Three years ago, a single blog post from OpenAI changed the world (at least for now).
The announcement was simple: “We are excited to introduce ChatGPT to get users’ feedback and learn about its strengths and weaknesses.” Five days later, more than a million people were using the service to write emails, draft essays, and, of course, rewrite perfectly normal sentences in the style of a pirate, a Victorian novelist, or a passive‑aggressive coworker.
Today, OpenAI is far from the only player in the AI space, and hundreds of millions of people interact with its products every day. According to Pew Research, 62% of American adults report interacting with the technology “at least several times a week.”
Undoubtedly, GenAI tools have revolutionized output. They’ve also introduced a subtle, corrosive effect on the relational elements of professional life.
In other words, as we outsource parts of our output to GenAI, we are inadvertently creating a protocol intelligence deficit in human connections.
What’s Happening at Work?
The widespread adoption of GenAI is changing the cadence of the workplace.
More specifically, a tool for synthesizing reports or producing rough drafts has infiltrated the informal corners of the workplace.
As the report “ChatGPT at Three: New research uncovers its seismic impact on workplace communication, from manners to HR matters” explains, AI has become a go-to colleague, a “must-have element in many tasks once handled exclusively by humans.”
As a result, nearly one-third of employees report speaking with colleagues less since adopting AI tools into their daily workflows. What’s more, when colleagues do connect, these conversations are coarser and more divisive than before.
More than a quarter of professionals report being less polite since adopting GenAI.
To be sure, GenAI isn’t the only reason for the disconnect. It’s also not unprecedented.
One MIT research analysis found that technologies that streamline communication and decision-making processes “reduce the overhead of collaboration, freeing workers to focus on their own work in isolation.”
There are fewer informal check‑ins, and a growing comfort with treating AI as a reliable stand‑in for a colleague, creating an environment in which 75% of employees feel excluded at work, and two-thirds feel disconnected from their colleagues.
This shouldn’t be surprising.
When communication is optimized for speed, the diplomatic nuances of professional etiquette are the first elements to disappear.
Protocol Intelligence as a Modern Competitive Advantage
As products and outputs become increasingly homogenized, protocol intelligence becomes the primary differentiator for leaders.
Similarly, for sales teams and executives, technical proficiency is now table stakes. The ability to close the deal comes from professional presence and mastery of verbal and nonverbal cues, which GenAI, despite its friendliness, doesn’t bring to the table.
Trust comes from building relationships. The antidote is intentional development and implementation of soft skills.
Here’s how:
#1 Teach soft skills
Soft skills do more than just make people friendly to work with in the office. They are the foundation for all other professional competencies.
Put differently, soft skills, including interpersonal attributes, communication abilities, and emotional intelligence, have atrophied. We can bring them back.
Soft skills are not inherent, born qualities. They are teachable traits that anyone can acquire through intentional training. To achieve this:
- Use positive reinforcement: Tell people when they are excelling at demonstrating essential soft skills.
- Provide constructive feedback: When you identify soft skills deficiencies, use the opportunity to teach techniques that strengthen them.
- Offer continuous learning: Provide convenient, efficient ways, such as e-learning or on-site sessions, and other positive educational opportunities.
The timing is right. As Harvard Business School Assistant Professor Letian Zhang explains, as GenAI and automation surge into workplaces, “Employers need to do a better job identifying and enhancing those foundations to remain competitive.”
Integrate soft skills training into your workplace and reap the rewards. Better connections, more in-depth collaboration, and employees ready to step into leadership roles.
#2 Model interpersonal connection
Intentional teaching and training are a strategic step toward cultivating soft skills in your AI-driven workforce.
However, what you practice is even more important than what you preach, as leaders lead by example more than through instruction or direction.
Practically, this starts with reclaiming the informal check-in. Demonstrate with your time and attention that new technologies can’t replace face-to-face connections. To model this effectively, prioritize:
- Active Listening: Demonstrate curiosity and emotional regulation in every interaction.
- Presence: Use posture, eye contact, and spatial awareness to build trust.
- Authenticity: Be yourself and own your vulnerabilities.
This doesn’t mean you have to be perfect. Keep making progress in your personal growth to demonstrate to your team what’s possible.
#3 Set professional etiquette expectations
Many employees don’t know what their leaders want. They don’t see the workplace expectations, a trend that’s worsened in the last decade.
Reverse this trend by making soft skills development and implementation a workplace expectation. Establish or reaffirm professional etiquette standards.
While every organization will necessarily have different professional etiquette expectations, general standards should account for the following:
- Punctuality and preparation
- Appropriate dress code
- Respectful and professional communication
- Customer service excellence
- Workplace civility and boundaries
Whatever your standards, state them clearly and let them anchor your culture, regardless of the AI’s impact and influence on your organization.
Connection as Differentiation
GenAI is a powerful technology, and businesses should expect it to become more capable and deeply integrated over time. Its access is also ubiquitous, leaving companies and brands looking for new ways to differentiate themselves.
The human connection is the difference.
Protocol intelligence, mastery of soft skills, and interpersonal relationships are the ultimate competitive advantages that no algorithm can replicate.
We have the power to teach these traits intentionally, model them personally, and implement them effectively, maximizing our collective potential to build a culture where people feel seen, heard, valued, and empowered to produce their best work and propel your organization forward.
About the Expert:
Pamela Eyring is the president and owner of The Protocol School of Washington® (www.psow.edu), an accredited school focusing on international protocol, business etiquette, and communication skills training. With more than four decades of public and private sector experience in operational protocol and educational development, Pamela has extensive knowledge of U.S. and international practices. She is a global thought leader in the etiquette and protocol industry. Currently, she oversees the national and international operations of the PSOW in Washington, D.C., Columbia, S.C., and Dubai, UAE.
Pamela and the PSOW team won the Gold Globee® Award as Best Training Provider of the Year in the 10th Annual 2025 Awards Program for Achievement. She has also received past recognition, being named the Enterprising Woman of the Year from Enterprising Women Magazine. Because of her expertise in cross-cultural communication, international protocol, and etiquette, Pamela is regularly featured as a protocol and etiquette expert on national and regional radio and TV outlets, from the Today Show, PBS NewsHour and CNN to FOX Business, Reuters and The Wall Street Journal, among many others.
