Should I Use AI to Write My Wedding Speech? The Problem with AI

Artificial intelligence is everywhere. From Amazon product suggestions to Google auto-complete, AI has invaded nearly every aspect of our lives.  The problem is that AI just isn’t very good when it comes to anything involving human emotion.  Have you ever had a meaningful conversation with Siri or Alexa?  

That’s not to say AI doesn’t have advantages especially in research and data analysis and increased efficiency to perform repetitive tasks with improved accuracy. 

AI is like a smart assistant and learns from data.  It uses algorithms, which are step by step instructions, to find patterns and information.  As it analyzes more data, it gets better at making decisions and predictions about data.  

But what’s difficult to convey in writing is not data but human emotional connection and meaning. Meaning is what humans still have to share that the bots can’t do. AI can’t communicate in a way that connects and inspires like humans can. 

AI Excels at Mediocrity

AI falls short of human-written content in terms of emotional resonance, creativity and authenticity.  These are data machines, not storytellers.  AI can’t reason. It can’t invent. AI can’t create anything truly novel. AI is analytical, not emotional. AI can be clever, but never crafty or original.  AI follows a template, an algorithm. 

AI is great at generating content based on data, but not at all good at coming up with original, creative ideas.  AI lacks contextual understanding and real-world knowledge, which humans naturally incorporate into their writing. As a result, AI-generated content often lacks relevance, insight or the ability to connect with readers on a personal level.

And AI can’t capture your voice, tone and personality, which are critical in a speech.

AI lacks an understanding of human complexities and emotions.  As a result, AI is overly simplistic and can't truly understand the nuances of human language.

For example, AI doesn’t understand sarcasm or dynamic dialogue techniques such as foreshadowing or callbacks, which is when you bring back a line or idea from earlier in the speech to add humor, drama or romance.   

The best wedding speech will provide an inside look at the values, character and personalities of the bride and groom. So writing a kickass wedding speech requires emotional engagement.  It’s a realm of human experience that is too sacred to automate. 

If you decide to hand over your speech to a machine then you’re essentially confirming that it’s a meaningless boilerplate.  If, on the other hand, you use an experienced human speechwriter that lives, breathes and not only feels but can convey emotion, you’re confirming your speech is important and of great value.   

I believe imagination and creativity have the highest potential to emotionally move and entertain audiences because your audience is always made up of human beings, not robots or AI. 

What Does an AI-Generated Speech Look and Feel Like? 

For fun, I purchased a father of the bride speech from an AI site.  That speech is at the end of this post. 

First, you’ll notice the machine-generated speech is very short, overwritten and uses clunky words and phrases not used in everyday conversation like “concoction,” “to bear witness,” “embark” and “solidify the union.”   

Overblown words and phrases like this require the audience to work to try and engage in your speech.  The best speech is written in super simple language that is an effortless glide where every word is instantly understood by everyone in the room.   

Second, the AI speech is filled with tired, phony (and embarrassing) cliches like “my little girl,” “my princess,” “my tiny bundle of joy” “fly the nest,” “bed of roses”,”wrapped around her finger” and “soulmate.”   

Worst of all, there is nothing unique about the AI speech—it could be delivered to any bride and groom anywhere in the world any day of the week.  There’s nothing personal, real or poignant. It’s like a can of generic canned corn—it’s corn and it’s cheap but it doesn’t taste very good and you’re not going to serve it a dinner party or buy it again.   AI excels at mediocrity.

The bottom line:  What makes us human is our emotions.  And when it comes to wedding speeches human-written content will always win out over bots to honor the bride, groom and audience. You have only one shot to nail this speech.  

AI Generated Father of the Bride Speech

“Ladies and Gentlemen, if I could have your attention please. I stand before you today, with a heart full of emotions, as I see my little girl, my princess, embark on a new journey of love, companionship, and happiness. I feel a strange concoction of joy, pride, and a bit of sadness, the kind that every father feels when he sees his daughter ready to fly away from his nest. We are here to celebrate the union of two extraordinary individuals and to bear witness to the profound love they share for one another. Firstly, I would like to extend a warm welcome to everyone present here to celebrate this special day. I remember the day she was born, a tiny bundle of joy, her eyes full of curiosity and innocence. From that moment, she had me wrapped around her little finger. As she grew, her mother and I watched in awe as she transformed from a giggling toddler to a confident and compassionate young woman. She has always been full of life, always ready to explore, always ready to help, and always ready to love. She has been a source of joy and pride for us. Her strength, resilience, and compassion continue to inspire us every day. And today, as she stands beside her soulmate, ready to start a new chapter of her life, I couldn’t be happier. As a father, all I have ever wanted is for my child to be happy, and seeing the love and joy in her eyes today, I know she is. To [Groom's Name], I want to say that we are not losing a daughter but gaining a son. I have seen the love and respect you have for my daughter and it gives me immense comfort to know that she is in safe hands. I can see in your eyes the same love that I saw in her mother's eyes when we got married. I trust you to keep her happy and loved, as we have done all these years. Marriage is not always a bed of roses. It comes with its fair share of challenges. But remember, it’s not about avoiding the thorns, but about cherishing the roses. Always communicate, always respect each other, and never forget why you fell in love in the first place. To my daughter, as you embark on this new journey, remember that you will always be my little girl. I am incredibly proud of the woman you have become. I know you will build a beautiful life with [Groom's Name]. And finally, I would like to propose a toast. To [Bride's Name] and [Groom's Name], may your life together be filled with love, happiness, and prosperity. Cheers!”