Originally published at nathanbrumand.com

You ask a tool to draft a reply to a customer. Or a short FAQ. Or a note about your hours.

The draft comes back fast. It sounds confident. Then you catch it: a closing time you don't use. A fee you don't charge. A promise you would never make.

The tool isn't trying to trick you. It doesn't know your business. When it doesn't know, it fills the gap. That's the risk.

I run a business. I like using AI for drafts. I don't like sending a polished answer that isn't true.

So before I ask a tool to speak in my voice, I want the facts written down.

The facts usually live in your head

In a lot of small businesses, the real answers aren't on a page. They're in one person's memory.

What time you actually close on Friday. Whether you take a deposit. What you do, and what you politely turn down. How long you usually take to reply. What happens if someone needs to cancel.

You know this stuff because you live it. A new person on the team may not.…