However frenzied the AI hype gets, at the end of the day, people want to read stuff written by humans.
Even AI’s biggest cheerleaders have backed away from writing with AI. Instead, they generally champion using AI to brainstorm, outline, or edit, leaving the actual writing to a person.
This is mostly a good thing for writers, but it does mean anything that reads as though it was AI-generated—regardless of whether it actually was—gets dismissed. Readers stop reading; editors send you less work.
So, how do you make sure your writing sounds human? While there’s no foolproof strategy, there are some best practices you can follow. Generally speaking, AI content tends to use vague, cliched language and make predictable conclusions. If you avoid these things, you’ll sound like a person—and become a better writer in the process.
Here are four ways to avoid sounding like an AI when you write.
Make a Point
The most important strategy for sounding human is knowing exactly what you’re trying to say and deliberately choosing the words that best help you say it.
I know, this sounds obvious. This is basically the definition of writing, rights?
But it’s not uncommon to “zone out” while writing and just say things that are generally on topic until you’ve reached your word count.
Resist that temptation. Determine the main idea of every article and write it down, even if you’re working on a painfully straightforward listicle. As you write, periodically check that every sentence is in service of that main idea.
Generative AI works by associating related words, which means that it can talk forever about a given topic, but it struggles to have something to say about a topic. If you focus on making a point, your writing will inevitably come across as more human.
Use Real Life Examples and Verifiable Statistics
AI makes assumptions, jumps to conclusions, and sometimes “hallucinates” (which is a euphemism tech companies use for being dead wrong). Avoid doing that, and you’ll avoid sounding like AI.
In a lot of cases, this means doing your research— even if you’re already an expert on the topic you’re writing about. AI can’t interview people, so find experts and quote them. It can find statistics, but it’s not as good as you are at figuring out which statistics are 1) trustworthy and 2) of interest to your audience. So, find relevant statistics and link to your sources.
AI also hasn’t had your life experiences, so where appropriate, use real-life anecdotes to illustrate your points. Of course, AI can make up anecdotes, but they won’t be as vivid as what you can share from personal experience. People can typically tell on an instinctual level if an anecdote is generated or genuine.
Generative AI usually doesn’t provide examples, anecdotes, or sources unless specifically prompted to. Even then, it’s a toss-up whether it’ll hallucinate or say something accurate. So, an article that draws from real-life sources will stand out as more authentic.
Avoid Overused Buzzwords
This is probably the most popular technique for avoiding sounding like AI, and for good reason. AI being trained on existing web content means the more overused a phrase is, the more likely AI is to use it.
In my field of B2B marketing, the most overused phrases are typically insufferable corporate buzzwords. “Synergy.” “Digital transformation.” “Leverage.” “Robust.” “Ever-evolving business landscape.” If it sounds like it belongs in a presentation given by the most out-of-touch boss you’ve ever had, generative AI will use it.
Other fields have other cliches, and I’m sure you know the ones in yours. (And probably used them as an early writer—we all started out mimicking how everyone else in our industry wrote.)
I recommend listing out a few of your industry’s buzzwords and challenging yourself to not use them. It’ll help you avoid sounding like AI, and better yet, it’ll make you a more creative writer.
Remove Unnecessary Words and Phrases
It’s very tempting to use extra words, extra long words, and otherwise elevated language to make yourself sound smarter. But unless the longer sentences or fancy vocabulary convey a unique meaning, they don’t actually make you sound smarter. They just make you sound like AI.
When I was just starting out and trying to write like every other content marketer, I would often say things like:
“In today’s ever-changing business environment, organizations are challenged to utilize robust, innovative technologies and embrace digital transformation to achieve competitive advantage on the global stage.”
Whereas today, I’d write:
“Today’s businesses need to adopt new technologies to remain competitive.”
The first sentence uses far too many words, most of them terms not used in everyday conversation. Worse, it lacks clarity and specificity.
By contrast, the second sentence makes its point in a straightforward manner and is easier to understand as a result. (It also contains notably fewer cliches.)
AI writes like the first sentence because that’s what the average content marketing piece it’s trained on sounds like. Talented humans write like the second.
AI’s Ultimate Tell
There has been a lot of talk online about what AI’s “tells” are—hints that immediately give a piece away as AI. But most of the tells people propose (like using a lot of em dashes) are things human writers might also choose to do.
However, there is one “tell” I’ve noticed in all AI-generated content, and it’s this:
If my eyes glaze over and my mind wanders while I’m reading, it’s likely AI.
If a piece is grammatically perfect and structurally fine, but I just cannot for the life of me bring myself to care about it, it’s likely AI.
AI is dull, impersonal, and vague. No matter how good AI gets, these things will likely remain true.
Write with specificity and authenticity, and you’ll stand out as human.
Contact me to partner with a human dedicated to helping your content stand out.
Nicole D'Angelo 