[video] Should you use AI to write or prepare a speech or presentation?
The short answer: It depends. Read on for pro tips from myself and - you guessed it - AI.
I probably shouldn’t say this out loud (or on the internet, where nothing dies) but I’m not the hugest fan of AI. I resisted it for a long time. And I do not use it for a majority of my work.
Yes, I share many of the common concerns: It kills our privacy. It’s using your data. It might steal all our jobs. It might kill us one day with the robot uprising.
And yet - I can’t deny it has saved me time. (btw: You will never see me giving AI a name or a human pronoun. It’s a machine. Remember that.)
No doubt, as I write this, plenty of folks have already used AI to write an entire speech and create the PowerPoint deck. I do not recommend this. But: I recommend using it to save some time and enhance your presentation or speech.
For me, the key is to keep the human element in your presentations - including the writing and preparing of your presentation.
Below are just a few of my “do’s and don’ts” of using AI. Watch the video above to see where I got some of my ideas. 😅😅😅 (ps - and which ones you should steal!)
Do’s and Don’ts of Using AI to Write or Prepare a Speech or Presentation
Do:
Draft your speech on your own.
Throw it into an AI tool to check for clarity: Are the thoughts organized clearly? Do the ideas flow? Pro tip: Prompt the machine with your purpose and ask the machine if it is clear. (I also recommend running this past a friend or colleague.) Eg: “The purpose of this presentation is to inform the marketing department of findings indicating our expiration labels need to be closer to our nutrition labels. Does this make the case clearly? What else should be included? Limit it to 3 things.”
*** note that limit. Very important to be precise when giving the machine a request.
Before asking for help from an AI tool, tell it very specifically who the audience is. Demographics, department, ages, etc. That will provide you a more accurate answer.
Don’t:
Neglect to run through (verbally!) the speech on your own
Use what AI gives you as the entire script or presentation. You want elements that enhance what you do; not an entire script.
Leave out your experience and expertise; your stories and data will make the speech effective.
About The Author
Hello, hello, hello and happy speaking! I'm Marianna Swallow, founder of Speak Easy Strategies. We are a team of speakers and coaches who help you plan, prepare, and practice your speech.
If you need help preparing a speech or presentation with a human being; book an hour here. Or, to learn more, Get in touch.