Skype’s shutdown sparks nostalgia for personal digital communication as AI avatars and bots rise. What’s lost when businesses stop being human?
The news that Skype is shutting down stirred up a wave of nostalgia, not just for the platform itself, but for a time when digital communication felt a little more personal. Of course, we still have plenty of ways to see each other face to face online, from Zoom and FaceTime to Teams and Google Meet. But alongside those tools, a different kind of communication is gaining ground: AI-generated avatars in meetings, automated emails, and bots answering questions that used to go to a person.
It’s not a sudden switch, but it is a noticeable shift. And while automation has clear benefits for speed and efficiency, it raises fundamental questions about what gets lost when businesses stop showing up as people. Here’s what that shift means for companies today, and how to hold on to the human connection that still matters.
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The legacy left by Skype
When I first saw the headlines about Skype shutting down, I didn’t think much of it. But after reading some of the testimonials from people who used it to stay in touch with faraway relatives or reconnect with old friends, I understood the nostalgia. In the early days of Skype, you could make an international call without the cost of a regular phone call. You could see a loved one’s face after weeks, months, or even years apart—and in doing so, bridge a gap that had once felt too wide.
Skype wasn’t just a tool; it was part of a larger shift in how we maintained relationships. It brought real-time conversation into people’s homes and built emotional closeness into everyday technology. It helped establish a norm where seeing someone’s expression, not just reading their words, became part of staying connected.
That’s why the shutdown feels symbolic to some. Not because the tech itself is irreplaceable, but because we’re watching a new wave of tools move in that prize efficiency over presence. AI avatars, auto-generated messages, and scripted bots are changing how we communicate and subtly shifting what communication even means. And in that shift, something personal is being left behind.
What communication looks like post-Skype
Why doesn’t communication feel personal anymore? There are now businesses considering having an AI-generated avatar with your face show up to meetings in your stead. Some companies are even creating entirely fictional avatars to represent their brand, trying to spark emotional connections with people who don’t exist. And there are CEOs using chatbots to draft business communications that once would have had a far more personal touch.
Replacing internal communications with impersonal, AI-generated messaging may have brought greater efficiency. Still, it hasn’t improved company cultures or lessened the sting of increasing layoffs due to “efficiency”-driven cuts due to AI. Late last year, half of business leaders were already reporting that they were seeing a decline in excitement about AI integration and adoption in their companies. That decline has turned to outright hostility in some instances. And it’s not just internal teams feeling the strain. Customers also notice the drop in human connection, leading to growing AI fatigue. Studies consistently show most customers want to talk to a human when things go wrong, not a chatbot.
What’s emerging isn’t a lack of tools, but a shift in tone. As AI takes on more communication load, we risk losing the small signals – sincerity, spontaneity, and nuance—that make people feel heard. That erosion may not appear in efficiency metrics, but it’s already in morale, loyalty, and trust.
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How to keep communication human
I’m not saying companies shouldn’t use AI. On the contrary, AI is vital for remaining competitive and increasing efficiency across the board. Still, not every conversation in business should be treated the same. Some exchanges are purely transactional, like confirming a meeting time, checking the status of a delivery, or getting a quick answer to a simple question. AI can be a genuine help by saving time and reducing manual effort for these kinds of tasks.
But then there are relational moments: the kinds of conversations that offer an opportunity to build trust. These include delivering performance feedback, giving important updates to investors or partners, introducing colleagues to each other, or turning a sales interaction into a real relationship. You also see them when gathering feedback from customers or employees, where voice, tone, and expression often say more than the words themselves. In these moments, authenticity matters. And no bot can replicate that.
One of the biggest mistakes I see companies make is blurring the line between transactional and relational communication. They apply automation and AI-generated messaging to everything in the name of efficiency, and as a result, they erode the very relationships their business depends on.
Instead, company leaders, HR teams, marketers, and anyone involved in internal or external communications should clearly identify which communications are relational and commit to handling those with real human presence. That doesn’t always mean a live meeting, but it does mean showing up as yourself, not hiding behind a bot or a pre-written script.
Additionally, business leaders need to stop outsourcing sincerity. If you’re welcoming a new hire or thanking a team for hard work, don’t use AI to draft a message that sounds vaguely heartfelt. Record a short message or speak directly. Using your authentic voice and messaging builds trust in a way no automated communication can.
Finally, companies should help people get comfortable being real again. Authentic communication is like a muscle: we lose it if we don’t use it. Encouraging more frequent teambuilding or focusing on making meetings and direct messages productive rather than replacing them completely helps rebuild that confidence. The more we practice showing up as ourselves, the more naturally human our communication becomes.
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Choosing connection over efficiency
As the business world continues to chase efficiency, we run a growing risk of sacrificing the emotions and personal connection foundational to effective communication. And by doing that, we would lose a part of what makes us good leaders, business partners, employees, and friends.
AI can’t replace your voice, face, personality, or humanity. And one of the worst mistakes you could make is to let it try. Hopefully, in the near future, human connection will be the number one differentiator for businesses, while AI-driven efficiency and flexibility will only be a distant second.
