jpeggdev__humanize-writing/references/ai-tells.md

AI Writing Tells

Patterns, words, and structures that signal AI-generated content. Organized by category.

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Vocabulary: Words AI Overuses

Tier 1: Immediate Red Flags

These words almost never appear in natural human writing at the frequency AI uses them.

AI Word/Phrase	Human Alternative
Delve / delve into	Look at, dig into, explore
Landscape (metaphorical)	Scene, world, space, field — or just drop it
Tapestry / rich tapestry	(delete entirely)
Paradigm shift	Big change, sea change
Fundamental shift	Things changed, the ground moved
Game-changer	(be specific about what changed)
Leverage (verb)	Use
Harness	Use, take advantage of
Navigate (metaphorical)	Deal with, figure out, handle
Realm	Area, field, world
Embark on a journey	Start, begin
Myriad	Many, a lot of
Plethora	Many, plenty of
Multifaceted	Complex, varied
Groundbreaking	New, first-of-its-kind
Revolutionize	Change, reshape, overhaul
Synergy	(be specific about what's combining)
Ecosystem (non-technical)	World, space, community
Resonate	Connect, land, hit home
Streamline	Simplify, speed up, cut steps from

Tier 2: Suspicious in Clusters

Fine alone, but AI uses these in combination. Three or more in one piece is a tell.

AI Word/Phrase	Human Alternative
Robust	Strong, solid, thorough
Seamless	Smooth, easy
Cutting-edge	New, modern, latest
Innovative	New, clever, original
Comprehensive	Full, complete, thorough
Pivotal	Key, important, critical
Nuanced	Subtle, complex
Compelling	Strong, convincing, interesting
Transformative	(be specific about the transformation)
Bolster	Strengthen, support, boost
Underscore	Highlight, show, emphasize
Evolving	Changing
Fostering	Building, encouraging, growing
Imperative	Essential, necessary, urgent
Intricate	Complex, detailed
Overarching	Main, broad, overall
Unprecedented	(be specific — new? first? biggest?)

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Phrases: Sentence Starters and Filler

"It's worth..." Family

• "It's worth noting that..." → Just state the thing.
• "It's important to note..." → Just state the thing.
• "It's crucial to understand..." → Just state the thing.
• "It bears mentioning..." → Just state the thing.

"In today's..." Family

• "In today's fast-paced world..." → (delete)
• "In today's digital landscape..." → (delete)
• "In today's competitive market..." → (delete)
• "In an era of..." → (delete or be specific)

"At its core..." Family

• "At its core..." → (delete or restructure)
• "At the end of the day..." → (delete or replace with "ultimately" if you must)
• "When all is said and done..." → (delete)

Hedging Starters

• "While there are certainly..." → Pick a side.
• "To be sure..." → (delete)
• "That said..." → "But" (once per piece max)
• "This is not without its challenges..." → Name the challenge directly.
• "It remains to be seen..." → "We don't know yet" or (delete)

AI Closers

• "The bottom line is..." → (just make your point)
• "Only time will tell..." → (delete)
• "The future is bright..." → (delete or be specific)
• "Start your journey today" → (be specific about the action)

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Structure: Patterns That Reveal AI

The Formulaic Section

Every section follows: Setup → Explanation → "What this means for you" / "The takeaway"

Fix: Vary endings. Some sections end with a question. Some end mid-thought. Some end with a specific example. Some just stop.

The Parallel List

AI makes every bullet point the same grammatical structure and similar length.

Fix: Let some bullets be short. Let some be a full sentence. Break one into a sub-list if it needs it.

The "Not X, but Y" Construction

"Not by writing more code, but by orchestrating agents that do."

Fine once. AI uses it 5-10 times per piece.

Fix: Use it once, max twice. Restructure the rest.

The Tricolon Close

"Start building, start learning, start growing."

Fix: Use a single direct statement instead. Or just two items.

The Balanced Conclusion

"The gap between X and Y is widening. The good news: [positive]. The challenge: [negative]. [Inspiring closer.]"

Fix: End with one strong statement, not a perfectly balanced assessment.

The Em-Dash Epidemic

AI uses em dashes — like this — constantly, often multiple times per paragraph.

Fix: Use periods. Use commas. Restructure the sentence. One em dash per 3-4 paragraphs is human frequency.

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Tone: The AI "Voice"

Too Balanced

AI always presents both sides. Real writers with expertise pick a position and defend it. They acknowledge counter-arguments briefly, not at equal length.

Too Positive

AI defaults to optimism. "Exciting developments," "tremendous opportunity," "bright future." Real writing is more measured and occasionally pessimistic.

Too Smooth

AI never stumbles, pauses, or doubles back. Every transition is polished. Real writing has slight roughness — a parenthetical aside, a sentence that starts one way and pivots, a blunt statement after a complex one.

No Personality

AI doesn't have opinions, pet peeves, or a sense of humor. Adding these (sparingly) makes writing feel authored by someone real.

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Detection Heuristic

Score the piece on these dimensions. 5+ hits = likely AI-generated:

• Uses 3+ Tier 1 vocabulary words
• Uses 5+ Tier 2 vocabulary words
• Has "It's worth noting" or similar filler phrases
• Every section follows the same structure
• "Not X, but Y" appears more than twice
• Em dashes appear more than once per paragraph
• No sentences under 8 words
• No informal or colloquial language anywhere
• Conclusion is perfectly balanced (good news/bad news/inspiring close)
• Every list has the same number of items
• No opinions, asides, or personality
• Every claim is hedged with "certainly" or "to be sure"