As the world continues to charge toward a new future, I think it’s essential to come back to basics. I’m talking about how we use Artificial Intelligence. AI is a tool, and it’s a perfect tool for things you don’t really care about or things that don’t need your full attention. But some things are too important to hand off to AI.

In my previous line of work as an SEO Specialist, I took on an additional AI role in the company. I fell in love with learning the capabilities and finding ways to implement it. However, as I kept “optimizing” processes I found myself checking the AI less and less. Then caring about accuracy less and less. I used it for client emails, copy, and more.

I want to talk about the emails specifically. I didn’t see a problem with it then and when I started my own business I used AI for those emails too… Until I eventually sat down to think about what I was doing. All those outreach emails and conversations with publishers are important. Too important to hand off to AI. Every AI email I sent was telling the publishers they weren’t worth my time. So I stopped.

Does it take me longer to write emails? Yes. But I want the person on the other side, receiving my email, to know that I value them and their time.

Before I even send an outreach email to a board game publisher, I sit down. I read through their website. I take my time learning about them. I don’t use AI to go gather information and craft an email, because I get those emails. I don’t like them. So why would I do that to someone else?

A world centered on technology can push people further and further apart. I want 4Seasons By Autumn to be built on trust, relationships, and honest communication because that’s what’s important to me.

AI is a pretty cool tool. I do use it to spot check my blog posts or emails before I send them. I also don’t actually know how to code. I went to nursing school. I personally designed my game night companion app Rule Referee then used AI to turn my thoughts and ideas into code. But the app itself doesn’t use AI to answer your rules questions. Every answer is prewritten and verified against the official rulebook. So don’t get me wrong, AI is a helpful tool.

One thing I want to leave you with: think about what businesses are using AI for because they’re showing you what they consider unimportant. And what they still do by hand shows you what they care about.

So what’s important to you?