A University of Florida study suggests that excessive use of technology in employee communications can reduce trust. Over 1,100 employees surveyed said that while AI spruces up texts, managers who use such tools seem less sincere.
Scientists uncovered a significant perception gap. When employees evaluated their own use of AI, they remained calm, even at a high level. However, when executives used the same technology, reactions shifted: high levels of AI support were perceived as lacking in care, authenticity, and professional engagement.
According to the study, 83% of employees viewed lightly edited messages from managers as sincere, but this figure dropped to 40-52% with high levels of AI assistance. Similar trends were observed in the perception of professionalism: 95% and 69-73%, respectively. Employees reacted particularly negatively to congratulatory or motivational messages when they were clearly written using AI.
The study's authors, Anthony Coman (University of Florida) and Peter Cardon (University of Southern California), advise managers to be more cautious in choosing the situations in which they use AI. Automated tools may work well for reminders and work announcements, but in messages where personal engagement, empathy, and trust are important, you should get by with minimal editing.
