How To Tell If Content Is Written By AI Or A Real Writer

Not even decades of experience in the Editorial could prepare us for the number of times we’ve seen an article kick off with “In a rapidly evolving world...” or some variation thereof. In fact, as Artificial Intelligence has gained more traction in recent months, we’ve come to know and loathe some of the telltale signs that content was fully generated by AI. So, here are some of the red flags to help you recognize the difference between real human writing and AI-built pieces. 

7 Ways To Identify AI Content

1. Repetition, Repetition, Repetition

One of the first signs to look for is repeating the same message or concept with slightly different wording. For example, an article might include a general overview or definition of the main topic three times but switch up the explanations just enough to pad things out. This may also be due to the fact that it’s probably gathering information from various sources, and each of those sources approaches the topic from a different angle. 

2. Unnecessary Disclaimers

While it’s always important to ensure that you have accurate information and don’t stir up too much controversy (unless that’s what you’re after), many AI-generated pieces feature unnecessary disclaimers, such as “it’s essential to note...” so that they cover all their bases. For instance, “It’s important to consider that certain policies differ based on geographical locales.” Keeping things ambiguous and erring on the side of caution are crucial when creating authentic content, but AI tends to go a bit overboard. 

3. Packed With Stats And Facts

You can often identify AI content by paying attention to how many statistics and facts are crammed into the article. Sure, it’s good to back up your claims with credible sources, but that doesn’t mean you need to squeeze in a percentage or research study finding every other sentence. Once again, AI tools typically gather information from different sites, and pulling stats (even if they aren’t totally relevant) is a way to give more validity to the piece. 

4. Unnatural Vocabulary 

Real human writing is more natural and reads like an actual person with life experience has penned it. There’s no substitute for genuine copywriting that evokes emotion and strikes the right tone. Even reading some AI text out loud can help you really see the difference between content created by artificial versus human intellect. Overusing adjectives or trying to weave in more complex or descriptive vocabulary are often signs that the content is straight from an LLM. 

5. Unclear Sources

Some AI content takes the stats and facts issue in another direction by including vague references. For example, it makes a blanket statement that “many employees aren’t happy with their company culture and are actively seeking employment elsewhere.” But where did it get this information from? How many employees were surveyed in order to verify this claim? 

6. Brushing The Surface

Content written by a real writer walks the fine line between factual information and insights. It’s not about an information dump, but making sense of the research the writer has gathered and conveying it in a way that readers can understand. When something is written by AI, it usually takes too deep a dive into the subject matter to the point that it’s overly technical, or it barely brushes the surface of the topic. In either case, readers don’t get the information they need, which takes its toll on your brand image. 

7. Gimmicks And Jargon Dumps

Authentic content shouldn’t read like one long sales pitch. One of the warning signs that an article is hot off the AI press is that it includes an abundance of jargon that is too industry-specific and/or gimmicky vocabulary that might make you, honestly, cringe a little through the first readthrough. This can also extend to the style of the piece, such as including bolded terms too often or the infamous in-article emojis. 

What To Do If There Are Signs That Something Is Written By AI

First off, don’t panic. If you have another tab open at the moment with suspicious content, you’re not alone. The tricky thing about content creation these days is that so many people are trying to pass off AI-generated work as their own. There’s nothing wrong with using AI tools, but people should be open and up front about it. We always clarify that the content we provide our clients is completely researched, written, and designed by humans. So, if you’re looking for a content creation partner who won’t deliver surface-level, gimmicky, repetitive pieces, then we’d love to hear from you.