Ask HN: Do you use AI to draft messages? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Do you use AI to draft messages?

1 pointSamihaSingh12 comments

Considering building out an outreach tool using AI because I’m super reliant on it. Would love any thoughts!

No. I want my messages to be in my style/voice/tone, not the usually overly formal and verbose style of most of these AI tools. I also don’t want to need some other tool for basic human communication.

I keep hearing how people can’t write an email anymore without AI and I always wonder what all these people did 2 years ago before these tools excited?

I sometimes ask Copilot for an opinion about something I wrote. I also find it helpful when I am struggling to find the right word, sometimes it scores a direct hit, usually it doesn't, but it is helpful.

Hmm I agree with these criticisms tbh, I’m trying to create a tool that makes the responses more human like but still learning.

What do you think of using it to just keep contacts warm?

Maybe I’m not typical, but if I get constant messages from a business I get annoyed and stop doing business with them, or never start. If it’s an automated message without a real person behind it, that’s even worse. 1 or 2 of those and I’m done, and I’ll tell everyone I know they spam every number they get.

There is no faster way to erode trust and burn a bridge with me than sending me unsolicited automated messages, emails, or letters.

I signed up for a newsletter once, and after a few of them went unread, I got an email that said they noticed I wasn’t reading, so they unsubscribed me, and said if I wanted to keep getting them, I could sign back up when ready, and no further messages would be sent. I respected the hell out of that move. That’s a person/company I want to do business with, because they respected me, my time, and my inbox. They didn’t just say it, they showed it with their actions. This is in contrast to nearly every other business that sends me their newsletter even when I explicitly uncheck the box. Companies that do this (most of them) make me want to revert to buying everything at brick and mortar stores using cash.

If the big end goal for AI is automating marketing and sales messages… I’d be happy to burn it all to the ground right now. I don’t get offended by much, but I find this concept offensive as a consumer.

I completely agree with you! What I’m thinking of is generating conversation starters using AI to maintain networks (especially professional contacts). What do you think of using something like this? Not marketing messages, but personalised conversation starters/brainstorms.

It’s too slow. If it were built into my composition tools - as I’m sure it, one day, will be - I might, but I can compose at even a phone’s keyboard faster than I can direct my browser to chatgpt to prompt, review and copy it.

But I’m sure for a coming generation with little experience writing it may be faster.

Hmm… what are your thoughts on receiving AI-generated conversation starters for different contacts (based on info you’ve given) via email or something?

Isn't it built into Gmail these days? I think it's been like that for a few years already.

I’m thinking something along these lines: ntwrk.site I think gmail is a little too broad for me still, not personalised enough to be a good brainstorm.

I use it to research/brainstorm all the time, but I prefer to write my own emails. Not because the AI can't do a good job (it can), but it's a sign of respect for the other person when I take time to personalize something for them.

Nobody likes getting automated messages.

Hmm… I feel similarly. I think it can provide good base ideas for emails and professional messages. I’m trying to build something in this space, but need to make sure it’s personalised and doesn’t replace the human. Thank you!

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