12/30/2025
"Dear Professor, I hope this email finds you well..."
I can spot an unedited AI email from the first sentence.
Not because I'm against AI - I use Claude to draft emails every day. But here's the thing: it's called a DRAFT for a reason.
What I'm seeing:
Students and employees sending ChatGPT/Claude outputs verbatim:
Overly formal tone that doesn't match their personality
Generic requests with zero specific context
Three paragraphs when they needed two sentences
"I hope this message finds you well" (nobody talks like this)
Here's my take as someone who teaches AND uses AI daily:
For students/employees:
âś… Use AI to structure your thoughts - absolutely
âś… Let it help with grammar and clarity - 100%
âś… But add YOUR context, YOUR situation, YOUR voice
âś… Read it out loud. Does it sound like you? If not, edit.
Example:
❌ AI: "I am writing to respectfully request a brief extension on the upcoming project due to unforeseen circumstances..."
âś… Human: "Hey Prof - can I get two extra days on the project? My truck broke down and I've been covering extra shifts to pay for repairs. I'm 80% done but need the weekend to finish strong."
See the difference? Specific. Honest. Human.
For managers/professors receiving AI emails:
Don't punish people for using AI. Instead:
Reply asking for clarification on vague requests
Encourage them to add context: "Tell me more about your situation"
Make it a teachable moment, not a gotcha
The balance:
AI is a tool for efficiency, not a replacement for authenticity. Use it to draft faster, then make it YOURS.
We're all adapting to this new reality. Let's do it in a way that keeps communication real.
What's your take? Are you seeing the same thing? How do you balance AI assistance with authentic communication?
