7 Dos and Don'ts of AI Messaging to Avoid Cringe Tone

In 2024, 70% of consumers with experience using generative AI said machine-crafted content made it harder to trust what they saw online. As of 2025, many users are still uncomfortable with AI-generated news or marketing communications unless brands are transparent and honest.

No doubt, services featuring artificial intelligence (AI) can solve human-level puzzles. In marketing communications, they can produce content more quickly and efficiently. However, they don’t always do a better job than humans. When the tone strays from the brand’s voice, the messages sound robotic, eroding trust and boosting churn.

Meanwhile, brands that strike the right tone see increased conversions. For example, AI-powered personalization increases email open rates by 41%. Tailored interactions remain a powerful solution to bridge the gap between brands and consumers. Time and again, businesses that excel at automated, 1:1 messaging achieve accelerated revenue growth.

Message fatigue is another potential pitfall. The 2024 statistics show that 4 in 10 US users unsubscribe from brand messages at least weekly, most often due to excessive or irrelevant messages. This is clear proof that tone without restraint still backfires.

At Reteno, we’ve helped hundreds of teams adopt AI for hyper-relevant messaging without sacrificing authenticity. The key is striking a balance between automation and your value proposition. In this article, we’ll break down seven practical dos and don’ts to help you maintain a human, empathetic, and engaging tone in your messaging.

#1: Do Anchor AI In a Crystal-Clear Brand Voice Guide

Don’t Let AI Guess Your Vibe

Brands that maintain a consistent image and message grow faster and achieve 20–33% higher revenue. Your voice isn’t just a regular suggestion, but an integral part of your value proposition.

Here’s how you start:

• Create a tone grid (e.g., “confident, practical, evidence-led; never hypey or cutesy”).
• Provide approved phrases and banned words (e.g., avoid “problem” or “unbelievable”).
• Add style anchors, such as links to 3–5 on-brand articles the AI model should emulate. Your top blog posts are a good choice.

Pro tip: Save the voice rules as a reusable system prompt inside Reteno’s AI push/email generator, so every campaign starts with the same brand DNA.

#2: Do Craft Prompts Packed with Context & Examples

Don't Fire Off Vague Commands

AI thrives on details. Vague prompts like “Write an email” lead to repetitive junk that screams “Robot wrote this!” Instead, take the time to add the following specifications: audience segment, communication channel, messaging goal, and 2-3 human-written samples.

This approach cuts editing time by 30% while keeping output fresh, neat, and relevant.

Pro tip: Use prompts like this: “Draft a push notification for cart abandoners in our millennial segment. Tone: empathetic and urgent. Example: “Hey [Name], that cozy sweater’s waiting. Grab it before it’s gone!” Keep it under 100 characters.”

#3: Do Disclose AI When It Matters

Don’t Pretend It’s Human

Audiences increasingly expect transparency regarding AI usage from brands, and marketers emphasize the importance of governance to maintain trust. Even brief disclosure text builds credibility.

Here’s how you do it:

• Add a soft disclosure in long-form: “Drafted with assistance from Reteno AI. Reviewed by [Team].”
• When dealing with sensitive flows (e.g., billing, health), default to disclosure and human review.

#4: Do Personalize the Message

Don’t Personalize the User

Real-time relevance drives conversions and loyalty, while generic blasts trigger churn and unsubscribes. However, an overly familiar tone (e.g., “Hey, saw you at the gym at 6 AM…”) can cause a user to end their journey early on because it feels intrusive and creepy. 

Here’s how you cope with it:

• Personalize the context based on the user’s behavior, stage of the journey, or plan type.
• Reference recent in-app actions (e.g., “You completed 2 workouts this week. Here’s how to keep the streak going”).
• Cap frequency per user based on fatigue signals.

Pro tip: In Reteno, segment audiences by engagement depth. Personalize messages for high-value users who have bought twice, referencing their last order in a warm, appreciative tone.

#5: Do Write for the Channel

Don’t Copy-Paste the Same Tone Everywhere

Different channels have different tolerances for length and formality. Using overly salesy language in push or in-app messages will definitely lead to more opt-outs. 

Use the following channel guidelines to ensure your tone is accurate and consistent.

• Email: The first 40–60 characters should lead with value. The preheader will do most of the work.
• Push: 1 idea, 1 benefit, 1 verb. Avoid exclamation spam. Use a platform-friendly length.
• In-app: Should be conversational, contextual, and immediately actionable.

Benchmark hint: Mobile push opt-in and reaction rates vary widely by platform and industry. The 2024 data shows that Health & Fitness apps often see approximately 33–43% opt-in ranges by OS. Maintaining tone discipline helps you keep the permission you’ve earned.

#6: Do Iterate Consistently with A/B Testing

Don’t Launch and Ignore

AI isn’t something you can just set up and forget about. Without experimentation and iteration, you risk producing stale content that will bore your audience. In fact, 36% of users have flagged AI for “missing important context.” Run A/B tests on tone tweaks and refine based on opens, clicks, and feedback.

Pro tip: Use Reteno’s A/B testing tools. Test “excited” vs. “calm” tones on 10% of your contact list. Scale the most effective messages automatically.

#7: Do Add Human Oversight for Final Polish

Don’t Go Full Auto Without a Safety Net

Even the best AI-powered solutions need a human touch to catch off-notes, such as over-formality that repels casual audiences. Spot-check 20% of the outputs and blend AI drafts with team edits.

Pure automation creates the “creepy” factor users flee from on socials.

Pro tip: Adjust your Reteno campaigns as follows: AI generates drafts for high-stakes messages, which human team members then approve. Train your team on quick fixes for tone slips.

Final Thoughts

Well-structured AI messaging is the backbone of how fast-moving brands communicate with their current and potential customers at scale. However, speed without the right tone can result in robotic messages, trust erosion, subscriber churn, and decreased revenue. Real success comes from combining AI efficiency with your brand’s authentic voice, ensuring every notification feels both natural and human.

Ready to level up your messaging strategy? Explore Reteno’s subscription plans to access AI-powered tools that align with your marketing goals. Or, book a personalized demo today to see how we can help you craft messages that convert while maintaining your audience’s trust.