How to Use AI to Write Emails
Email is where many people lose hours every week. AI can draft, shorten and polish emails in seconds, as long as you stay the one who decides what gets sent.
To use AI to write emails, tell it who the email is for, what you want the reader to do, the tone you want and the key points to include, then ask for a short draft. Edit it so it sounds like you, check every fact, name and date and never paste sensitive information into unapproved tools. AI is best for first drafts, shortening long emails and rewording tough messages.
Time is the biggest pressure most people feel at work. Microsoft found 80% of the global workforce say they lack enough time or energy to do their work. Email is one of the easiest places to win some of that time back.
The five-part prompt works especially well for emails.
Five things to tell AI
- Who it is for. Client, boss, team, vendor.
- What you want them to do. The one ask.
- The tone. Warm, direct, formal, brief.
- The key points. Bullets are fine.
- The length. Short is usually better.
Use it for first drafts and hard messages
AI shines when you are staring at a blank screen, or when a message is delicate: declining a request, delivering bad news or following up for the third time. Ask it for two versions in different tones and pick one.
Shorten long emails
Paste a long draft and ask AI to cut it in half while keeping the ask clear. Shorter emails get answered faster. See How to Write an Email People Answer.
Make it sound like you
Edit the draft so it uses your words and your voice. Check every fact, name and date. And never paste confidential information into tools your organization has not approved.
Saving time with AI is the focus of Take Back Your Time with AI. See also How Managers Can Use AI to Save Time.
Tell AI who the email is for, what you want them to do, the tone, the key points and the length. Use it for first drafts, hard messages and shortening, then edit it to sound like you and check every detail.
Frequently asked questions
How do I use AI to write emails?
Is it okay to use AI for work emails?
What emails is AI best at writing?
How do I make AI emails sound natural?
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