Show Up As The Real You
A few days ago, I received an email that surprised me. It included a video from someone who was excited because AI had created a version of them delivering a presentation. It looked polished. It sounded like them. They couldn't wait to show off how much time they saved.
YUCK. I hated it.
Not because the technology wasn't impressive. It was. I hated it because the whole point of speaking is that it's YOU.
Ali and I talk about AI all the time. Like everyone else, we've found use for it in portions of our work. It helps us think, organize ideas, challenge assumptions, and work faster. But replacing yourself with a digital version? At that point, what exactly are you bringing to the table?
Scroll LinkedIn for five minutes and you'll see it. Posts that all sound like they were written by the same person. Safe opinions. Predictable structure. Meaningless parables. Nothing memorable. Then there are the AI-generated headshots where everyone suddenly looks like they spend their weekends climbing mountains or giving TED Talks. Now we're seeing AI-generated videos where people don't even have to show up to deliver their own presentation.
I don't get it.
Every time you let technology represent you, you're creating expectations you'll eventually have to meet.
If your LinkedIn posts sound smarter than you do in a meeting, people notice. If your presentation is delivered by an AI version of you, people expect that person to walk into the room. If your online brand makes you look like someone you're not, people feel the disconnect the moment they meet you. People don't like being sold one person and meeting another.
Worst of all, you're robbing yourself of the experience. Standing in front of a room. Bombing once in a while. Learning to answer tough questions. Finding your voice. That's how confidence is built. AI can't do that work for you.
Ain't worth it.
Your personal brand shouldn't be an aspiration. It should be an accurate preview. People don't trust you because you're polished. They trust you because what they see online matches the person sitting across the table. Your opinions. Your personality. Your judgment. Your presence.
Ironically, I think AI is making those qualities more valuable, not less. As more business communication starts to sound the same, the people who stand out will be the ones willing to show up as themselves. They'll have a point of view. They'll answer hard questions. They'll tell stories. They'll sound human.
That's why Ali and I spend so much time coaching communication. We spend plenty of time helping clients understand markets, build forecasts, and make better decisions. But if you can't walk into a room and explain your recommendation with confidence, you've only done half the job.
Go ahead, use AI. Just don't outsource the one thing your clients, your colleagues, and your audience are paying for in the first place.
You.
A few articles we found worth reading this month:
Hospitality Experts Confront AI's Dark Side: We've been talking a lot about AI this month, and this CoStar article offers a refreshingly balanced perspective. Beyond productivity, it asks important questions about authenticity, critical thinking, and what happens when every brand starts to sound the same.
Consumer Spending, Strong Labor Market Lift Full-Year Expectations for Hotel Industry: Six months ago, many expected 2026 to be another sluggish year for U.S. hotels. Instead, demand has proven more resilient than expected, prompting CoStar to upgrade its outlook. It's a good reminder that the best forecasts aren't static. They evolve as the data tells a different story.
World Cup and Holiday Travel Fuel Broad-Based U.S. Hotel Growth: The World Cup is producing some impressive hotel results, but the story remains more complicated than the headlines suggest. Host markets posted a 23% RevPAR increase during the first week of the knockout stage, with rate still doing most of the work. The Fourth of July also helped, making this another reminder that major-event performance rarely comes with a clean headline.
Each month we feature a quick, practical communication tip designed to help you become a more confident, compelling speaker—whether you're presenting to a room of executives, leading a team meeting, or just trying to make your point clearly over email. These insights come straight from our coaching sessions and live workshops.
Click on the video to watch this month’s tip.
Whether you’re looking for data-driven insights to guide your hospitality strategy, want to explore our communication coaching programs, or have a question about one of our forecast products, we’re here for it. Reach out to see how Larkspur can support your work in hospitality through sharper storytelling and smarter data.