Just Because It's AI Doesn't Mean It's Not Real · Jonathan Rubenstein, FaceFwd

What we talked about.

In this episode, host Sunny Ray talks with Jonathan Rubenstein, founder of FaceFwd, about the idea that content made with AI can still be authentic. Rubenstein explains how a layoff two weeks after paternity leave pushed him to turn a planned likeness-licensing marketplace into a tool that automates selfie-style video, scripting, and content planning for solo professionals and small businesses. Drawing on a digital marketing career that included performance marketing for Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu, he describes teaching himself to code, pivoting after early conversations with potential users, and answering the common objection that an AI video does not look like the person. He shares how the review process works, which pricing tier most customers choose, how early sales came from LinkedIn outreach and referrals, and why discoverability matters for professionals such as therapists, recruiters, and lawyers. He also outlines a podcast he would like to host about whether AI is real and how it will reshape education and society.

A laid-off marketer turned a licensing idea into FaceFwd, arguing that AI-made video is still your face, voice, and message.

The questions, and the answers.

What is FaceFwd and what problem does it solve?

It's a tool for solo professionals and small businesses to create selfie-style content for social media on a regular, automated basis. Most people who aren't natural content creators don't want to hold up a phone for half an hour a day, so FaceFwd automates the video generation, the scripting, and the content planning.

Where did the idea that 'just because it's AI doesn't mean it's not real' come from?

It's inspired by the Harry Potter line about something being in your head not meaning it isn't real. If you thoughtfully craft your message and use AI to deliver it, it's still your face, your voice, and your message. It's just delivered through a different medium.

What is the biggest pushback you get, and how do you answer it?

The biggest pushback is that the video doesn't look or sound like them. People aren't used to seeing themselves on camera, and AI is a quarter step further away. I put their submitted video and voice sample next to the AI version and ask how different it really is.

What did the first 90 days of building look like as a new father with no outside money?

It was really difficult to find the time, focus, and brain space to teach myself to code. Vibe coding wasn't a thing yet, which I think was lucky, because learning HTML, backends, and edge functions myself made me much better with these tools. I was working on it every chance I had.

How much do customers edit the scripts, and what does that say about trust?

Usually people make edits in the first two or three weeks, mostly technical corrections, like a therapist flagging something that isn't clinically correct. The model learns from what's saved and posted, and from engagement. After about a month and a half, most people let it run and trust it.

Which pricing tier do most customers choose?

Most people choose the pro tier at $49. Almost everyone on the $25 starter tier stays three to six months, probably because they weren't taking it seriously enough. The studio tier is geared toward agencies producing content for multiple clients, with around 10 avatars.

How did you land your first customers?

My first five customers came from LinkedIn messages where I asked for feedback instead of pitching. Since then it's been referrals, more messaging, my own advertising as a performance marketer, and influencer and agency contacts who posted about it. Case studies help too, like a therapist who got four new clients in a week.

What would your own podcast be about?

It would be about whether AI is real and what it means for the future of society, the economy, and how our children are raised. I'd want to talk to people building in AI, especially in education, and to thought leaders with different takes.