Your AI Just Spoke on Your Behalf. Hope It Didn’t Ruin Everything.

Absolutely—here’s a compelling blog post that unpacks the reputational risk of misusing AI, written in your energetic, British English tone. It blends real-world examples with strategic insights to make the stakes clear and actionable.

Your AI Just Spoke on Your Behalf. Hope It Didn’t Ruin Everything.

Here’s the thing about AI: it doesn’t sleep, it doesn’t second-guess, and it never calls comms for approval.

It just speaks—with your brand’s voice, to your actual customers, in real time.

And if you're not careful?

It can burn trust faster than a tweet in a firestorm.

Let’s talk reputational risk. Because right now, it’s far too easy to get it wrong.

The Air Canada Chatbot Fiasco

In late 2023, Air Canada’s chatbot confidently gave a customer completely made-up information about bereavement fares. The customer booked based on that response—only to be told later the fare didn’t exist.

The kicker?

The chatbot made it up. And the airline tried to deny responsibility, saying the chatbot was “a separate legal entity.”

(Spoiler: the court wasn’t having it. Air Canada had to refund the difference.)

💥 Brand trust? Damaged.
💥 Public perception? “They’re hiding behind the bot.”
💥 Legal precedent? Set—and very clear: your AI is your problem.

When AI Goes Rogue, It’s Still Your Voice

Whether it’s a customer service chatbot, an email assistant, or a marketing tool, if it’s talking to the public, it’s carrying your brand’s reputation in its virtual hands.

And guess what?
Customers don’t care if it was an algorithm.
They just remember how it made them feel.

Other Honourable Mentions in AI Reputation Damage:

• The Snapchat AI bot that behaved inappropriately with underage users

• Microsoft’s Tay chatbot that turned into a PR disaster within 24 hours

• The AI-generated article in a major outlet riddled with factual errors—and no disclaimer

Every time, the result is the same:

🚨 Public backlash
🚨 Trust erosion
🚨 Headlines you don’t want to go viral

So Why Does This Keep Happening?

Because too many organisations treat AI like a clever plugin, not a public-facing representative.

They prioritise speed and automation… and forget that these systems are performing brand communication, not just processing data.

If you wouldn't let an intern speak for your company without training and oversight,
why are you letting an AI do it unfiltered, 24/7?

Reputation Is Built in Moments—And Lost in One

AI amplifies your brand. Which is brilliant—until it starts amplifying the wrong thing.

That’s why getting it right means:

• Training AI on your actual brand voice, values, and ethics

• Putting in clear safeguards for misinformation, tone, and escalation

• Treating AI like a public-facing asset—not a backend tool

• Owning responsibility, not deflecting it when things go wrong

Because people don’t care whether the mistake came from a human or a model.

They care that you didn’t catch it before it reached them.

Final Thought

AI is now customer-facing. That makes it reputation-facing.
And in a world where trust is hard-won and easily lost.

Every interaction is a brand moment—automated or not.

So here’s the litmus test:

If your AI said something tomorrow that landed in the headlines…
Would you stand by it?
Or would you scramble to clean up the mess?