How To Create Presentations With AI

How I Use AI to Turn Written Ideas Into Polished, Branded Presentations—Fast

There’s nothing like that moment when someone asks, “Can you give a quick talk on this?” and your brain goes into full tab overload. But these days, I don’t panic—I prompt.

One of my favorite ways to use AI is to turn something I’ve already written (an article, newsletter, blog post, or even a memo) into a compelling, clear, and well-structured presentation. Here’s exactly how I do it.

🧠 Start with What You’ve Got

I never start from scratch. Instead, I give ChatGPT something I’ve already written on the topic—this helps ensure the voice, tone, and perspective are already mine.

Then I layer in the prompt details:

• Audience (e.g., senior execs, students, policymakers)

• Length of talk (10 minutes? 45?)

• Key points I want to emphasize

• Whether I want specific slides like an agenda, bio, or Q&A

• Slide format (e.g., title + 3–5 bullets)

• Optional: image suggestions for visual support

The more specific I am, the better the draft it gives me.

🛠️ Tweak the Output (Don’t Just Copy-Paste)

Once I get the first draft back, I almost always follow up. Maybe I forgot to include a stat. Or I want the tone more formal. Or I realize the structure needs reshuffling. It’s a collaborative process—not a one-and-done.

An example of what that might look like is, “I want to open with a surprising stat—I’m thinking x, y, z but also open to suggestions, just make sure to provide a source for the stat.”

🎨 Plug It into Your Design Template

Once I’m happy with the structure and text, I drop it into a Canva template I created for my brand. That part is usually quick—because the heavy lifting has already been done.

I know some people love using tools like Gamma to generate actual slides directly from the prompt. That can be great if you’re not picky about visual style. Personally, I haven’t found a way to make those tools match the design and branding I like, so I prefer the mix-and-match method.

But: if you don’t need total control over the look and feel, Gamma or even Copilot in PowerPoint might save you even more time.

🔒 I don’t gate much—but this one’s worth it. Inside, you’ll find my plug-and-play prompt to go from “What am I even saying?” to a clear, confident deck. Panic a little less. Present a lot better.