Can you tell if something is written by AI?

AI is becoming a go-to for writing, spotting the difference between human and machine-generated content has turned into a bit of a detective game.

How to tell if something is written by AI?

As AI becomes more entwined with how we create and consume information, there’s a growing curiosity (and concern) about how to tell when a machine, rather than a human, is behind the words.

Words like “elevate” and “enhance” often show up because they convey a sense of improvement or progress, which is a common theme in content across fields like marketing, business, and self-help. For instance, an AI might generate a sentence like “Elevate your productivity with these simple hacks,” or “This strategy will enhance your team’s performance,” because these terms easily resonate with readers looking for growth or change.

Another commonly overused word is “seamless.” Since AI-generated text often covers topics related to customer service, user experience, or technology, “seamless” becomes a catch-all term to describe something smooth or effortless. Phrases like “Our platform offers a seamless user experience,” or “Enjoy seamless integration with your existing tools” often pop up in AI-created content.

While these words may seem appropriate at first glance, their repetitive use can give away the fact that the text was generated by a machine.

AI: The speed

There’s no denying that AI tools excel in speed and efficiency. They can churn out articles, reports, and even creative writing in a matter of seconds—something that would take a human hours, if not days, to achieve. Need a 1,000-word blog post on a niche topic? An AI can have it ready in the blink of an eye.

AI tools also come equipped with vast knowledge banks, allowing them to pull together information from countless sources and package it neatly into coherent sentences. This efficiency is great when you’re dealing with tight deadlines or need quick, factual content.

As AI becomes more entwined with how we create and consume information, there’s a growing curiosity (and concern) about how to tell when a machine Human: The creativity

AI can churn out copy with lightning speed, it’s the human element that brings writing to life. Humans bring more than just words to the page—they bring experience, emotion, and perspective. Where AI follows patterns, human writers break them, using creativity to surprise, inspire, and connect with their audience on a deeper level.

Think about it: an AI can string together sentences about love, loss, or joy, but it doesn’t feel those emotions. Human writing, on the other hand, is shaped by personal experiences, cultural context, and emotional depth—elements that machines simply can’t replicate. It’s these small, often unquantifiable details that make writing resonate with readers.

Is AI creative: Answering the unanswerable

AI can churn out copy with lightning speed, it’s the human element that brings writing to life

Is there a way to detect AI writing?

Yes there are tools to do that.

With the rise of AI-generated content, identifying whether something was written by a human or a machine has become increasingly important.

The ability to detect AI writing ensures that original voices aren’t being overshadowed by algorithmic patterns and helps maintain the quality of human expression.

Thankfully, there are now tools designed specifically to detect AI-written content. These tools analyze factors like sentence complexity, word choice, and syntax to differentiate between human and machine-generated text. While no tool is perfect, they serve as a valuable resource in flagging suspicious writing patterns. In our best plagiarism checkers for ChatGPT and other AI tools article, we discuss several platforms that have integrated AI detection into their plagiarism-checking features.

One notable example is Copy AI, which offers a plagiarism checker alongside its content creation tools to ensure authenticity.

How to pass an AI detector?

As AI writing becomes more prevalent, many users are looking for ways to modify generated text to make it undetectable by AI detectors.

It doesn’t matter if you’re concerned about maintaining the natural flow of your writing or want to ensure your AI-generated content doesn’t set off alarms, understanding how to humanize text is key.

AI detectors often rely on algorithms that spot repetitive patterns, overly polished grammar, or unnatural phrasing—things that tend to stand out in machine-generated writing. This is where humanizing AI text becomes important. By tweaking certain elements like sentence variation, tone, and word choices, you can transform stiff AI text into something that feels more organic and conversational.

For those looking to take extra steps, we’ve compiled a list of the 10 best AI humanizers that can help make AI-generated text sound more natural. One standout resource is Humanizer.org, a platform designed to convert robotic writing into human-like content. We’ve reviewed this service in detail to help you decide if it’s right for your needs.

While AI tools can help polish and tweak content, the most effective way to humanize AI-generated text is through your own personal touch The best humanizer is you

While AI tools can help polish and tweak content, the most effective way to humanize AI-generated text is through your own personal touch.

No tool can fully replicate the nuances, creativity, and authenticity that come naturally to a human writer. AI-generated content might give you a strong foundation, but it’s your unique voice, perspective, and storytelling that breathe life into the words.

By simply editing and adding your own spin—through a dash of humor, a shift in tone, or personal anecdotes—you can transform an otherwise robotic-sounding text into something that feels authentic and engaging.

No matter how advanced these tools become, they still lack the heart and insight that only a human can provide.

Image credits: Kerem Gülen/Midjourney