How to Recognize AI-Generated Text

What you will learn

In this guide, you will learn how to recognize text that was generated by AI rather than written by a person. This is becoming more important as AI is used to create fake reviews, scam emails, misleading news articles, and social media posts.

What you need

• No special tools needed
• An understanding of what to look for

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Look for text that is too smooth and perfect

AI-generated text often has a particular quality that sets it apart from human writing:

• It flows very smoothly without any rough edges or personality
• It uses very balanced, neutral language
• Paragraphs tend to be similar in length
• Sentences follow a predictable pattern
• It rarely makes grammar mistakes or typos

Real human writing usually has more variation, personality, and occasional imperfections. If a text feels like it was written by a very careful but boring writer, it may be AI.

Step 2: Check for a lack of personal opinions or experiences

AI does not have personal experiences, so its text often lacks genuine opinions:

• It describes things without showing personal preference
• It uses phrases like “many people believe” or “it is generally considered” instead of “I think” or “In my experience”
• It tends to present all sides equally without committing to a viewpoint
• It avoids controversial or strong statements

If a product review, for example, describes features without any personal story about actually using the product, it may be AI-generated.

Step 3: Notice repetitive structure and phrasing

AI tends to follow patterns. Look for:

• Lists where every item follows the same sentence structure
• Paragraphs that each start with a topic sentence, followed by supporting details, in the exact same format
• Repeated use of transition words like “furthermore,” “moreover,” “additionally”
• Overuse of certain words or phrases throughout the text

Human writers naturally vary their style, sentence length, and structure more than AI does.

Step 4: Watch for generic content without specific details

AI-generated text often lacks specific, verifiable details:

• A restaurant review that describes the atmosphere as “warm and inviting” but never mentions a specific dish
• A product review that lists features but never describes a real experience
• A news article that summarizes a topic without quoting specific sources
• Travel content that describes a city in general terms without mentioning real street names or landmarks

Specific details are harder for AI to invent convincingly.

Step 5: Use AI detection tools (with caution)

There are websites that attempt to detect AI-generated text. You can try:

• GPTZero (gptzero.me)
• Originality.ai (originality.ai)
• Sapling AI Detector (sapling.ai/ai-content-detector)

Paste the text into these tools and they will estimate the probability that it was written by AI. However, be aware that:

• These tools are not perfect and can be wrong
• They sometimes flag human-written text as AI
• They sometimes miss AI-generated text
• They work best on longer texts (several paragraphs)

Use them as one tool among several, not as definitive proof.

Tips

• Trust your instinct. If something feels too smooth or too perfect, it might be AI. Human writing has character and imperfections.
• Check the source. A text from a verified journalist or known author is more likely to be genuine than an anonymous post.
• Look at the context. AI-generated scam emails often create urgency (“Act now!” or “Your account will be closed!”). Real communications from banks and companies are usually calmer.
• Focus on what matters. Whether text is AI-generated or not, the important question is: is the information accurate and the source trustworthy?