Let me start this article by making one thing perfectly clear. I like
technology. In fact, I embrace it. I’ve always taken on new software with gusto, unafraid to explore and experiment.
When A.I. came on the scene, however, I didn’t adopt it right away. I was cautious about security and privacy. But over time, I made it a part of my daily workflow. Some of my caution remained because I could see the potential challenges.
What concerns me most now is what I am calling A.I. Voice. This is the language, tone, and punctuation that A.I. tends to use. I’m hearing it everywhere, from emails to presentations to newsletters.
Even when you create LinkedIn posts, at the bottom of your text is a button: “Rewrite with AI.”
Part of me understands this trend. The faster information flows, the more efficient we need to become to compete in the market.
A.I. helps us with routine tasks, leaving room for more strategic thought.
But there is a cost, especially for leaders.
A.I. Voice creates a similarity across communications. In that similarity we lose nuance. Or worse, we lose the ability to get our own unique voice across.
The more I hear this A.I. Voice, the more I notice a drop in my engagement. I’m simply not as excited to read articles or listen to talks, especially ones that use A.I.’s favorite “that’s not X, it’s Y” phrase: “That’s not failure, it’s commitment.”
I know that A.I. helps people, particularly those who struggle with writing or speaking. I support that. But I believe there is a way to use the tool without losing your voice.
For example, when I write a high-stakes email, I compose it in my own voice, then give A.I. the following prompts:
- Check this for grammar and flow
- No em dashes
- Tighten any extraneous words into strong verbs
- Preserve my voice
“Preserve my voice” seems to be the magic phrase. I’ve had to do a little training with my A.I. program, Claude, to ensure that it processes what my voice is, but it has worked well.
There’s a saying I’ve heard: First you won’t. Then you can’t.
For now, we may be choosing to use A.I. Voice. But if we don’t reclaim our agency in communication, we may lose the ability to share of ourselves, our humanity, the details that make up a person.
So to leaders I say this: A.I. is here and it is the future. So we must make room for AND. Innovate with A.I. Use it to manage your busy day. AND don’t let it erase your voice. Hang on to the imperfect parts of your communication that make it sound like you.
From imperfection comes soul.
And yes, I wrote this article without the use of A.I.