diff --git a/sopel_modules/SpiceBot_AI/AI_aiml.py b/sopel_modules/SpiceBot_AI/AI_aiml.py
index a9c3679..6427b2d 100644
--- a/sopel_modules/SpiceBot_AI/AI_aiml.py
+++ b/sopel_modules/SpiceBot_AI/AI_aiml.py
@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@ def bot_command_rule(bot, trigger):
         return
 
     message = trigger.args[1]
-    message = return_utf(message)
+    if isinstance(message, unicode):
+        return
 
     # ignore text coming from a valid prefix
     if str(message).startswith(tuple(bot.config.core.prefix_list)):
@@ -87,20 +88,3 @@ def bot_command_rule(bot, trigger):
             else:
                 bot.osd("I don't know what you are asking me to do!")
                 return
-
-
-def return_utf(s):
-    if isinstance(s, str):
-        return s.encode('utf-8')
-    if isinstance(s, (int, float, complex)):
-        return str(s).encode('utf-8')
-    try:
-        return s.encode('utf-8')
-    except TypeError:
-        try:
-            return str(s).encode('utf-8')
-        except AttributeError:
-            return s
-    except AttributeError:
-        return s
-    return s  # assume it was already utf-8