Why a “human touch” still matters in AI-written emails

AI-written emails and consumer trust

Consumers are paying close attention to the tone and feel of the emails landing in their inbox, and how those messages are written plays a role in shaping trust.

Many consumers surveyed (72%) said they suspected they had received at least one brand email that was written by AI. On average, respondents estimated they received about six AI-generated emails per week. Nearly a third of consumers (30%) were not confident they could tell the difference between an AI-written email and one written by a human.

Confidence varied by age. Gen Z stood out as the most confident generation, with 30% saying they were very or extremely confident in spotting AI-generated emails. At the same time, more than a third of consumers (37%) said they trusted brands more when emails felt human, even if they came across as less polished.

Email unsubscribing behaviors

Subscriber decisions often come down to how emails sound and whether they feel worth reading.

Nearly one in five consumers (18%) said they had unsubscribed from a marketing email because they suspected it was written by AI. In addition, 46% said they would be more likely to unsubscribe if they knew an email was clearly written by AI. These responses highlight how closely consumers associate email tone with trust and intention.

Tone also influenced engagement across generations. Gen Z respondents (72%) were the most likely to say tone affected whether they stayed subscribed to a brand’s emails. That sensitivity gradually decreased with age, with 68% of millennials, 66% of Gen X, and 56% of baby boomers expressing the same view.

When asked what makes emails less appealing, consumers most often pointed to messages that felt too salesy or pushy (78%). Wordy emails followed at 46%, with generic messaging close behind at 37%.

What consumers really want in their inbox

For many consumers, deciding whether to read or ignore an email comes down to whether it feels useful and relevant to them.

Across all age groups, 37% of consumers said they didn’t mind if a marketing email sounded AI-generated, as long as the content was useful and relevant. To these consumers, value often matters more than how the message was created.

The acceptance of AI-sounding emails was not the same across generations. Only 20% of Gen Z said they didn’t care about tone, meaning that this age group is more sensitive to how brand messages sound. For marketers trying to reach younger audiences, getting the tone right could be just as important as sharing the right offer.

Authenticity in the age of automation

AI has become a common part of how marketing emails are created, but this study showed that consumers still care deeply about how those messages feel when they land in their inbox. While some readers were comfortable with AI-generated content, many responded more positively to emails that sounded natural, thoughtful, and personal.

For marketers, the takeaway is not to avoid AI, but to use it with intention. When AI supports human ideas rather than replacing them, emails can stay efficient without losing warmth or trust. As inboxes continue to fill up, the brands that stand out will be the ones that remember there is a real person reading on the other side.