From Content to Strategy: Understanding the Motivations, Processes, and Impacts of AI-Guided Communication

2026-06-25

AI Summary

This study addresses the lack of systematic theoretical and empirical research on how generative AI informs interpersonal communication strategies, particularly regarding users’ motivations, underlying processes, and relational consequences. Drawing on 26 semi-structured in-depth interviews and thematic analysis, it reveals a novel usage pattern wherein individuals shift from employing AI merely as a content-generation tool to leveraging it as a guide for communication strategy. Findings indicate that AI assistance fosters self-reflection, emotion regulation, and perspective-taking, thereby enhancing empathy and communicative competence, while also offering a safe space for emotional disclosure. However, this reliance raises concerns about the erosion of personal uniqueness. Moreover, the long-term relational impact of AI use is moderated by users’ perceptions of its immediate utility. These insights extend the theoretical boundaries of human-AI collaboration in intimate communication contexts.

Abstract

Artificial intelligence-mediated communication (AI-MC) is conceptualized as applying AI to augment or generate message content (Hancock et al., 2020). However, advances in generative AI have expanded its use beyond generating content to guiding individuals' communication strategies, that is, AI-guided communication, yet theoretical and empirical understandings of this emerging use pattern and its consequences remains limited. To address this gap, this study conducted 26 in-depth interviews with individuals who have used AI to develop their communication strategies. Findings suggest participants strongly preferred using AI to analyze challenging scenarios in close relationships, because it fostered self-reflection, eased emotions, prevented conflict escalation, offered multiple perspectives, and provided a safe, nonjudgmental space for self-disclosure. Participants also stated that AI-guided communication enhanced their empathy and communication skills, though some voiced self-doubt and worried about losing their uniqueness. Views on long-term relational impact were mixed, depending on perceived usefulness of AI for resolving short-term interpersonal challenges.

Problem

• AI-guided communication
• generative AI
• communication strategies
• interpersonal relationships
• AI-mediated communication

Innovation

• AI-guided communication
• generative AI
• communication strategy
• interpersonal relationships
• self-reflection