The dead giveaways that scream “AI wrote this” — and how to avoid them
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| Photo by Jonathan Kemper on Unsplash |
I’ve been working as a content strategist for the past five years, and let me tell you — I can spot ChatGPT-generated content from a mile away. It’s like having a superpower, except instead of fighting crime, I’m just silently judging people’s lazy writing habits.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not anti-AI. I use ChatGPT myself for brainstorming and getting unstuck when I’m staring at a blank page. But there’s a difference between using AI as a tool and letting it do all the heavy lifting while you pretend it’s your own genius.
So today, I’m spilling the tea on all the telltale signs that immediately give away AI-generated content. Consider this your crash course in “How Not to Get Caught Looking Like You Can’t Write.”
The Robotic Vocabulary That No Human Actually Uses
This is the big one. ChatGPT has this weird obsession with certain words and phrases that make content sound like it was written by a very polite robot trying to pass a college essay exam.
“Delve into” — I swear, if I see one more article that promises to “delve into” something, I’m going to lose it. Real humans say “explore” or “look at” or just jump straight into the topic. We don’t “delve.”
“Utilize” instead of “use” — This is the fastest way to out yourself. Nobody in casual conversation says they’re going to “utilize” their phone. They’re going to USE it. ChatGPT loves fancy words where simple ones would do.
“Leverage” everything — According to ChatGPT, we should leverage our skills, leverage technology, leverage opportunities. Real people just use their skills or take advantage of opportunities.
“Navigate” challenges — Apparently, every problem is now something we need to “navigate.” Sometimes challenges are just things we face, deal with, or solve. We don’t need to turn everything into a maritime adventure.
I actually keep a running list of these words, and whenever I see three or more in a single article, I know exactly what happened.
The Obsession with Lists and Bullet Points
ChatGPT absolutely LOVES organizing everything into neat little lists. While lists can be useful, AI takes it to an extreme that feels unnatural.
Every ChatGPT article follows the same formula:
- Introduction with a promise
- 5–7 main points (always an odd number, weirdly)
- Each point broken down into sub-bullets
- A conclusion that restates everything
Real human writing is messier. We go on tangents. We circle back to earlier points. We don’t always organize our thoughts into perfect little packages.
I read a blog post last week that had seventeen different bullet-pointed lists in 800 words. SEVENTEEN! No human thinks that systematically about everything.
The Perfectly Balanced Tone That Lacks Personality
This one drives me crazy because it’s so obviously artificial. ChatGPT writes like it’s trying to be everyone’s best friend while also being a university professor. It’s friendly but formal, casual but comprehensive, enthusiastic but measured.
Real humans have quirks. We get excited about weird things. We have pet peeves. We use slang inconsistently. We sometimes start sentences with “And” or “But” because that’s how we actually talk.
AI writing feels like it was focus-grouped to death. It’s so carefully calibrated to avoid offending anyone that it ends up connecting with no one.
The Wikipedia-Style Introductions
You know what I’m talking about. Those introductions that sound like they’re defining a term for an encyclopedia:
“Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience…”
Ugh. No human starts a conversation like that unless they’re giving a presentation to their boss’s boss.
Real people start with stories, questions, complaints, or just jump right into what they want to say. We don’t begin every topic with a textbook definition.
The Hedging Language Overload
ChatGPT is terrified of making definitive statements. Everything is “may,” “might,” “could potentially,” “tends to,” or “often.”
“This approach may potentially help you achieve better results.”
Just say it helps you get better results! Or don’t mention it at all! All this hedging makes the writing sound uncertain and wishy-washy.
I understand why AI does this — it’s trying to avoid making claims it can’t back up. But humans are more confident in their opinions, even when they’re wrong.
The Conclusion That Restates Everything
ChatGPT conclusions are painfully predictable. They always:
- Summarize the main points
- Restate the importance of the topic
- Encourage the reader to take action
- End with a forward-looking statement
“In conclusion, we’ve explored the various ways to improve your writing, discussed the importance of authenticity, and outlined actionable steps you can take. By implementing these strategies, you’ll be well on your way to creating more engaging content that resonates with your audience.”
Real humans don’t wrap everything up with a bow like that. Sometimes we just end with a thought, a question, or even trail off because we’ve said what we needed to say.
The Generic Examples That Apply to Everyone and No One
AI loves examples that are so broad they could apply to any situation. “Consider a small business owner looking to expand their reach…” or “Imagine you’re trying to improve your productivity…”
Real writers use specific examples from their own experience or cite actual companies, people, or situations. They tell stories that happened to them or people they know.
When I see vague, hypothetical examples that sound like they came from a business textbook, I know AI was involved.
The Perfectly Structured Paragraphs
Every ChatGPT paragraph follows the same structure: topic sentence, supporting details, mini-conclusion. It’s like the AI learned essay writing from a high school English teacher and never moved beyond that.
Human writing is more varied. Sometimes we write one-sentence paragraphs for emphasis.
Like this.
Sometimes we ramble for half a page because we got excited about something. We don’t always stick to the perfect paragraph structure because real thoughts don’t organize themselves that neatly.
How to Actually Use AI Without Looking Like a Robot
Look, I’m not saying don’t use ChatGPT. It’s a powerful tool when used right. Here’s how to avoid the obvious tells:
Use it for brainstorming, not final drafts. Let AI give you ideas, then write the actual content in your own voice.
Edit ruthlessly. If AI writes your first draft, rewrite it completely. Change the structure, add personal examples, inject your personality.
Read it out loud. If it doesn’t sound like something you’d say in conversation, it needs work.
Add your own experiences. AI can’t tell your stories, share your opinions, or make your jokes. That’s what makes content human.
The Bottom Line
I’m not trying to shame anyone for using AI. We’re all trying to keep up with content demands, and AI can genuinely help. But if you’re going to use it, at least make it your own.
The goal isn’t to trick people into thinking you didn’t use AI. The goal is to create content that’s actually useful and engaging, regardless of how it started.
Because here’s the thing — I can spot AI writing instantly, and I’m not the only one. Your audience is getting better at recognizing it too. And when they do, they feel cheated.
Your readers want to hear from YOU, not from a very polite robot pretending to be you. So use the tools, but don’t let the tools use you.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go “leverage” my coffee to “navigate” the rest of my workday. (Just kidding — I’m going to drink my coffee and get stuff done like a normal human.)
What other AI writing tells have you noticed? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
If this made you laugh (or cringe because you recognized your own writing), give it a clap and share it with other writers who might need a reality check. We’re all learning to navigate this AI world together.
Source: reviewraccoon
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