As a corporate language school, ELAM is often tasked with assessing candidates’ language skills to help Talent Acquisition managers hire the right people. While the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT and Grammarly has revolutionized the way we approach writing, one thing remains certain: writing skills are still incredibly important, especially in the business world. Here’s why assessing a candidate’s written communication, particularly in Business English and French, is as essential as ever, despite the growing role of AI. 

The Changing Landscape: AI’s Role in Writing 

AI writing tools are increasingly popular, and they can certainly assist with generating text quickly. However, as Wharton Business Daily’s Valery Yakubovich recently pointed out, “While generative AI has advanced rapidly, it still has a long way to go before it can function autonomously and predictably, which are key features that make it reliable.” In other words, while AI tools are impressive, they’re not perfect. They still struggle with parsing information accurately, and they can produce “hallucinations”, or misleading information, making them unreliable for high-stakes business communication. 

As Erik Brynjolfsson, a Stanford professor, emphasized, “We’re not going to run out of things for humans to do anytime soon… but the things are different: learning how to ask the right questions, really interacting with people, physical work requiring dexterity.” This highlights the ongoing importance of human involvement, especially in areas like writing, where clarity, nuance, and professional judgment are essential. 

The Need for Critical Thinking and Clarity 

At ELAM, we emphasize that writing skills aren’t just about grammar—they are about clear thinking and communication. While AI can help with structure and vocabulary, it cannot replicate the critical thinking needed to organize and present ideas effectively. Candidates who are proficient in writing know how to break down complex ideas into clear, digestible information, a skill that is indispensable in a corporate environment. 

Before using AI tools to refine their work, candidates need to structure their thoughts clearly. AI is not a substitute for a well-formed argument or a concise, coherent message. The ability to articulate ideas logically remains a key indicator of a candidate’s competence and critical thinking abilities. 

AI Oversight: The Human Touch 

While AI tools can generate text, they still require human oversight. As anyone who has used a writing tool knows, reviewing and refining AI-generated text is crucial. Understanding grammar, tone, and context allows a candidate to ensure that the text aligns with business goals, cultural sensitivities, and communication strategies. Without this oversight, a message could risk sounding overly robotic or inappropriate for the situation. 

Confidentiality & Ethics in Business Communication 

In business, many communications involve sensitive information that must be handled carefully. This is another area where AI cannot replace human oversight. Relying on AI tools to process confidential data could raise ethical concerns and security risks. Evaluating candidates’ writing skills ensures they understand the responsibility of handling such information with care and professionalism. 

Real-Time Communication & Adapting to Company-Specific Needs 

In many corporate environments, employees must be able to communicate in real time, responding quickly to emails, reports, or urgent requests. AI tools may not be accessible or appropriate in those moments, especially in high-pressure situations. By assessing a candidate’s writing skills, we can gauge how well they can adapt quickly and produce professional, clear communication without relying on technology. 

Moreover, every company has its own tone, culture, and style of communication. AI-generated content might lack the nuances that align with a specific company’s brand or industry language. Assessing a candidate’s ability to adapt writing styles to fit different business contexts remains an important aspect of hiring, regardless of AI tools. 

Moving Forward: Adapting to the AI Era 

Rather than eliminating writing assessments, companies should consider how AI can be integrated into the evaluation process. For example, we can test how candidates refine AI-generated text, assess their ability to write concise and professional messages, and check whether they can adapt their writing styles to different business situations. 

In conclusion, while AI can support and enhance business writing, human judgment and expertise remain indispensable. At ELAM, we continue to prioritize the evaluation of writing skills in our language assessments because we believe that strong, clear, and ethical communication is the cornerstone of professional success, no matter how advanced technology becomes.