You know what's drowning executives? Email. 73% of C-level leaders feel overworked, and 56% are burning out. Every minute counts when you're drowning in messages.
But here's what changes everything. AI writer ChatGPT can draft replies in seconds. You handle twice as many emails in the same time and save four hours every week. Think about what you could do with four extra hours.
Let's start with the simplest possible test. You can see how this works right now, without any setup or training.
Draft your first AI email in 5 minutes
Want to see how fast this works? Here's what you do.
Open ChatGPT or Superhuman with AI turned on. Take any email that needs a response and paste it in. Then type something like "Write a quick, friendly reply that says we got this and here's what happens next."
The AI spits out a draft. You read it, fix anything that sounds off, and send it. Done.
Superhuman makes this even faster with AI built right into the composer. No copying and pasting. What used to take 20 minutes of writing and rewriting now takes 3 minutes. That's like turning a marathon into a sprint.
Ever see emails sitting queued in your outbox? AI helps you blast through them. Before you send anything, just check that it has a clear subject line, right tone, tells them what to do next, and stays under 120 words. This cuts your response time in half.
Setting up your AI email workflow
Get ChatGPT (GPT-4 works best) or sign up for Superhuman and connect it to Gmail or Outlook. Turn on Superhuman AI in your settings. Takes 30 seconds.
Now build a collection of prompts for emails you write all the time. Need a status update? Use "Sum up project X progress in 4 quick bullets, highlight 2 wins and 1 challenge." Just finished a meeting? Try "Write a thanks plus 3 next steps with deadlines." Pitching to investors? "Write a confident company intro under 100 words with our Q3 revenue growth and team size."
For declining requests politely: "Write a brief, respectful decline that suggests an alternative." For following up on proposals: "Create a friendly follow-up referencing our last call and asking for next steps." For introducing team members: "Write a warm introduction highlighting [person's] expertise in [area] and why they're perfect for this project."
Save these in Superhuman Snippets so you can use them again and again. It's like having a personal assistant who never sleeps.
Your data stays safe. Nobody else sees it, nobody trains AI models on it, and everything gets encrypted when moving between servers. For really sensitive topics like M&A discussions or personnel matters, set up a separate workspace or stick to human-written emails so nothing leaks.
Writing emails that get results
Good executive emails follow a simple pattern. Subject line, context, why this matters, what you want them to do. That's it.
Start with a subject line that's seven words or less. "Q3 budget review meeting tomorrow" beats "Scheduled quarterly budget review and planning session." Then explain what's happening in two sentences max: "Our Q3 numbers came in 15% above target. The board wants to discuss reallocating surplus funds." Tell them why they should care in one line: "This affects your department's hiring budget for Q4." End with one clear request: "Please review the attached proposal before our 2pm call."
When the AI gives you a draft, you can refine it. Tell it to "Make this shorter" or "Sound more formal" or "Add the Q3 numbers." The AI handles the writing. You handle the thinking.
Superhuman's Instant Reply writes responses instantly. Auto Summarize turns long conversations into the key points in seconds. It's like having x-ray vision for your inbox.
But you still need to review everything, especially for important conversations. Use AI to get started, then add your own voice before hitting send. Think of AI as a really good first draft writer, not a replacement for your brain.
Beyond basic emails: summaries, translations, templates
Long email conversations are confusing. Ever try reading a thread with 47 replies? AI cuts through the mess. Instead of scrolling forever, you get something like: "Key decisions: Approved $50K budget increase, moved launch date to March 15. Still deciding: Final vendor choice between A and B. Action items: Sarah sends vendor comparison by Friday, and team reviews over weekend."
Talking to people in other countries? AI translates your emails and adjusts the tone. A direct American email saying "We need this ASAP" becomes a polite French version: "Nous aimerions recevoir ceci dès que possible" (We would like to receive this as soon as possible). Your urgency comes through without sounding rude.
For emails you send over and over, combine Snippets with variables like "Hi {{FirstName}}, here's what you asked about {{Topic}}." Personalized replies without the work. It's like mail merge but smarter.
Superhuman's Split Inbox plus AI sorts your important emails from the noise. Need to copy someone secretly? A quick bcc email keeps them in the loop without cluttering the main conversation.
AI handles the routine emails perfectly. You focus on the strategy and making sure the tone feels right. Use AI for status updates, meeting follow-ups, scheduling emails, and routine requests. Always review personally for sensitive HR matters, major client issues, legal topics, or anything involving conflict. The AI might write "We're disappointed with the delay" when you need "We're concerned about timeline impact and need to discuss alternatives."
Why this matters now
Email keeps evolving, and AI leads the charge. The leaders who master these tools now get a huge head start.
Your first AI emails might feel strange. The drafts sound too formal or miss your personality. That's normal. After a week of editing AI responses to match your voice, the tool learns your style. It's like training a new assistant who gets better every day.
Don't worry about AI making mistakes. You're still in control. Review everything before sending, especially for important conversations. The AI speeds up your writing, it doesn't replace your judgment. Think of it this way: would you rather spend 20 minutes crafting the perfect email, or 5 minutes polishing an AI draft that's already 80% there?
Email finally works the way it should have from the beginning. Fast, smart, and human when it needs to be.
