AI can write a very polished follow-up email in about six seconds.

It can summarise your meeting notes, remind you that someone mentioned expanding their team or looking for a new supplier, help you prepare for your next conversation and even suggest what you might say when you get there.

I think that's fantastic.

Full disclosure: I use AI, and I suspect I'll use considerably more of it as the technology gets better. If a tool can help me remember something important, organise information, prepare more effectively or give me back time, I'm interested.

But I've been thinking a lot about what we do with the time it gives us.

Because in a world filled with artificial intelligence, we need human connection more than ever.

The opportunity isn't to choose between technology and relationships. It's to use technology to become better at relationships.

AI can remind you that somebody has an important event coming up. You still have to care enough to ask them about it.

It can draft a thank-you message. You still need to know what you're genuinely thankful for.

Your CRM can tell you that you haven't spoken to someone in six months. It can't decide whether you're reaching out because you're interested in them or because their name appeared in a follow-up queue.

And yes, AI can help you write something personal. But there's a difference between personalisation and actually knowing somebody.

That's the bit I don't want us to lose.

Used well, technology can help us become more reliable. We don't have to rely on memory alone. We can keep better notes, follow through on promises, prepare for meetings and remember details that matter.

All of that can make us better networkers.

But efficiency isn't the same thing as connection.

If AI saves me 20 minutes writing emails, I have a choice about what I do with those 20 minutes. I can use them to generate another 50 emails... or I can pick up the phone and have a conversation.

That's where I think this gets interesting.

The businesses and businesspeople who stand out in an AI-enabled world may not be the ones who automate the most. I suspect they'll be the ones who use technology to create more capacity for the things that still matter between people: curiosity, generosity, trust, attention and showing up when you said you would.

So I don't think the question is whether AI belongs in networking. Of course it does.

The better question is whether the technology is helping us know people better, support them more consistently and create stronger relationships... or simply helping us contact more people.

Use AI to organise the notes. Let it remind you to follow up. Ask it to help you prepare.

Then use the time it gives you to do something wonderfully human.

Have the conversation.

Happy Connecting!

WLC