Talking to machines all day can make us curt and sloppy with people. Treat AI chats as practice, and check who you're writing to.
The idea
Conversation is a skill, and how you practice it is how you perform it. More and more of our daily back-and-forth is with AI, a partner that can't be hurt, offended or let down, and that slowly makes us sloppier and less considerate with people too. The switch between machine mode and human mode doesn't flip on its own. You have to be intentional about it.
How to do it
Treat AI chats as conversation. Think before you type, even to AI. The habit carries over.
Know who you're talking to. Before the next message, take one second to ask whether it's going to a person. People notice when you stopped trying.
Example
In one month I got caught three times sending texts that looked like I'd typed them with my elbows, because I'd stopped proofreading after so much stream-of-consciousness typing into Claude. My kids bark orders at Alexa, and I've caught myself doing it too.
What Never to Outsource to AI: Let AI draft, summarize and suggest who to contact, but never let it handle your inner circle, emotional messages, introductions, or who deserves your attention.
Prove You're Human: Be specific, switch channels, add "no need to respond," and keep it short. AI over-explains; humans get to the point.
Listen With Your Eyes: In important conversations, split your attention between words and body language. Practice by guessing strangers' emotional states in a coffee shop.