Your 2026 superpower? Not to speak like AI

Happy New Year - how's 2026 treating you so far?

If you escaped a broken-down car, a trip to hospital and snow on the first day back, then you're already doing better than me.

So, what does the second quarter of the millenium hold then?

Of all the guides to 2026, seeing talking like a human being described as a "linguistic superpower" really did feel like we'd stepped through the looking glass.

We talk about sounding human in comms all the time - but it's now more literal than we might ever have imagined. We genuinely need to not sound like a robot.

AI can write OK but it's trained to "sound like the lovechild of a LinkedIn thought leader and a McKinsey slide deck", as Joe Lazer put it.

So how can we show our comms really do come from a human in 2026?

• Personalisation and personality - AI doesn't know in-jokes, local references or the office cat. So make it personal - names, who wrote the copy, Easter eggs only your audience will understand. And let your own oddity shine through - an obscure word or turn of phrase the corporate training of AI would never come across.
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• Grammar rebels and deliberate typos - nothing will bring a comms person out in a cold sweat more than the thought of incorrect grammar and spelling. But getting creative with grammar not only brings copy to life but breaks away from sanitised AI content. I KNOW. And while I'm not sure any of us could quite go as far as leaving in typos, a slightly messy sentence again leaves fingerprints of a real person.
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• Tell real stories - if you've ever read this newsletter before, you were probably waiting for this bit. But I'll repeat again for the person at the back who had their earbuds in - AI can't do lived experience. The foster carer. The firefighter. The community nurse. The emotive exchanges and experiences that connect with people and build trust and empathy.

​BLOG: Five truths about campaigns (and what to do about them)​

I'm sure there's every chance you've plunged straight back into kicking off a new campaign or project in the new year.

And I'm equally sure you've hit a frustrating tripwire that's slowed your progress with it.

Reassure yourself: you're not alone. Campaign planning and execution is messy. Unpredictable. Chaotic.

And hopefully this blog, published by the lovely folk at Orlo, can provide a few solutions.

USE THIS: content and campaign ideas

I'll always advocate the use of stories or storylines that already exist to make our content feel recognisable and relatable (we've talked about natural storylines before).

So this use of a famous nursery rhyme is an idea that definitely has legs.

(Get this type of creative and content inspiration first on the Creative Catch of the Day WhatsApp channel.)

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COPYWRITING: specific movements

Circling Coming back to the human v AI writing discussion briefly, I really liked this tip from Alice Lemee I caught recently.

Using words that elicit a particular movement not only make them paint a specfic, more visceral picture but potentially sound less like AI too.

• Fight → Clawed
• Drank → Sipped
• Ate → Scoffed
• Take → Scooped

STORYTELLING: learn from the most expensive ads in the world

The Superbowl is coming up in a few weeks and the ad breaks during the broadcast are the most expensive in the world.

This year, a 30-second slot would set you back you a mere $7m. You could find some budget for that, no?

So the ads that make the air are meticulously engineered to achieve maximum impact. Learn the storytelling lessons of a man who has made dozens of them.

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COMMS: Year of the Storyteller?

In the last Page Turner of 2025, I highlighted the increase in storytelling jobs and this trend was picked up (in an acerbically amusing way) by The Guardian.​

And I threw out some thoughts on what your organisations will need in the 2026 storytelling economy.​

​FREE VIDEO LEARNING: webinars, quick tips, insights​

You can catch up on loads of free video learning that went out in 2025 across different platforms and channels.

In a rare act of organisation, I've pulled it all together on the Turn The Page YouTube Channel for your convenience.

ABOUT US

​Turn The Page is a story-led communications consultancy, using the power of stories to create memorable, measurable campaigns, strategies and narratives.

Campaigns and comms led by stories are measurably more successful and improve engagement and trust.

Forwarded this email by a colleague or chum? Get your very own copy right here.

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