Leverage tools like ChatGPT or Copilot as a practice audience. Feed the AI your story, define the target audience (e.g., executives, engineers), and ask for feedback on clarity, conciseness, and impact. This provides a quick, objective way to refine your message and build a powerful story.

Abigail Wattley prepared for her podcast interview by feeding an LLM past episodes and asking it to simulate a practice session. The AI correctly identified the host's conversational style and love for anecdotes, effectively acting as a presentation coach and demonstrating a practical use for the technology.

Leverage AI tools to improve your EQ. Use them as a coach to debrief meetings, role-play challenging conversations, or poke holes in your arguments from a specific stakeholder's perspective. This allows you to get frequent, low-stakes practice ("reps").

AI can be imbued with different roles and perspectives (e.g., a skeptical board member) to simulate challenging conversations. This allows leaders to practice answering tough questions and pressure-test their arguments before a real meeting, without needing to memorize scripted answers.

People are increasingly using AI chatbots to rehearse difficult conversations, a trend dubbed "dry chatting." This behavior points to a novel consumer application for AI as a tool for emotional and conversational preparation, demonstrating value beyond simple productivity tasks and highlighting a more personal, therapeutic role.

Instead of using AI to generate content, leverage it as a dynamic sparring partner. Train it to ask challenging questions from specific personas (e.g., a skeptical CFO) to practice your responses. This is especially effective for the unscripted Q&A portion of presentations, which speakers often fail to adequately rehearse.

Go beyond using AI for simple research. Feed it public data about a specific executive (from blogs, interviews, etc.) and instruct it to act as that person. This allows you to practice conversations, refine arguments, and master their specific communication style before a critical meeting.

Modern AI tools with voice mode offer a novel way to practice presentations. Instruct the AI to act as your target audience (e.g., a skeptical board member), then deliver your pitch. The AI will respond in character, allowing you to practice handling questions and refining your message in a low-stakes environment.

Rehearse difficult conversations by having an AI adopt the persona of your boss, partner, or employee. This allows you to practice your approach, refine your messaging, and anticipate reactions in a safe environment, increasing your confidence and effectiveness for the real discussion.