AI Isn’t the Problem. Lazy AI Is.

I recently email-blocked someone I had on my podcast less than a year ago. Why? They pitched themselves to be a guest on my show. And clearly used AI to do it.

The email itself was obviously AI-generated: generic and full of the kinds of catchphrases we’ve all seen the robots use. (Those tip-offs are getting more and more obvious.)

But using AI wasn’t the real problem. It was the lack of any humanity or common sense in the text.

The pitch was written as if this person had never been on my podcast before. No mention of our previous conversation. No reference to their episode. No acknowledgment that we had already spent an hour together recording a show.

It was obvious that not only did he use AI to write the pitch, but he didn’t proofread it, and maybe even just had the robots send it automatically.

In an age where AI is threatening the media and PR industries, this approach infuriated me.

And I can guarantee that person will never be on my podcast or in my inbox again.

AI Isn’t the Problem

Don’t get me wrong, I use AI. A lot of communications professionals use AI. And when it’s used correctly, it can be an incredibly effective tool. AI can help you research a reporter (or podcast). It can help organize your thoughts, write a first draft, summarize information, and make you faster and more efficient.

But people are also getting better at recognizing AI-generated writing. Certain sentence structures and transitions. Overly polished language or predictable phrases. Generic enthusiasm. Lots of words that ultimately say very little. We've all started seeing them.

All that means you need to edit. Put your voice back into the copy. Delete the unnecessary language. Add actual knowledge of the person you're contacting. Include details that demonstrate you've done your homework. Make the finished product sound like you, not like a robot that has sent the same email to 500 people.

You Still Have to Do the Work

Had this person done just one read of their pitch, they would have inserted critical information that would have completely changed the pitch. Maybe there was a legitimate reason to come back. Maybe they had a major new development, a new book, a different area of expertise, or a timely perspective that would make a second appearance worthwhile. That's a conversation I'm willing to have. Instead, they offered a generic overview of their business and achievements (which we had already discussed in the first episode). And it went straight to my deleted items.

When you blindly send AI-generated outreach, you're not just sending a bad pitch. You're putting your name and reputation on it, dousing it with gasoline and setting it on fire.

The recipient doesn't blame ChatGPT. And they don't salute your brilliance in automating your reporter outreach. They blame you. Your name is in the "From" field. Your company is in the signature. Your reputation is attached to the message. And in public relations, reputation is the entire business.

Use AI as a Tool, Not an Autopilot

The best use of AI in communications isn't replacing human judgment. It's enhancing it.

Let AI help with the first draft, with research. Let it brainstorm angles or point out something you might have missed. Then take over. Apply your experience, judgment, knowledge, and voice before anything goes out with your name attached to it.

Because AI should make your communications better. It shouldn't make you look like you weren't paying attention.