Artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed email marketing faster, smarter, and in a more versatile way than any other tool before it. From generating ideas and subject lines to personalizing content, creating images, and refining strategies, AI is a truly valuable assistant. But this kind of help doesn’t mean your emails should feel robotic.
The best results happen when AI’s efficiency is combined with human creativity, empathy, and a clear business goal. This article gives a quick overview of how to balance AI capabilities with a human approach in your email marketing.
Things to Consider Before Using AI
Before you adopt AI into your daily marketing workflows, pause to reflect on a few key points. AI can provide fast and good solutions, but the best results come when it is properly “tuned” to your company and goals.
Quick reminders:
- AI doesn’t think strategically for you – it follows the input you provide.
- The quality of output depends on the clarity of your instructions.
- AI doesn’t automatically know your tone, values, or audience – but you can teach it to do so.
- Training AI on your brand messaging takes time but results in more consistent, on-brand output.
- Don’t plainly copy-paste AI-generated content. Always review it with a fresh glance – or ask a colleague to check it and give their opinion.
How to “train” AI to match your brand:
- Share your brand guide and company fundamentals: Give the AI specific directions on tone, style, values, and target audience. For example, describe whether your brand is inherently friendly and playful or if you prefer a professional and informative approach. Include examples of good writing styles and wording in your prompt.
- Use past successful campaigns and email examples: Show what subject lines, headlines, or wording have worked well. Instead of using unnecessary negative instructions, focus on positive guidance, as AI can sometimes misinterpret prohibitions and commands. For example, instead of writing “don’t be generic”, add “use concrete, audience-specific examples” to your prompt. This trains the AI to recognize the style that suits your audience.
- Provide constant feedback: Evaluating results is one of the most important parts of training AI. See which variations the AI creates work and which don’t. Explain why a wording, style, or strategy suggestion doesn’t work, and ask AI to try again with precise instructions.
- Be patient and consistent: AI won’t learn everything at once, but repetition and consistency pay off, as they help build high-quality results faster over time.
A Good Prompt is Half the Success
Strong prompts = better results. The clearer your request, the better AI can help.
The prompt could contain:
- Objective: For example, increasing open rates, generating curiosity, sounding friendlier, increasing sign-ups, etc.
- Target audience description: Who is the message aimed at, what do you expect from them, and what are their expectations?
- Desired tone and message length: Should the message be playful, informative, short, or in-depth?
- Limitations or examples: Words and topics to avoid (this works when being specific), or past examples that worked well. Also, mention what should definitely be mentioned in the message.
- Priorities and focus: How important is a specific goal (e.g., open rate vs. engagement) or the main content of the message, and whether the message has any additional goals?
- Multiple-choice prompting: Ask the AI to offer 2–3 different versions so you can choose and use A/B testing to identify the best option.
Once the foundation is in place, you can consciously integrate AI into your workflow in a way that saves time without compromising the quality of the work. It also makes sense to ask for alternative options because you may often want to combine different elements to get the perfect result.
How to Use AI for Email Marketing
1. Creating Subject Lines
The subject line provides the first opportunity to grab attention, often being the deciding factor in whether an email is opened. This is where artificial intelligence can be of great help, offering new ideas or improving the effectiveness of existing wording.
AI helps by:
- offering several subject line variations in different tones (curious, informative, playful, referring to the benefit factor, etc.);
- assisting with analysis of subject lines from previous campaigns and highlighting aspects that could improve the open rate;
- helping shorten and clarify overly complex or cumbersome subject lines.
The human touch:
Of course, AI doesn’t know your brand context as deeply as you do. Therefore, you should:
- choose a variant that fits the brand voice and values;
- check that the subject line is not “clickbait”, i.e. too misleading.
2. Writing and Adapting Email Content
As much as we would like to, we can’t do all the work in one click. However, AI can create a complete first draft of an email in just a few seconds. However, you have to take into account that what the AI generates must definitely be read over and corrected or supplemented if necessary.
AI helps by:
- writing the first version(s) of the email;
- adapting the text to suit different target groups (e.g., different versions of a campaign email can be made for new customers and regular customers);
- helping make existing text clearer, shorter or more persuasive;
- offering ideas for newsletter content.
The human touch:
- ask yourself: would a real person speak the way your email is written, or does the text sound more like an automated message?;
- review the text with a critical eye – AI writing may be correct, but remain emotionally “breathless”;
- You can add personal experiences and real stories, behind-the-scenes content into the company’s operations, and examples that are up-to-date to the email – AI cannot generate these things.
3. Generating Ideas and Strategies
Artificial intelligence is not just a writing tool, but also a great thinking partner. When inspiration is lacking or ideas need structuring, AI can quickly generate new perspectives and strategic directions.
AI helps by:
- providing ideas for email marketing campaigns (e.g., seasonal themes, events, special offers);
- helping to create logical and effective email series (follow-ups and reminders, onboarding, reactivation campaigns, etc.);
- advising on the best sending time for the respective campaign;
- assisting in brainstorming and supporting the structuring of a long-term email marketing strategy.
The human touch:
- Align campaigns with real goals and customer feedback
- Reflect your company’s voice and values
- Make the final decisions
AI can help you by offering opportunities, but the responsibility for making final decisions still lies with the company’s team.
4. Creating visuals with AI
When talking about marketing emails, it is natural to mention images. AI-based image generators allow you to quickly create visuals that are suitable for supporting campaigns. However, it is not wise to use every image – especially with product photos, as they can immediately nullify credibility.
It is also important to consciously review each created image and think about whether it fits the content, purpose, and brand context of the message, and also keep in mind the considerations of ethical email marketing.
⚠️ The widespread use of AI-generated visuals in marketing, social media, and journalism has caused mixed reactions and even irritation, as reflected in various commentaries and forums online. People are increasingly aware of artificial images, and when they notice them, the authenticity and credibility of a brand may be questioned. Therefore, clearly artificial visuals used in your emails can quickly damage your brand’s reputation and trust.
AI helps by:
- creating illustrations that support campaigns;
- providing ideas for visual style and design;
- helping to test different design solutions.
The human touch:
- Use AI images as a supporting element rather than the sole visual identity;
- Make sure the images you create fit your brand’s style and message;
- Be sure to use real photos of people, your team, or your customers, as these create more trust and authenticity;
- Always check that the AI-generated image is ethical and fits the overall message and purpose of the email.
🎓 P.S. To learn more about different image styles and get design ideas for your email marketing, check out our article on the importance of images in email marketing.
5. Why the Human Touch Still Matters
People can tell whether a person is interacting with them or “the system is talking”.
Human-centered email marketing means:
- an empathetic and understanding tone;
- honesty and transparency;
- real value propositions, not just sales messages.
AI does not replace the relationship with the customer, but it helps to better maintain and scale this relationship.
AI in Email Marketing: Boosting Results, Not Replacing People
AI in email marketing is not a threat, but a valuable tool. It saves time, provides fresh ideas, and helps you make more informed decisions. However, it is the human who gives meaning, emotion, and credibility to the message. AI will never understand your customers better than you do, and that is a fact.
The best email marketing happens when:
- AI gives a bit of inspiration, provides the basis for analysis, and does the technical work.
- You analyze deeper, add voice, values, and heart.
- You remember that your first and final goal is to talk to the customer, not the algorithm.
This balance is not only effective, it is also sustainable. And always remember that your customers are real people, not characters created for artificial intelligence. Enjoy spreading your message – after all, you have the most powerful platform to do it!