How Coble Studios Is Using AI to Transform Video Production After Winning Lenovo’s Evolve Small Grant

When Houston-based Coble Studios was named a recipient of Lenovo’s Evolve Small grant, founder Adeseye Omole saw more than just funding; he saw a future fueled by innovation. With a bold vision to integrate AI into the studio’s workflow, Omole is preparing to expand into animation, streamline post-production, and elevate operations across video, podcasting, and live events. In this interview, Adeseye shares how this pivotal moment will shape the next chapter for Coble Studios and why AI could be the key to unlocking more creative freedom and business growth for independent production companies.

PH: Congratulations on receiving Lenovo’s Evolve Small grant! What does this recognition mean for you and the mission behind Coble Studios?

Adeseye Omole: Lenovo Evolve Small is a program that we are so grateful to be a part of. Coble Studios has received not only a game-changing $25K cash grant, but we’re also receiving a $10K Lenovo tech package that will help us upgrade our studio hardware and improve our efficiency. This year, the grant includes access to AI experts and training, which we were especially interested in to elevate our business operations.

We were also really excited to learn about the mentorship piece of the program, which has allowed us to connect with other small business founders in this year’s cohort, alongside a range of business coaches who are invested in our success.

At Coble Studios, our mission is to empower human creativity by merging professional content production with the latest in AI and tech innovation. This grant significantly enhances our ability to support thought leaders, coaches, speakers, and creators who are building authority through visual storytelling. It’s a key step toward expanding our impact while staying rooted in our core value: creativity with purpose.

PH: Your studio covers video, podcasting, and live events. How do you see AI helping you evolve in each of these areas specifically?

Adeseye Omole: As a TV-first company, our goal is to deliver high-quality, broadcast-level content that empowers creators and brands to build their authority visually. AI enhances our work across all formats and helps us scale that mission without compromising quality:

Video: We use AI-assisted tools for rough cuts, b-roll sourcing, and smart editing. This gives us quicker turnaround times and allows us to offer more affordable solutions for creators. Podcasting: We implement AI tools for automated transcriptions, noise reduction, and content clipping. These help our clients repurpose their content for social media more efficiently. Live Events: AI-powered scripting and teleprompter tools reduce prep time. We’re also exploring real-time captioning for greater accessibility.

Ultimately, AI helps us streamline the “tech” side so our clients can focus on their message, whether it’s a speaker preparing for broadcast, a producer creating content for TV, or a brand showcasing their expertise through high-end video. It supports our mission to make professional TV-quality content more accessible, efficient, and impactful, which is what matters most.

PH: You mentioned expanding into animation—can you share what inspired that decision and how AI might accelerate the transition?

Adeseye Omole: We saw a gap in the market for faith-based, educational, and values-driven animation—especially for social media, short-form platforms, and streaming services. Many small brands and ministries want animation but assume it’s too expensive.

AI makes it possible to create animated content, explainer videos, or story-driven shorts in a fraction of the time and budget. We’re currently testing tools like RunwayML for visual generation and ElevenLabs for voiceovers to accelerate our pipeline. This enables us to serve a broader audience, including churches, nonprofits, and educators, with impactful animated stories that were previously out of reach.

We're also creating content for distribution on major streaming platforms and preparing to launch original programming on our own channel, Coble TV. Many small brands and ministries want animation but assume it’s too expensive. AI makes it possible to create animated content, explainer videos, or story-driven shorts in a fraction of the time and budget.

We’re currently testing tools like RunwayML for visual generation and ElevenLabs for voiceovers to accelerate our pipeline. This enables us to serve a broader audience, including churches, nonprofits, and educators, with impactful animated stories that were previously out of reach.

PH: Many small studios fear AI might replace creative jobs. What’s your take on using AI as a tool for growth rather than replacement?

Adeseye Omole: At Coble Studios, we believe AI should amplify, not replace human creativity. We’ve built our reputation on authentic, people-first storytelling.

We use AI to handle repetitive tasks like cutting clips, cleaning audio, or generating mockups so our team can focus on what only humans can do: connect emotionally, spark imagination, and tell stories that move people. For us, AI is about scaling our mission, not shrinking our team. In fact, we are intentional about growing our team by educating and empowering them with AI tools. Human intelligence and meaningful relationships remain one of the core pillars of our company culture and we believe investing in people is what ultimately powers the most impactful content.

PH: What are the first AI-powered tools or workflows you plan to adopt, and why did you choose them?

Adeseye Omole: We’re already using:

RunwayML for video editing and background replacement ElevenLabs for AI voiceovers Pika Labs for experimental visual storytelling ChatGPT for scripting, outlines, and creative briefs Opusclip for podcast transcription and editing Frame.io for client review workflows

We’re also adopting Microsoft Copilot with support from Lenovo, which will enhance internal productivity, automating scheduling, drafting proposals, and managing documents across our team.

PH: Can you describe a specific pain point in your current workflow that you’re hoping AI will help solve?

Adeseye Omole: One of our biggest challenges is meeting the rising demand for short-form, high-quality content at scale. Every speaker, coach, and brand wants vertical videos, reels, podcasts, and promos—but manually producing each one takes time.

We also want to simplify internal operations and automate marketing, both for ourselves and our clients. This includes everything from CRM updates to content distribution and campaign planning.

Additionally, we see a major opportunity to educate our clients on how to adopt AI effectively without losing the essence of their human voice and creativity. For us, it’s always people over projects. AI simply supports the mission.

PH: What’s your vision for Coble Studios a year from now with this new tech? What milestones are you hoping to hit?

Adeseye Omole: Within the next year, we aim to:

Double our production volume without compromising quality Expand our AI-assisted packages to new client types (nonprofits, educators, churches) Launch a Content Accelerator program to help small businesses and creators grow through monthly content shoots Build an AI-integrated command center for our team, enabling faster collaboration, smarter content planning, and more data-driven decisions Pay off our studio tech lease and reinvest in team development

With Lenovo’s support, we’re not just scaling, we’re building a future-ready, creator-first studio model.

PH: How do you balance tech innovation with the deeply human elements of storytelling and content creation?

Adeseye Omole: Storytelling will always be human-first. AI may write words, generate visuals, or predict what’s trending, but it cannot truly feel, believe, or dream.

At Coble Studios, we balance tech with our PPP Framework: Prepare, Produce, Promote. At every phase, we infuse heart and soul, and each 'P' also stands for 'People.' From the strategic vision in the Prepare phase, to the storytelling craft in Produce, and the audience connection in Promote, people remain at the core of everything we do. We believe technology should serve creativity, not replace it. We also coach our clients to lean into their authenticity because authentic stories are timeless, and no tool can replicate that.

PH: Do you think AI can help smaller production companies compete with larger studios in new ways? If so, how?

Adeseye Omole: Absolutely. AI helps small teams deliver results on par with larger studios.

We can now deliver agency-level deliverables with startup agility. From previsualization to editing and promotion, AI helps us reduce turnaround time, increase content output, and compete on speed, not just scale. It’s no longer about who has the biggest team but who has the smartest tools, systems, and stories. That’s where we thrive.

PH: Looking beyond your own studio, what advice would you give to other independent creators exploring AI integration?

Adeseye Omole: Start small and stay curious. AI isn’t about replacing your instincts; it’s about supporting them.

Try:

Using AI to outline your next video or podcast Editing your reels with AI-assisted tools like Pika or Descript Asking ChatGPT to brainstorm hooks, titles, or scripts

Then refine it. Add your voice. Trust your gut.

The secret isn’t mastering AI. It’s knowing how to marry efficiency with authenticity and that’s something every creator can do.