
He holds a BFA in Photo New Media from the Kansas City Art Institute, along with an AAS in Graphic Communications from St. Louis Community College.
Ready to get your business noticed online?
Let’s make it happen – just hit that Book a Meeting button below!