diff --git a/sopel_modules/SpiceBot/AI.py b/sopel_modules/SpiceBot/AI.py
index 713e1e7..850669e 100644
--- a/sopel_modules/SpiceBot/AI.py
+++ b/sopel_modules/SpiceBot/AI.py
@@ -232,13 +232,11 @@ class SpiceBot_AI():
             nick = Identifier(nick)
             nick_id = botdb.get_nick_id(nick, create=True)
         sessionData = self.aiml_kernel.getSessionData(nick_id)
-        sessionData = {k: unicode(v).encode("utf-8") for k, v in sessionData.iteritems()}
         botdb.set_nick_value(nick, 'botai', sessionData)
 
     def save_brain(self):
         self.aiml_kernel.saveBrain(botconfig.config.aibrain)
         botsessiondata = self.aiml_kernel._botPredicates
-        botsessiondata = {k: unicode(v).encode("utf-8") for k, v in botsessiondata.iteritems()}
         botdb.set_bot_value('botai', botsessiondata)
 
 
diff --git a/sopel_modules/SpiceBot_AI/AI_aiml.py b/sopel_modules/SpiceBot_AI/AI_aiml.py
index cd48826..6df0504 100644
--- a/sopel_modules/SpiceBot_AI/AI_aiml.py
+++ b/sopel_modules/SpiceBot_AI/AI_aiml.py
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ def bot_command_rule(bot, trigger):
         trigger_args, trigger_command = SpiceBot.prerun.trigger_args(message, 'module')
         fulltrigger = spicemanip.main(trigger_args, 0)
 
-    returnmessage = SpiceBot.botai.on_message(bot, trigger, message)
+    returnmessage = SpiceBot.botai.on_message(bot, trigger, message.decode('utf-8', 'ignore'))
     if returnmessage:
         bot.osd(str(returnmessage))
     else: