The Secret to Using AI Without Losing Your Authenticity

There’s a lot of talk these days about how AI is taking over. Every feed, every podcast and every person on LinkedIn seems to be chatting or arguing about weather or not robots are about to run the world. The panic usually sounds like this: “AI is going to replace everyone.” “My job might disappear by next Thursday.” “Should I start a goat farm?”

But here’s the truth. AI is not going to replace people. People who know how to use AI for efficiency is going to replace people - but the best case scenario is this: people who use AI well are simply going to replace the version of themselves who used to take three hours to write an email.

Then comes the next fear. If you do use AI, will you accidentally lose your authenticity? Will everything you write suddenly sound like it was typed by a polite robot with a caffeine addiction?

We've all been unwilling victims of one email with the long strange punctuation, the overly polished tone and the suspiciously perfect structure. You can sniff out an unedited ChatGPT message from two cities away. And with deepfake videos and AI-generated photos floating around, it is harder than ever to know what is real, and what is really fake!

So here is the actual key. The goal is not to avoid AI, it is to use AI well. Use it to save time. Use it to get clarity. Use it to make work easier. But still talk like you.

Still be you - with more efficiency.

AI can help you do so many things. It can write speeches, emails, grant applications, workflows, job descriptions and reports. It can identify gaps in a profit and loss statement, compare candidates for jobs, do predictable maintenance on fleets of trucks ... but the most impressive thing I have learned to do as of late - take seven random ingredients from your fridge and pantry and turn them into supper your kids will eat.

But you still need your own brain.

I caught myself recently reaching for my phone every time I wondered something. And I realized, i had lost my sense of wonder, my imagination was dwindling away ... .outsourced to an app.

That was my sign to set some boundaries with my good friend ChatGP (Who I had lovingly named after my 1983 caprice classic in college) ... YIKES!

But here's the thing, AI is here, and its a super powerful tool if used in the right way. But people need to learn how to use it well, especially if they want to save time, speed up their processes and take some pressure off their mental load. The main concern is staying authentic. Keeping your own voice. Being human. But how do you do this?

Here are five research-backed ways to use AI without losing the real you.

1. Train your AI before you let it write anything.

One of the biggest mistakes people make is opening ChatGPT, typing one sentence and expecting it to magically sound like them. AI is only as strong as the instructions you give it, so you need to train it before you let it write a single line.

Start by telling AI what tone you want.

Is it humorous or professional?

Warm or direct?

Supportive or blunt?

You get to decide.

For example, you can say:

• “Write in a warm and relatable tone.”

• “Make this conversational, not stiff.”

• “Use humour but keep it professional.”

• “Never use long dashes in anything you write.”

• “Always sound authentic and human.”

• “Talk to me in a supportive tone, not overly formal.”

• “Always make the writing feel real and not robotic.”

You can also feed AI a few paragraphs you have already written and tell it, “This is my voice. Match this style.” It will learn your rhythm, your structure and your personality.

If you are using the free version, here is how to train it:

Start a new chat and type:

“This is my writing style. Study it and use it for everything you write for me.”

Paste several samples of your writing.

Then add instructions like:

• “Write in this tone every time I ask for content.”

• “Keep everything clear, relatable and authentic.”

• “Avoid jargon and avoid long dashes.”

• “Sound like a real person, not a robot.”

You do not need custom GPTs or a premium account to do this.

Just give strong direction and train it in the tone you want your brand to sound like.

When you do, AI becomes your helper, not your impersonator.

2. Always add a human edit pass.

Readers can sense “AI tone” instantly. Before sending anything, read it out loud. If it does not sound like you, adjust it. Shorten sentences. Add your humour. Remove the generic filler. Your brain makes the writing real.

3. Use AI to brainstorm, not dictate.

The best content happens when AI provides structure and ideas, and you shape the message. Let it help with drafts and frameworks, but make the final voice yours.

4. Set healthy boundaries with AI.

Decide what AI is for and what your brain is for. AI can organize, streamline, research and outline. You add the perspective, emotion and nuance. Balance keeps you creative.

5. Use AI for clarity, not personality.

Let it clean up wording, tighten long paragraphs and make things easier to read. But the opinions, tone, humour and lived experiences should always come from you.

AI should help you, not replace you. It should make your life easier, not flatten your identity. When you use it with intention, it becomes a powerful partner that speeds up your work without taking over your voice.

This is exactly why AI education matters. Most teams want efficiency without losing authenticity, but they’ve never been taught how to use AI responsibly or effectively. Monarch Group offers training for corporate teams that demystifies AI, sets clear boundaries and helps employees use it in a way that protects your brand voice. If you want your team to save time, communicate better and avoid that painfully obvious AI tone, this training is the shortcut.

Learning to use AI with intention is the difference between creating authentic, human centered content and sounding like every other polished robot online. From brand voice setup to corporate AI workflow training, we show you how to make AI work for you while keeping your human edge.

And if you are just looking for a little extra help to get started, we created a free resource for you. 50 Free AI Prompts Every Business Needs. This simple PDF gives you copy and paste prompts you can use right away to save time, boost clarity and keep your writing sounding like you.

Grab a copy of the free PDF resource here: 50 Free AI Prompts Every Business Needs.

P.S. Yes, AI helped me tidy this up, but the thoughts and the tone came straight from me.

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