Building a Headline Generator with Zero Python Experience (and a little help from AI)

While reviewing my daily dose of what new AI platforms had sprung up overnight, one headline stood out - from Harvard now offering a free Introduction course on Python.

Harvard Python Course

I'd heard of Python, sure. But what was it exactly?

A quick online search and a scroll through Reddit later, I found this golden piece of advice:

"Instead of trying to learn it in a methodical way, if u want to successfully use ChatGPT to teach u, then get some ideas of simple apps and start using ChatGPT to help u do it. Then you’ll get many errors and bugs to get your app running as u want..." — JustSayin_thatuknow

It was just the nudge I needed.

I had just been working on headlines at the time, so:

The idea? Build a headline generator that could support our content creation process. 

The twist? I had zero Python experience.

What followed was a crash course in AI-assisted creativity, Python problem-solving, and headline soup.

The Challenge:

Starting With Nothing But Curiosity 

We weren’t looking for another flashy AI tool.

We wanted something custom—tailored to how we work, think, and write.

That meant starting from scratch, with the most basic (and sometimes embarrassing) questions:

• How do you actually run Python code?

• Once I have the Python file… what do I do with it?

• What does a Streamlit app look like?

• Can we make it look like our brand?

• Aaaah what does this error mean? (Help!)

  
  

We turned to ChatGPT with every one of these questions.

It became our creative coding partner—equal parts developer, problem-solver and comedy relief.

The Process:

Collaboration in Real Time 

Here’s where the magic happened:

• ChatGPT helped generate Python code, troubleshoot syntax, and recommend the platforms to sign-up to.

• When installation errors popped up, we dropped the exact error messages into the chat.

• It responded like a calm tech whisperer - me: it's not opening / I can't see it.

  
  
  
  
  
  

We were building in real-time. The app grew with every interaction—line by line, fix by fix.

The Insight:

AI as an Amplifier, Not a Shortcut 

This wasn’t about cutting corners. AI didn’t do it all—it nudged us forward.

We still made the decisions. We still brought the voice.

We just got there faster—with less Googling and more flow.

More importantly, it reminded us:

• You don’t need to be an expert to start.

• The learning is in the doing.

• AI isn’t the hero. You are. It’s just a damn good sidekick.

Blooper Reel:

When AI Got Wild With the Words 

These became our inside jokes—and a reminder that while AI is fast, flair takes finesse.

Takeaway:

Build First. Polish Second. Collaborate Always. 

This project wasn’t about perfection. It was about progress.

We made something functional, funny, and useful—and learned more than a course could teach us.

The headline generator still needs some work - but in the hours we worked on it - we had a platform in our brand colours with a logo and a headline generator that had the functions to - Chatty why don't you tell them the points:

✅ Headline Generator – Core Functions (v1.0)

• Industry & Tone Input. Users select their industry and preferred tone (bold, fun, curious, etc.) to guide headline output.

• Headline Generator Button. Instantly generates 1–20 headline options based on input criteria.

• Thought Starters Display. Generated headlines appear under the label “Thought Starters” for review.

• Refine/Polish Mode – “Add Your Finesse”. Lets users tweak wording, swap terms, or adjust tone post-generation.

• Download or Copy Output. Easily export headlines for use in documents or creative workflows.

• Pixl Eyez Branding Integration. Styled in Pixl Eyez colours and fonts, with room for future UI enhancements.

• Expandable Architecture. Set up to evolve into CTA and caption generators, or integrate buzzword/pain point prompts.

Tools and Platforms We Used

• Python – the backbone language

• Streamlit – our app framework

• PyCharm – development environment

• Reddit – unexpected mentor

• ChatGPT – real-time problem solver and sanity checker

• YouTube + Blogs – backup teachers

Quick Byte:

Python in Context

• Invented in the late 1980s by Guido van Rossum, Python was designed to be simple and readable.

• It’s now used in AI, automation, data science, and increasingly in marketing tech stacks.

• Rust and Go are growing challengers—but Python’s ease and massive library support keep it in the lead.

  
  

Big Picture Insight: Python’s real magic isn’t in code—it’s in what it enables.

For marketers, that means building tools that scale creative thinking, not just automate it.

Welcome to the neural frontier.