Enhancing email productivity is just one of the many things AI can do, whether you’re stuck on what to say or not sure what order to put the information in. But email writing technology can’t help you if you don’t know how to use it, so this guide explains the ins and outs of writing emails with AI.
What is AI email?
An AI email is any email written completely or partially by AI. Writing emails with AI can save time and energy, enhancing email productivity and freeing you up for more important tasks. That’s the power of generative AI: to automate more menial tasks and allow more time for advanced tasks AI can’t handle yet.
Most people don’t need help writing emails to their friends and family, but formal emails are a bit more difficult. If you’re stuck on what to say, AI-assisted email writing can help with parts like:
- How to start an email
- How to end an email
- Delivering bad news
- Summarizing a report
- Canceling or rescheduling
- Introducing yourself in a cold email (an email to someone you’ve never met before)
Although it’s tempting to send an AI email copied directly, you still need to review and reword it. Copying AI text is plagiarism, so it’s best to change the phrasing a little and make the writing your own.
Email composition using AI writing prompts
The first step in all AI writing tasks is the prompt. AI writing prompts are the commands a user types into the AI message window that tells it what to do. Prompts need to have every detail you want included, such as the topic, length, audience, and even tone.
AI writing prompts for emails don’t need to be fancy. Most AI is designed to understand plain, casual language, so you can speak to it as you would a colleague.
Write an email to Dr. Martens to confirm our appointment on Wednesday, March 13.
However, if you have a more complicated email, be sure to mention all the necessary information, or the AI tools for email won’t include it.
Write an email to Dr. Martens to confirm our appointment at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, March 13. Inform him that the cough has gone away, but that the stomachaches still persist. Also, tell him that I have a meeting at 4 p.m., so I must be finished before then. Use a formal and polite tone, but emphasize the urgency.
Moreover, some AI will not include email subject lines unless requested. You can just add a quick line to do this at the end of your prompt.
. . . Include a subject line.
It’s also best to add all the details in the same message because some AI treats each new message as a separate session.
Email writing technology: AI and business communication
AI is great for work emails like email job applications, sales letters, or follow-up emails by providing a template or rough draft for what you need to say. Instead of worrying about including everything and sounding professional at the same time, it’s easier to just revise a premade draft with all the details and rework it to sound like your voice.
If you’re having trouble writing an email for work, ask AI to develop a draft and see if that inspires you. Just remember that email writing technology is still new and prone to mistakes, so you should always double-check AI emails before sending them.
To see what makes a good work email, look at our professional email examples.
AI-assisted email writing for personal use
Although non-work emails benefit from a personal touch, you can still use AI to help avoid common email mistakes and guide you on what to say. The same rules apply whether it’s a professional or personal email: Include what you want mentioned in the prompt and revise the AI email to sound more like you.
When writing the prompt, keep in mind email etiquette rules. Among other things, this means paying close attention to proper spelling and grammar, but there are other aspects to consider with AI. Specifically, be sure to include everything you want in the prompt, such as the email’s subject line, the name of the recipient, specific sign-offs, or a line mentioning an attachment.
Also, be clear on striking the right tone. For example, if you’re writing to a child, you can generate an AI email that’s written in child-friendly language.
If you’re still stuck, check out our email writing tips for more advice.
AI email FAQs
How do you use AI-assisted email writing?
You can create an AI email by writing a detailed prompt in the AI message window. We recommend using AI emails as an outline or rough draft. AI still makes errors, so it’s always a good idea to review and revise the draft before sending it.
What are the best AI writing prompts for emails?
AI writing email prompts can be as simple as Write an email about …. However, you’ll get better results if you include details like the topic, length, audience, and tone. Try to include all the information in a single message, as some AI treat new messages as a different session.
What are some tips for writing emails with AI?
Pay close attention to your AI writing prompt because the AI will only include what you tell it to. Specifying tone and audience is smart so you can tailor your language for the appropriate setting. As always, review the draft for errors before sending it—not just spelling and grammar but also factual mistakes made by a confused AI.
