Introduction
AI–generated content is becoming increasingly common. While AI writing tools are powerful, there are subtle signs that can help you identify when a piece of text might have been written by an AI. In this blog, I’ll break down key indicators and tips to spot AI–generated writing — including stylistic cues that AI often produces.
Key Signs of AI–Generated Content
– Overly Formal or Generic Tone
AI often writes in a neutral or overly polished style. Sentences may lack personal anecdotes or emotional nuance — you might notice phrases like “It is important to note that…” or “In today’s world…”.
– Repetition of Patterns
AI tends to reuse sentence structures or connectors, leading to repeated phrases, en–dashes, or overly consistent punctuation usage.
– Excessive Use of Typographic Symbols
AI sometimes inserts typographic flourishes automatically, such as en–dashes (–) instead of hyphens (-), curly apostrophes (’) instead of straight ones ('), or fancy quotes (“ ”). While not wrong, consistent overuse can be a subtle indicator.
– Lack of Deep Insights or Original Opinions
AI often summarizes known information and may struggle to provide personal insights or original examples — you may notice the writing avoids strong personal language.
– Predictable Structure
Paragraphs often follow the same template: introduce – explain – give examples – conclude, without natural variation.
– High Consistency
AI–generated text usually avoids typos and maintains perfect grammar throughout, which can feel unnatural compared to human writing.
– No Clear Author Voice
The writing may lack a distinctive voice or unique style that real human authors naturally have — you might notice an even spacing between paragraphs and bullet points, which is common in AI–formatted text.
AI often inserts separators or breaks after each point or section — this is another subtle indicator of AI authorship.
How to Test for AI Writing
- Use AI Detection Tools
Several tools can analyze text and provide a likelihood of AI authorship. Examples include OpenAI AI Text Classifier and GPTZero.
- Check for Typographic Patterns
Look for consistent use of en–dashes, curly apostrophes (’), fancy quotation marks (“”), or other subtle stylistic markers — these can hint at AI usage.
- Look for Repetition or Over-Polishing
AI may repeat sentence structures, connectors, or punctuation patterns that feel too regular.
- Read Aloud
Listening to the text can reveal unnatural rhythm, overly formal tone, or lack of emotional inflection — all common in AI–written content.
Conclusion
AI–generated content is here to stay, but with careful observation, you can often spot it. Look for patterns, stylistic cues like en–dashes (–) and curly apostrophes (’), consistent structure, and lack of personal voice. Combine these observations with AI detection tools and critical reading to stay ahead.
By following these tips, you’ll be able to distinguish human–written content from AI–generated text more effectively.
PS
Hi, it's me - Karume. By now you may have noticed that this blog was written using AI, mainly for comedic purposes. This is a pilot blog and will later change to "Identifying AI in Code". When I get the time to change it (Probably never).