Hey {{first_name | there}},

We all have heard, and even worried, about AI replacing jobs. 

But what happens when AI starts replacing something much more human, like emotions or critical thinking? 

It's already happening around you, maybe even with you. 

People aren't just using AI to write emails or summarize notes anymore. 

They're using it to think through feelings. To respond to people. To say things they don't know how to say themselves. 

And on the surface, it makes sense. AI is patient. Always available. Doesn't judge. It gives you the perfect response. Better than what most of us could come up with in the moment. 

But the moment you rely on something external to process what you feel, you slowly stop building that ability yourself. 

And there's already evidence of this. Let’s get into it.

Researchers surveyed over 1,500 workers who use AI regularly. And what they found wasn't about productivity. 

It was about relationships.

Three out of four workers are already using AI for the kind of support that humans used to provide. Career advice. Emotional validation. Even friendship. 

Half the people in the study said AI feels like a "work friend." One IT department head said it makes him feel like he's talking and working with someone instead of being alone.

They also flagged something that should concern anyone building a team. AI is quietly removing the reasons people used to talk to each other. 

You don't need to walk over to someone's desk when ChatGPT can answer faster. You don't need to ask a colleague for help when the AI already gave you three options. 

And every time that happens, you lose a small moment of trust that would have been built between two humans.

According to a Deloitte survey, 56% of Gen Z workers use AI to figure out how to communicate with a boss or colleague. 

They're using AI to roleplay salary negotiations, practice delivering tough feedback, and simulate conflict resolution. Before any real conversation happens.

Some of them never have the real conversation at all. They just let the AI write it.

And I get it. I genuinely do.

If you grew up communicating through screens. Discord, Instagram DMs, async Slack messages. The first time you have to look someone in the eye and say "I deserve more money" or "this relationship isn't working" can feel terrifying. AI feels like a safety net. A practice room. A buffer.

But here's the question I've been sitting with:

What happens when the buffer becomes the wall?

Now here's where it gets interesting from a business perspective.

We have two sides of the same coin:

Side A: AI tools that help people practice real conversations (like roleplay-based coaching apps, interview simulators, communication trainers). These feel genuinely useful.

Side B: AI companions and ghostwriting tools that replace human expression entirely. These feel profitable but potentially corrosive.

The market is leaning hard toward Side B right now. Character.ai has over 20 million daily active users. Multiple AI girlfriend/companion apps have crossed $50M+ in annual revenue. I personally own two domains in this space (dirtychat.ai and grlfrnd.ai. Yes, still sitting on them).

But the question for anyone building here isn't "can I make money?" Clearly, you can. 

The question is: are you building something that makes people more capable, or something that makes people more dependent?

Because there's a term in psychology called "scaffolding." Temporary support structures that help someone build capability until they don't need the scaffold anymore. The best AI tools are scaffolds.

The worst ones become crutches. And users don't always know the difference until it's too late.

I use AI every day. I talk to my own agent to brainstorm newsletter ideas. I run my thinking through models to stress-test arguments. And I still believe AI is one of the most powerful tools available to us.

But when I need to have a hard conversation. With a team member, a partner, a collaborator. I have it myself. Because the skill of sitting in discomfort and communicating clearly is not something I want to outsource. It's the skill that makes every other part of building actually work.

AI should make you sharper. Not softer.

If you're building in this space. Whether it's a communication tool, a coaching product, or anything that touches how people talk to each other. Ask yourself honestly: am I building a scaffold or a crutch?

The answer will determine whether your product creates loyal users or dependent ones. And only one of those builds a long-term business.

Reply and tell me. Have you used AI to prepare for a difficult conversation? Did it help or hurt?

- Aashish

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