Building affinity, not just accuracy, in AI.
Chris West
Creator of Strategic Corporate Narratives for High-Agency Individuals | Brand & Organizational Design | "Weird to Wired": Bridging Tech and Human Connection | #1 Best-Selling Author - Org Alignment via One Voice
Why your AI must be trained to use the right Tone of Voice to build trust ????
Research from a range of multinational corporations (links below) highlights a straightforward but often overlooked truth: proficiency in language drives perceived trustworthiness.
While AI has made great strides in improving technical accuracy, its ability to build trust through tone of voice remains underemphasized. Here’s why this is a critical area that needs urgent focus - especially when you're training your AI for Customer Experience across multiple languages.
1. Language Proficiency Directly Impacts Trustworthiness ??
Human employees who demonstrate mastery of the company’s shared language tend to be seen as more reliable, cooperative, and competent. This, in turn, accelerates team dynamics and business outcomes. (See refs below.)
AI, similarly, must be able to demonstrate a proficiency in tone and language that reflects a high level of adherence.
In customer service, for example, an AI system that uses the appropriate emotional tone, nuance, and cultural context isn’t just solving a technical problem—it’s enhancing trust by demonstrating that it "understands" the customer’s needs in a way that's typical of the host organisation. A system that fails to meet this standard, on the other hand, risks losing credibility and alienating users.
2. Building Trust through a Shared Language ??
Trust is not merely about speaking the same language—it’s about creating a shared understanding. This concept extends well beyond formal language; it includes the subtleties of personal conversations, storytelling, humor, and rituals that shape corporate culture and team cohesion.
These findings nicely coincide with our own linguistics-informed framework above.
When it comes to AI, the importance of shared language cannot be overstated. AI must be trained to adapt its tone based on the customer’s emotional state, context, and cultural background. Whether it's a friendly, empathetic tone for customer support or a more authoritative voice for business communications, AI’s tone should match the company’s values and personality. Only then can it create an experience that feels cohesive, human, and aligned with the brand’s promise.
3. Multilingualism: A Competitive Advantage for Trust Building ??
In today’s globalized environment, multilingualism has been proven to enhance trust and cooperation within teams. (See refs below.)
Companies that encourage language learning among their employees see increased collaboration and a deeper sense of loyalty. The same principle applies to AI systems interacting with global customers.
AI that adjusts its tone and language to reflect cultural nuances does more than solve problems—it builds rapport. For instance, an AI that understands not just the language but also the emotional and cultural context of a customer’s inquiry will create an experience that feels more personal and authentic. For businesses in regions as complex and growth-focused as the UAE, where customers hail from a wide range of cultural backgrounds, this ability to switch between tones, dialects, and languages is an enormous asset in establishing long-term trust.
4. Consistency Is Non-Negotiable: Trust Hinges on Predictability ??
A consistent tone is essential in any relationship, and this holds especially true when it comes to AI. Research on trust-building in organizations has shown that inconsistency—whether in language, messaging, or tone—erodes trust. Customers expect a consistent experience regardless of the channel or touchpoint, and inconsistency in tone creates confusion and doubt.
AI must be trained to deliver a uniform brand voice across all channels. This consistency reassures customers that they are interacting with a reliable, professional entity. In the context of customer service, an AI that communicates with an inconsistent tone risks appearing unreliable or disjointed. By delivering a consistent, culturally aware tone, AI helps reinforce the predictability that customers need to trust the brand.
Conclusion: Tone of Voice as the Cornerstone of Trust ??
In the modern business landscape, technical accuracy alone is no longer sufficient. For AI to truly build trust—whether in customer service, internal communications, or marketing—its tone of voice is just as important as its functional capabilities.
To succeed, AI must not only understand language but also communicate it in a way that reflects the company’s values, culture, and commitment to trustworthiness. By training AI to adapt its tone to context and culture, companies can ensure that their AI systems serve as more than just problem-solvers—they become trust-builders.
?? Key Takeaways:
?? It’s no longer enough for AI to get the facts right—it must get the tone right. Trust is built through communication that resonates with people, and tone plays a pivotal role in that process.
Now more than ever, what we knew when we built brands back in the day, the language you use shapes the customer's mental experience of you and your company.
Over the last 20 years, I've built on my Cambridge University post-grad work in computer science, combined with my award-winning career in advertising, to create coherent and convincing tone of voice guidelines.
If you'd like to find out more, contact me here or check out my #1 best-selling book STRONG LANGUAGE.
I was a successful, award-winning writer in advertising, and took that into writing for national newspapers and writing the screenplay for a movie which won Best Film at the Barcelona Film Festival. I was trained in linguistics subsequently before forming Verbal Identity. I work with high-agency individuals leading fast-growth companies to help them use the defining skill of humans: language. For a chat about narrative and what it can do, almost magically, DM me.
Refs for this article:
Enterprise Digital Solutions | AI Implementation Strategy | 5G Connectivity | Industry 4.0 | ex: Ericsson, HP, Broadcom
5 天前?? You're spot on Chris! ?? AI might be brilliant, but it must maintain the right / consistent brand's voice and tone. From a technical implementation point of view, AI enterprise bots or avatars must be educated, adapted, and ultimately "trained" ??. They should behave exactly as marketing and communications teams want ALL employees to behave towards customers. That's the sweet spot where AI truly enhances customer relations rather than hindering them. ?? Great insights! #AI #BrandVoice #EnterpriseAI #AIImplementation #AIStrategy #CorporateAI
I help brands find a voice that connects—and sticks. | Principal, Utter | Verbal Identity & Naming Strategist | Creative Director (ex-Giant Spoon, Huge, R/GA) | Open to conversations
5 天前Great points. Completely agree that AI’s tone is just as important as its technical accuracy. It’s essential for AI to reflect the brand’s true voice—otherwise, they'll all sound the same. I’ve been thinking a lot about how brands can protect their unique voice before AI flattens it into something generic. A few steps I’ve found helpful include feeding AI signature phrases, optimizing metadata with brand-specific language, and ensuring consistency across all touchpoints. Would love to hear your thoughts on how you see AI evolving in multilingual contexts—such a key area for building trust.