A month ago, I published a tiny video lesson proclaiming that AI stands for ALMOST intelligent. 

I take inordinate pride in inventing acronyms that make fun of the putrid alphabet soup we consume at work every day. And you know what? It works.

My snarky reframing of AI struck a chord with clients and friends who are tempted, encouraged, or even pushed to use artificial intelligence (AI) in their efforts to create and communicate at work.

And yet, they hesitate. They fear that AI will produce work that ALMOST does the job, but somehow misses the mark.

Good instinct.

Particularly in the world of business communication, we’re seeing leaders, marketers, communicators, and other well-meaning AI users generate near misses every day:

• Generic messaging that appeals to no one in particular

• Marketing content that’s full of recycled words and vague promises

• Pitches that lack humor, heart, or human interest

Still, many organizations are urging their people to use AI in the interest of speed, efficiency, and “data-driven decisions” (a phrase I’d be overjoyed to expunge from our everyday vocabulary).

Just because we can automate something doesn’t mean we should.

Where business communication is concerned, AI can be a useful assistant. It’s quick, consistent, and always on. But it lacks emotional intelligence, human instinct, and genuine empathy—qualities that are unique to you, me, and about 8 billion other Earthlings. 

So, if you’re looking for guidance on when NOT to use AI, here’s a short list:

1. High-Stakes Strategic Messaging

AI may be able to crank out a press release in seconds, but it cannot weigh the financial, political, or emotional consequences of a message.

If you’re announcing a major change, responding to public scrutiny, or navigating a sensitive situation, you need human judgment—ideally from a team of experienced professionals who can challenge one another’s ideas and impulses to arrive at an actually intelligent approach.

2. Brand Voice and Identity

AI tools can imitate tone, generate taglines, and draft content. But your brand voice isn’t just a style. It’s a reflection of your culture, values, and promises.

Perhaps your AI tool can produce technically “correct” content. But does it sound like you? We invest tremendous time, money, and effort creating brands that resonate with a target market. Let’s not risk ruining that connection by removing the human heartbeat from our stories and conversations.

3. Crisis Communication

In a crisis, speed is of the essence. But so is essence.

A robotic response might summarize circumstances and policies, all the while neglecting your character and principles—the very fundamentals that must shape your actions and reactions to a crisis.

If ever there was a time for humans to step up and own up, it’s when you’re facing a crisis. To handle a serious situation, assemble a team of people who will apply their human discretion, expertise, and respect for nuance. 

4. Complex Customer Communication

When customers are frustrated, frightened, or otherwise affected by your business, they want to be heard, not handled.

Chatbots might be effective for simple transactions and tasks like tracking an order or resetting a password. But to address complaints and complex conversations, pay actual people to provide human service. Empathy. Patience. A listening ear. Even when the answer is less than satisfactory, these authentic connections can relieve tension and preserve customer relationships.

5. Cultural and Internal Messaging

Culture IS human. Inside your organization, AI may be useful for routine communications: reminders, newsletters, surveys, and the like. But setting the emotional tone of a meeting or anticipating and addressing people’s concerns about change? These important efforts require human intelligence.

You may think a bot could draft a script for a leader’s message to employees. No doubt the key points will be there, with good grammar and logical construction. But if that’s not how the leader talks (and who among us is so consistently polished?), the script will feel stilted to the speaker and ring hollow to their team.

Pause for confession: AI helped me write this post.

While drafting this list, my curiosity got the best of me. If I asked ChatGPT what tasks business people should NOT entrust to artificial intelligence, what would the bot say?

So, I asked. The answer was at once generic and full of invented, hyper-specific examples I could not publish in good conscience. The tool served up a handful of workable concepts, but I still had a lot of writing, editing, and personalizing to do. I ditched about 75% of the content ChatGPT threw at me.

What did I keep? The 5 categories listed above, and a handful of phrases that simply weren’t worth reinventing.

Did AI save me time, make me more efficient, or produce content worthy of “data-driven decisions”?

No. No, it did not.

These crucial communication zones require actual intelligence.

If I could, I’d walk into your workplace with a roll of yellow caution tape and wrap it around these 5 crucial communication zones. Then I’d turn to you with a bullhorn and proclaim: “Attention! If you’re going to cross these lines with AI, make sure you wrap that ‘intelligence’ in thick layers of human judgment and intuition.”

To avoid producing ALMOST intelligent work, tap into your ACTUAL intelligence.

• Don’t get complacent in your use of AI tools.

• Don’t trust AI to give you the first thought or best thought.

• Don’t give a digital agent more credit than you give your own creative brain.

Use the technology to assist your efforts if you must. But don’t let AI decide what to say, how to say it, or when to speak up. That’s YOUR job.