Stop Sounding Like a Bot: Using AI the Right Way
A year ago, you could avoid the AI revolution if you really wanted to. Today? You don’t have a choice. AI is here to stay.
Truthfully, AI is an incredibly powerful and useful tool. Did AI proof read this post before we published it? You bet. Does it help us streamline our processes and workflow? Absolutely! Does it help kick off our brainstorming sessions at the end of the week when the Friday brain fog has taken over? Yup.
However, the key with AI is to know where to draw the line. AI is an incredible co-pilot, but a terrible driver. Far too often, we see brands treating AI like a marketing team. The result is soulless and hollow marketing that audiences tune out. AI is the tool, not the carpenter. It still requires a skilled hand to be used effectively.
Here’s our quick tips on how to use AI in a way that still sounds and feels like your brand:
Cut the fluff:
The same lesson we were taught in high school applies to AI. Cut the fluff. Lose the jargon. AI loves words like “embark”, “comprehensive”, "imperatively", “furthermore”...
… Let’s be real. When’s the last time you actually used those words in conversation with someone? If you wouldn’t say it face-to-face, don’t say it online.
Bad news for you em dash lovers; they’ve gotta go. Like you, AI also loves using em dashes. So much so, that viewers now automatically assume content is AI generated if they see an em dash. Keep your punctuation simple.
Inject specifics:
AI is great at being general, but it can’t generate personal details or local context. AI doesn’t know the inside jokes from your last team meeting, or what restaurant has the best seafood chowder, or where the best view of the NYE fireworks is. These specific, personal details are what bridge the gap between generic output and human connection.
Read it Out Loud:
AI’s grammar is perfect. Which might be great for your college paper, but it’s not how you communicate with your audience. Read your content out loud. Stumbling over words? Running out of breath before the sentence ends? That probably means your content is too stiff. Loosen it up!
Bonus tip: AI avoids contractions. Replace the pristine they will’s and do not’s with they’ll and don’t to immediately sound more human.
Just the Framework:
Think of AI as the sketch, and yourself as the finished painting. AI should never be the finished product. It should be just the framework, or the final touches on your work. For example, if you use AI to generate content ideas, don’t just copy and paste. Pick your favourites and inject your brand’s personality. Or say you’ve written an email that feels clunky, ask AI to “improve the flow” rather than “rewrite” it. This helps keep your voice at the forefront while AI handles the minor tweaks.
We’ve just entered the AI era, and people are already sick of it. Your audience doesn't want more bot-written content cluttering their feeds. By using AI as a framework rather than a finished product, you can streamline your workflow without sacrificing your unique voice. You don't have to choose connection or convenience.
People don’t want to see more AI content on their already AI filled feeds. By using AI as a framework rather than a finished product, you can successfully improve your workflow without sacrificing your voice.
