The Growing Temptation of AI for CEOs
With the rise of generative AI tools capable of mimicking human writing, it’s no surprise that many CEOs are experimenting with using AI to streamline communication. Research shows that about 24% of an executive’s workday is dedicated to electronic communication. Understandably, leaders want ways to reduce this load. But should CEOs rely on AI to communicate with employees? Recent research suggests caution.
Zapier’s “Wade Bot” Experiment
A 2024 study led by Harvard Business School professor Prithwiraj Choudhury explored this very question at Zapier, a software company with over 700 employees. The researchers developed an AI bot, nicknamed “Wade Bot,” trained specifically to imitate CEO Wade Foster’s communication style using his Slack, email, and public statements.
In an experiment involving 105 employees, both the real CEO and Wade Bot responded to employee-submitted questions. The employees tried to identify whether the responses came from AI or Foster himself—and correctly spotted the AI-written responses 59% of the time.
Perception Matters More Than Content
Interestingly, even when Wade Foster personally wrote a message, if employees thought it came from AI, they rated it as less helpful. Conversely, AI-written messages were perceived as more valuable when employees believed they were from Foster. This highlights a crucial insight for CEOs using AI: Perception heavily influences trust and message effectiveness.
Transparency and Trust Are Key
Since 50% of U.S. CEOs already use AI for content creation (Deloitte 2024), clear guidelines are necessary. CEOs should prioritize transparency, openly sharing how AI is used and ensuring employees understand when and why it’s implemented. This builds trust and reduces misconceptions that can hurt communication quality.
Final Thoughts
AI can be a powerful productivity tool, but personal messages require a human touch. CEOs who maintain openness about their AI usage and avoid over-relying on it for relationship-driven communication will likely fare better in building strong, trusting teams.
