Is AI Fracturing Your Credibility?

I’ve been having the same conversation with executives again and again lately. It always starts with AI. Leaders are curious, cautious and excited all at once. They want to use AI to work smarter, communicate faster and elevate their personal brand without putting their credibility at risk.

Here’s what I’m noticing. AI is incredibly good at creating clarity and conciseness in written communication. Emails sound sharper. Talking points feel more confident. Messages finally say what leaders meant to say all along. That’s the upside.

The risk shows up when leaders hit send and then show up in person.

I see beautifully written messages powered by AI followed by live conversations that feel scattered, unsure or disconnected. People notice. When the written brand and the lived brand don’t match, trust quietly erodes. Others start to question authenticity, transparency and confidence.

Your personal brand is not built in an inbox.

It’s built in meetings, one-on-ones, hallway conversations and moments when no script exists. AI can help you refine your message. It cannot replace the presence you bring into the room.

Research from PwC found that 73% of executives believe AI will significantly change how leaders communicate, yet only 34% say they feel prepared to lead with it effectively. That gap matters. Preparation is not about mastering tools. It’s about mastering alignment.

I encourage leaders to use AI as a mirror, not a mask. Look at what AI produces and ask whether it truly sounds like you. Notice the clarity and structure it creates, then practice delivering that same message out loud. Your voice, energy and body language should reinforce what people already read.

Presence is experienced, not promised.

People decide whether to trust you based on consistency over time. When your written communication and in-person delivery align, confidence grows on both sides of the conversation.

AI is powerful. You are still responsible for the brand people experience. When clarity on the page matches confidence in the room, influence becomes effortless and trust follows naturally.