How to Check If Something Was Written with AI

With AI tools like ChatGPT becoming more popular, it’s getting harder to tell whether a piece of writing was created by a human or artificial intelligence. Whether you’re a teacher, employer, or just curious, this guide will show you how to check if a text was written by AI and what signs to look for.


1. How Can You Tell If a Text Was Written by AI?

AI-generated text has certain patterns that make it different from human writing. While ChatGPT is very advanced, it still has some telltale signs that give it away.

Key Signs of AI-Generated Writing:

Overly Formal or Polished Language – AI often sounds too perfect and unnatural.
Lack of Personal Experiences or Opinions – AI doesn’t have real-life experiences.
Repetitive Sentence Structures – AI tends to use the same phrases or words often.
Overuse of Neutral or Generic Phrases – AI avoids strong emotions or bias.
Lack of Complex Thought Process – AI struggles with deep critical thinking.

Let’s break down these signs with examples!


2. Example-Based Guide to Spot AI Writing

✅ 1. Overly Formal or Polished Language

ChatGPT often writes in a way that sounds too structured and too perfect—almost like a textbook.

Example of AI-Written Text:
“Technological advancements have significantly enhanced human communication, enabling individuals to interact seamlessly across various digital platforms.”

How a Human Would Write It:
“Thanks to technology, we can now talk to anyone, anywhere, with just a few clicks. Social media, emails, and video calls make communication easier than ever!”

✔️ Tip: AI-generated text often sounds like an essay. Look for robotic or overly sophisticated wording.


✅ 2. Lack of Personal Experiences or Opinions

AI doesn’t have real-life experiences or emotions, so its writing is often too neutral or generic.

Example of AI-Written Text:
“Many people find exercising beneficial for their overall well-being and physical health.”

How a Human Would Write It:
“For me, exercising changed everything! I feel more energetic, and my mood has improved so much since I started working out regularly.”

✔️ Tip: AI writing avoids personal stories and doesn’t use phrases like “In my experience,” or “I remember when…”


✅ 3. Repetitive Sentence Structures

AI often follows a predictable pattern and repeats similar sentence structures throughout the text.

Example of AI-Written Text:
“Artificial intelligence is advancing rapidly. Artificial intelligence is used in many industries. Artificial intelligence has various applications in daily life.”

How a Human Would Write It:
“AI is growing fast! We see it in things like self-driving cars, chatbots, and even Netflix recommendations.”

✔️ Tip: AI tends to repeat key phrases too often, making the text sound unnatural.


✅ 4. Overuse of Neutral or Generic Phrases

AI tries to stay neutral and balanced, so it often uses vague or generic wording instead of expressing strong opinions.

Example of AI-Written Text:
“Some individuals believe that social media is beneficial, while others argue that it has negative consequences.”

How a Human Would Write It:
“I personally think social media is both a blessing and a curse. It helps us stay connected, but it can also be a huge distraction.”

✔️ Tip: AI avoids controversial statements and often plays it safe with neutral wording.


✅ 5. Lack of Complex Thought Process

AI struggles with deep, layered arguments or critical thinking. It often presents surface-level explanations without real analysis.

Example of AI-Written Text:
“Climate change is an important issue. It affects weather patterns and can lead to natural disasters. People should take action to address climate change.”

How a Human Would Write It:
“Climate change isn’t just about hotter summers—it’s already causing disasters like wildfires in California and floods in Europe. Governments and individuals need to act fast before things get worse.”

✔️ Tip: AI tends to list facts without deeper insights or unique opinions.


3. How to Test If a Text Was Written by AI?

If you suspect that a text was generated by AI, there are several ways to check!

1. Use AI Detection Tools

There are many tools designed to detect AI-generated content. Some of the best ones include:

  • Turnitin AI Detector – Used by schools and universities.
  • GPTZero (https://gptzero.me/) – One of the best AI detection tools.
  • AI Text Classifier (OpenAI) – Created by OpenAI, but not 100% accurate.
  • Copyleaks AI Detector – Another solid AI detection tool.

✔️ Tip: No AI detector is 100% perfect, so always combine detection tools with manual checks.


2. Check for Sudden Tone Shifts

AI can sometimes change its tone mid-paragraph—from overly formal to casual.

Example of a Suspicious Text:
“The economic implications of inflation are profound and require careful analysis. Also, prices are getting crazy high!”

✔️ Tip: AI writing doesn’t always maintain a consistent tone, which can make the text feel awkward.


3. Test with Google Search

Copy a sentence from the suspicious text and paste it into Google Search (with quotes). If it appears on multiple sources, it might be AI-generated.

✔️ Tip: AI-written content often lacks originality and may appear in multiple places online.


4. Look for Unnatural Phrasing

AI sometimes uses odd phrases that don’t sound natural to a human.

Example of Weird AI Phrasing:
“The sun was shining with utmost radiance, projecting warmth onto the terrestrial surface.”

How a Human Would Write It:
“It was a super sunny day, and the heat was intense!”

✔️ Tip: AI often overcomplicates simple descriptions.


5. Ask the Writer How They Created It

If you’re really unsure, just ask the person directly:
Did you use AI to help write this?
Can you explain how you came up with these ideas?

✔️ Tip: If someone struggles to explain their writing process, they may have used AI.


Final Thoughts

AI-generated writing is becoming harder to detect, but with the right techniques, you can spot the differences between human and AI writing.

Key Takeaways:

✅ AI writing is often too polished, repetitive, and lacks personal experiences.
AI detectors can help, but they’re not always 100% accurate.
Check for weird phrasing, sudden tone shifts, and overly formal language.
Mixing AI and human writing is common, so always ask how a text was created.

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