AI can help with the first draft of a message, but the person reading it only sees what gets sent. That is why the draft still needs a careful read before it goes out. When that review does not happen, the person on the other end is left sorting it out. They dig through a long message trying to find what they were being asked or follow instructions that left out a step somewhere in the middle.

Let's say someone uses ChatGPT to help with their resume, copies the full response, and sends it without reading through it first. At the very bottom, after the references, there is a line that reads: "Would you like me to make this shorter or add more detail to any section?" That follow-up question came along for the ride. That can sometimes be a dealbreaker for getting the job, since the hiring manager has to figure out what they are looking at, and the candidate does not even know it is there.

Similar situations can happen at work when someone puts together instructions for a new process using AI and sends them to the team. Team members email back asking where to start even when the message is organized and reads well. Another person just waits because they are not sure what they are supposed to do first. The coordinator ends up sending a second email to clear it up, which is what should have gone out originally.

The person receiving a message is not always reading it the same way it was written. Someone might be going through it on a screen reader. Someone might be scanning quickly trying to find one thing to act on before their next meeting. Someone might need to know what to do before understanding why. AI does not know any of that.

Before sending something AI-assisted, read it as if you are the person receiving it. You are still responsible for what goes out, even when AI helped draft it. Is the main point where they will look for it? Does the length match what you are asking them to do? Is there something missing they will need to make sense of it? That review is also where AI can help. Once you know who you are writing for, you can ask it to adjust the tone or reframe it for a specific audience rather than a general one.

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