9 AI Tells That Quietly Destroy Trust and Connection in Communication

AI communication skills are suddenly everywhere.
Emails. LinkedIn posts. Sales follow-ups. Client messages. Even comments.

And while AI communication skills are quickly becoming essential, something else is happening that most people are missing.

Messages sound fine.
They’re clear. Polite. Technically correct. They just don’t land.

If you’ve ever hit send and thought why didn’t that work, you’re not imagining it. The problem usually isn’t what you said. It’s the emotional signal underneath it.

AI didn’t ruin communication.
AI tells did.

These tells quietly erode trust and connection long before someone can explain why they’re disengaging. People feel them first. Then they pull back.

Here are the most common AI tells I see and why they matter if you care about authentic connection.

Common AI Communication Tells That Break Trust

1. Em Dashes Everywhere

Let’s start with the obvious one. Em dashes are everywhere.
(I had to restrain myself from not adding one before this line.)

People don’t talk in em dashes. When sentences are stitched together like this, the message feels manufactured. Readers feel it immediately and stop reading. This is one of the fastest ways AI gives itself away.

2. “Here’s the Thing…”

Nothing good follows this anymore. It signals a script, not a thought. The second people see it, they skim. Even if what comes next is smart, the trust hit has already happened.

3. Using the Word “Honestly”

This one quietly undermines credibility. When someone says “honestly,” people subconsciously wonder what wasn’t honest before. I see this constantly in comments and DMs that mean well but land strangely.

And “to be honest”? Absolutely not.

4. Perfect Sentence Rhythm

Same length. Same cadence. Same flow. Line after line. Humans don’t speak like that. We pause. Ramble. Interrupt ourselves. Perfect rhythm feels robotic, even when the words are good. This is one of the most subtle AI communication skills gaps people miss.

5. Polite Empathy With No Proof

“I understand how challenging this can be.” Do you? Or did a machine decide that sounded supportive? Empathy without specificity feels hollow. Real empathy sounds like recognition, not a greeting card.

6. Explaining the Obvious

When simple ideas are over-explained, confidence drops. Humans explain less when they actually know what they’re talking about. AI explains everything. The more obvious something sounds, the less authority the message carries.

7. One Voice for Every Situation

This is when your sales message, feedback, boundary-setting, and thank-you all sound the same. Humans naturally shift tone. When communication doesn’t, trust slowly leaks out.

8. Calm Language in a Charged Moment

This one shows up constantly in leadership and client communication. When emotions are high and the response stays perfectly neutral, people don’t feel supported. They feel unseen. Neutral is not soothing in emotional moments. Presence is.

9. Too Polished for the Moment

When a quick check-in or DM sounds like it was edited five times, people feel talked at, not talked to. Everyday moments need warmth, not perfection.

Why AI Communication Skills Fail Without Emotional Intelligence

None of these are grammar issues or spelling mistakes. They’re emotional signals.

People may not consciously say this sounds like AI, but they do feel distance. Hesitation. A lack of trust.

That’s why AI communication skills without emotional intelligence fall flat. The fix is not using less AI. That’s where most people get it wrong.

AI can draft the message.
Emotional intelligence decides how it lands.

When EQ leads, AI becomes a powerful support tool.
When it doesn’t, AI quietly sabotages trust and connection.

Go Deeper

I unpack this much more deeply in my latest episode of the Magnetic Communication Podcast:
👉 https://sandygerber.com/podcast/

For a visual breakdown, I’ve also shared a popular infographic on LinkedIn that highlights these AI tells at a glance:
👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandygerber/

If you want weekly tools on emotionally intelligent communication, you can also subscribe to my Connected Conversations Newsletter
👉 https://sandygerber.com/connected-conversations-weekly/

The Real Advantage in an AI-Driven World

Communication isn’t about sounding smart.
It’s about sounding human. And in an AI-driven world, that’s the real advantage.