AI tools build websites but struggle at Connect 4
Why understanding the AI capability paradox is key to credible communications
You're in a meeting when someone confidently states, "Our new AI tool can handle anything!" Maybe it’s time to add some nuance - without dampening enthusiasm.
A lot of AI communications suggest uniform capabilities across different tasks. This creates a dangerous misalignment between expectations and reality: today's AI can write code but might fail at simple games, translate languages but misunderstand basic physics, or generate imagery but miscount words in text.
Let's look at why this matters for your communications:
AI development is profoundly uneven - excelling at tasks humans find difficult while struggling with ones we find trivial
There’s a capability paradox, creating the risk of expectation gaps that damage trust and adoption
Understanding strengths and limitations is key - it helps set realistic expectations
To communicate more effectively about AI's uneven capabilities:
Use concrete, contrasting examples that highlight specific strengths
Avoid blanket statements about what AI "can" or "cannot" do
Explain why certain tasks remain challenging despite advances in others
Here's what that looks like in practice:
❌ "Our AI is state-of-the-art across all applications"
✅ "Our AI excels at document analysis and content generation"
❌ "AI is revolutionizing everything"
✅ "AI is transforming workflows where pattern recognition and data processing are central"
❌ "AI understands the world like humans do"
✅ "AI processes information differently than humans, with remarkable strengths in certain areas and surprising gaps in others"
When you communicate about AI's uneven capabilities, something powerful happens: you build credibility by demonstrating your nuanced understanding - while still conveying the technology's genuine value.
And you create realistic expectations that will be met rather than elaborate promises that will be broken.
Acknowledging the capability paradox is the difference between setting your audience up for disappointment and preparing them for AI's actual, remarkable but uneven potential.
More rapid reads
The AI expertise you need may already be in-house
The four real AI impacts to communicate
Learn three (more) core AI acronyms