CEOs and AI: A Balancing Act
Generative AI is quickly transforming how leaders communicate. According to Deloitte, 75% of U.S. CEOs have already tried AI tools. But caution and strategy are crucial if you’re a CEO hoping to leverage AI effectively. Drawing from Harvard Business School research, here are three guidelines for CEOs using AI responsibly.
1. Be Transparent About AI Usage
Trust is easily broken if employees feel deceived. Always disclose when AI has played a role in communications, especially internal ones. Set clear policies about when and how AI tools should be used throughout your company. For example:
- Clarify acceptable AI usage (e.g., for formal reports, not personal notes)
- Explain how data is used to train AI tools
- Share the benefits and limitations openly
By doing so, you can normalize AI while keeping transparency at the core.
2. Use AI for Impersonal or Formal Communications
AI excels at generating structured, formal content. CEOs should leverage AI for things like:
- Shareholder letters
- Strategy memos
- Company policy updates
Avoid using AI to craft personal emails to direct reports, board members, or long-time employees. Zapier’s study found that tenured employees were much better at detecting AI-generated responses because of their familiarity with the CEO’s unique style.
Pro tip: Use AI to handle FAQs or repetitive tasks while keeping personal, high-touch messages human-made.
3. Always Triple-Check AI Outputs
Even the best AI models can get facts wrong or overuse jargon. For CEOs, this is risky. Always:
- Fact-check AI-generated content carefully
- Edit for tone and clarity
- Have a trusted colleague review sensitive communications
As Choudhury advises, “Never press send without reading and fact-checking the message.” The smallest misstep can create huge unintended consequences.
Conclusion
When used wisely, AI in corporate communication can enhance efficiency without sacrificing authenticity. Follow these three guidelines to build trust and maintain leadership credibility.
