The risks and rewards of using AI to create compelling stories

As someone who creates a lot of content for my business and with my clients, I was eager to start putting machine learning tools into practice and would be considered an early adopter, writes business strategist David Fish.

This is partly driven by my English teacher’s wisdom shared with my mother via a school report: “David will be better suited to speaking or maybe something creative or art-related given that most of what he writes is illegible and, at times, unreadable.” Having left a lasting impression, I will jump at any new tools that might ease my persistent fear of being a terrible writer.

Every day, a new use case for generative AI pops up, from writing blog posts to updating website copy to keynote speeches and creating slides. The technology certainly offers some excellent ways to enhance many of these areas. However, like any new technology, we must learn how it integrates and where it adds value.

In an interview, Salesforce’s global CMO, Ariel Kelman, recently pointed out some of the early challenges as the company launched its next-generation AI agents.

“There’s a lot of companies who spend tens of millions of dollars and they end up with a co-pilot that can make PowerPoint presentations that look like a seventh grader made them. And I mean, technically, that’s really hard to do. So bravo to them for that.”

I have noticed that when over-relied on in certain situations, you don’t just lose the potential advantage; you end up with messages that fail to resonate or connect or, worse, can erode trust and damage the brand.

When creating communication and content designed to position the brand, convince customers to take action, and pitch solutions and ideas, there must be more than surface copy.

Those who lead with functional attributes and lists of features and then rely on algorithms to turn these into communication risk dulling the impact of everything they create. There is a widening gap between those converging into sameness and those who stand apart by how what they say ‘just resonates.’

The storytelling edge: Why it matters now more than ever

Drawing a tree isn’t the same as watching the wind blow through the leaves; it’s a dynamic experience that is hard to replicate without it looking fake. The same goes for our communication. There’s the text we read, but beyond that, there’s the meaning we draw from the words and how they influence what we feel, think, and store away.

The words and structure of a well-crafted story evoke thoughts and feelings, drawing us in and painting pictures in our minds. In business, this transfers what we see and know to someone else in a way they can relate to; context, understanding different perspectives, and knowing what will resonate with different audiences all help shape perceptions and create powerful memories.

Strategic storytelling is about getting underneath the surface and finding the essence that, when captured, feels deceptively simple but instantly captivating. Businesses that can define what they do and position themselves through a well-told story that speaks to their customer’s needs will gain a commercial advantage as they move beyond information sharing to create lasting connections.

The dangers of convergence and the sea of sameness

A key challenge with the increasing use of Gen AI in business communication is the risk of convergence into sameness.  AI creates by predicting what’s most likely to fit next in the sequence based on the vast amount of data it analyses. It is essentially averaging the internet in response to a question. It is super powerful in many situations and very dangerous when it leads to content lacking your distinctive edge. The greater the reliance on AI to craft messages, the more these messages risk starting to sound alike, with little to differentiate one narrative from another.

This is where the human touch makes all the difference. What makes you different is what makes you distinctive, and this should come through in everything you say and do. The quirks and nuances, references to things that resonate as uniquely true to you and what you do, are too important to lose.

Emotional hooks: The secret to making your stories stick

The most potent stories are those that connect on a deeper emotional level. AI can craft well-structured content, but without emotional hooks, it falls flat. These two hooks are critical to engagement: stakes and humanity.

What is at stake?

When you paint a vivid picture of what’s at stake for your audience, you give them a reason to care. This could be a problem they face or an opportunity they must seize. The key is to constantly ask, “Why does this matter to them?” It’s not about your product’s features; it’s about how it can move your audience towards a better place and how things may get far worse without you. The storyteller’s advantage is knowing how to craft this to draw the audience in rather than scare them off.

The role of humanity

Humanising your content through relatable moments and real-life experiences takes it to another level. People remember real-life experiences and emotional moments more than stats or data points. Should you open your personal journal and share an intimate story? Maybe. Will you? Probably not. But weaving in human elements, like a client’s experience or a personal anecdote, adds depth and fosters connection.

How did you feel when you read about my English teacher’s assessment of my writing skills?

Why you, not AI, are the storyteller

AI, while a fantastic tool for streamlining processes and enhancing efficiency, should never dull the uniqueness of your voice. In a world full of sameness, what makes you different is what makes you stand out.

AI can assist, but only humans can craft stories that resonate deeply.

As we write, we think; as we think, we rewrite and refine. That is our unique creative process. The first thing we create is rarely the best. While AI can generate initial drafts and ideas, it lacks this iterative creative refinement, where we find the angles, the connection points and the ways to weave in the personal perspective and the emotional depth that resonates so profoundly with the audience.

To stand out, businesses must continue to craft compelling stories that speak directly to their audience. AI can help, but the heart of storytelling—the connection, the context, emotion, the meaning—will always be the domain of humans. So, as we embrace AI in business, let’s not forget the power of storytelling. It’s what moves people, drives decisions, and ultimately builds the connection that builds successful brands.

Join the soloist movement. Whether you are new to Flying Solo or looking to grow your business, our membership options will help you attract more leads, grow your network and sharpen your business skills.  Sign up to our newsletter to get the latest news and advice straight to your inbox.

Now read this

//corestage-cdn.flyingsolo.com.au/marketing/how-to-nail-your-storytelling-to-boost-your-business/