Don’t let AI give your eulogy

There was something a bit off about a speech at one of my recent colleague’s retirements. It was beautifully written, very generously worded and the pacing was impeccable.

And yet, I hate to say it, it was utterly lifeless.

It was as though someone had dressed a mannequin in a suit, painted a warm smile on its face and handed it the microphone.

Initially no one could put their finger on it, though I think by about the third paragraph everyone felt that artificial intelligence (AI) was clearly at play here.

I don’t want to judge the speaker because not everyone finds it easy to come up with the right words to say at occasions like this. For people with dyslexia, for those writing in their second or third language, or even just feeling very stressed, AI can be a lifeline.

But I think the truth is that AI is encroaching on some of the most hallowed territory in our very human personal communications. It’s in retirement speeches, birthday tributes, eulogies...