AI Giveaways — Signs Someone’s Writing Was Made or Heavily Assisted by AI

AI writing isn’t always easy to detect, but there are common tells. If you read enough AI-generated text, you start noticing patterns — stylistic glitches, repeated habits, or “too perfect” phrasing that gives the machine away.

None of these signs are 100% definitive on their own, but stacked together, they make AI-assisted writing much easier to spot.

This is one of the easiest giveaways. AI loves long dashes — way more than real people do. It uses them constantly to:

• extend sentences
• connect ideas
• add emphasis

Humans tend to use commas, periods, or shorter sentences. If you see lots of “—” in a short piece of writing, it’s a hint the text may be AI-assisted.

AI text often has:

• evenly paced sentences
• similar length
• predictable structure
• a smooth but unnatural flow

Humans mix up their rhythm — short sentences, long ones, fragments, emotional phrasing. When everything feels “uniform,” it’s usually AI.

AI tends to sound like:

• a corporate memo
• a textbook
• a motivational speaker

Even when the topic doesn’t require it.

Common signs include:

• phrases like “in today’s world…” or “it is important to note…”
• transitions like “moreover,” “furthermore,” “in conclusion”
• robotic politeness
• a lack of real personality

AI loves repetition because pattern consistency is baked into its training. Common giveaways:

• the same sentence openers
• identical transitions
• paragraphs that follow the same shape
• restating the same idea multiple ways

AI writing often states obvious points, avoids nuance, and stays surface-level.

When the text feels like it’s circling the same idea without adding depth… it may be AI.

AI frequently explains things that humans would assume the reader already knows.

Examples:

• defining what a résumé is in an article about résumés
• giving unnecessary background on extremely basic topics
• adding context nobody asked for

This comes from the model trying to be helpful — but it ends up sounding robotic.

Humans naturally draw on:

• experiences
• opinions
• memories
• humor
• specific references

AI rarely does this unless you force it. Instead, it stays vague or relies on clichés instead of unique, lived examples.

Humans make small mistakes. AI rarely does unless you explicitly tell it to.

If the writing is:

• flawless
• perfectly structured
• free of typos

…there’s a good chance AI was involved. Real writing has rough edges.

AI loves organization: numbered lists, bullet points, clear sections, structured paragraphs.

Humans tend to be more chaotic — or at least less perfectly organized.

AI writing often feels:

• sanitized
• balanced
• safe
• predictable
• emotionally muted

Human writing has edge. It has quirks, unpredictability, strong opinions, messy emotions, and personality. AI rarely produces that naturally.

None of these signs alone prove something is AI-generated — but together, they reveal a pattern. If a piece of writing feels “flat but perfect,” “organized but generic,” or “polished yet personality-free,” it’s likely AI-assisted.