Should CEOs let AI write their emails? Hachette chief David Shelley explains what leaders risk losing

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes a routine tool for drafting emails, summarising reports and handling workplace communication, Hachette Book Group and Hachette UK chief executive David Shelley believes business leaders risk losing an essential leadership skill by relying too heavily on the technology. Shelley argues that writing emails personally helps executives develop independent judgment, empathy and clarity of thought, warning that excessive dependence on AI could weaken communication at the top level of organisations.

According to Fortune, Shelley believes that widespread use of AI for corporate communication could lower leadership standards and contribute to what he describes as a potential "communication crisis". He predicts a growing gap between how executives present themselves in written messages and how they communicate in person.

"I predict a growing dissonance between how someone appears in their written statements and how they are in real life," Shelley told Fortune.


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Why Hachette CEO David Shelley writes his own emails

Shelley considers the ability to write a good email independently an important part of being a chief executive. While AI tools can help professionals save time, he believes that personally composing messages allows leaders to express their own thinking and communicate with greater authenticity.

"Being able to write a good email yourself as a CEO is incredibly important," Shelley told Fortune, highlighting the value of retaining a personal voice in professional communication.

His position contrasts with the growing use of AI among senior executives. Microsoft executive vice president Ryan Roslansky has previously said he uses AI to help write almost every "high-stakes" email he sends, reflecting how the technology is becoming part of leadership workflows.

However, Shelley believes that leaders should be cautious about handing over too much of their communication to AI systems.

How excessive AI use could weaken leadership skills

Shelley argues that repeatedly relying on AI to write and think on behalf of executives could weaken essential mental abilities. These include independent judgment, empathy and natural curiosity, which are important when leaders must assess complex situations and make decisions under pressure.

"Being a leader, you often have to think on your feet," he said, warning that dependence on AI for communication "dulls the brain".

Writing an email is not simply an administrative task. It requires leaders to identify the central issue, organise their thoughts, evaluate details and decide how best to communicate a message to its recipient. Shelley believes that outsourcing this process to AI can deprive executives of opportunities to practise these skills.

For CEOs, this matters because leadership communication often involves sensitive decisions, difficult conversations and messages that require an understanding of employees' concerns and perspectives. A message that is grammatically polished may still fail to reflect the writer's actual thinking or convey the appropriate degree of empathy.

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AI-written emails and the risk of a communication crisis

Shelley's concerns come as AI adoption grows across corporate workplaces. According to a survey by General Assembly and coaching firm Ezra, around 68% of leaders in the United States and the United Kingdom use AI to summarise documents, while 58% use it to draft emails.

The figures illustrate how frequently executives are turning to AI to manage everyday communication and information. While these tools can assist with routine tasks, Shelley's argument centres on what leaders might lose if they stop engaging directly with the writing process.

He believes excessive reliance on AI-generated communication could create a disconnect between executives' written statements and their behaviour in real-life interactions. Such a gap could affect the credibility and authenticity expected of senior leaders.

For business leaders, the concern is not necessarily whether AI can produce a well-written email. It is whether the person sending that email has personally considered its message, understood its implications and taken responsibility for the words being communicated.

Shelley's view highlights a broader question for organisations adopting AI: how can executives benefit from the technology without surrendering the critical thinking, personal judgment and human connection that effective leadership requires?