How to Check if a Text Was Written by AI?

With the rise of generative AI models like ChatGPT, Bing Chat, HuggingChat, and more, one question has become constant – “Is the text I’m reading online written by a human or an AI?” After all, when surfing the internet to grasp information, you would want to find the authenticity of the content. That’s where checking if a text is written by AI becomes essential! However, the continuous sophistication of generative AI models has made this task much more difficult. So, we are here with this blog on how to check if a text is written by AI to significantly guide you through!

Step 1: Leverage AI Content Detector Tools

The first step to check if a text is written by AI is to leverage the various AI content detection tools available on the web today! You can use Originality AI, GPT-Zero, Content at Scale, Kazan SEO, and so forth to identify the origin of the content piece you have in hand. While some of these tools offer free content detection opportunities, others need subscriptions, and each AI content detection tool has varied features and specifications.  

Copyleaks is one of the best AI content detection tools to use in 2024 to check if a text is AI-generated. It’s a free tool, reliable, and can let you check up to 2000 pages of content without specific character limits. However, there’s a minimum of 350 characters limit for the input texts. Copyleaks supports the detection of texts generated by diverse AI models, like GPT-4, older GPT versions, Bloom, Jasper, Rytr, etc. 

Also Read: Google Gemini, The Most Advanced AI Model!

Step 2: Look for "Tell-Tale" Signs of Machine Writing

While it’s extremely crucial to locate the originality of a text to combat the increasing misuse of technology, relying completely on the predictability of a content detector tool isn’t a wise choice. Instead, you also need to use your human intelligence to look for the signs that demonstrate a text is written by AI. Here are some of the persistent signs of machine writing that you must take into account.

Fluffy and Repetitive Pieces

Since generative AI models create texts by predicting the most likely outcomes for the next word in a sentence and barely know if their content creation is relevant, you may often encounter fluffs and repetitions. If a text has excess use of common words like “the”, “is”, “are”, “it”, and more just to meet the word count, an AI model may be at play! The same goes for the repetition of a particular idea throughout the text!      

Overused Cliche Phrases

Another sign to find out if a text is written by AI is the overuse of cliches and generic phrases within the content draft. Regardless of the productivity benefits of machine writing, an AI-generated text includes apparent language to fill the pages. Certain commonly used phrases by a generative AI model are “Have you ever wondered”, “But there are many benefits”, and so on!  

Unusual Sentence Structuring

If a text doesn’t align with the typical grammar rules and jumps from one idea to another without creating coherence in structure, it’s most plausibly written by a generative AI model. Although the structure may not seem unusual on the surface, taking a closer look can expose the subtle clues. For instance, a text may seem refined and concise at first glance, but when you re-read it, you can find that there’s no clear narrative or argument.

Missing Personal Voice

As machine learning networks curate texts based on the information they have for the time, the tone of content reflects its origin itself. The text generated by AI tools is usually informative and articulated in 2nd or 3rd person. The 1st person's voice and personal stories or testimonials are often missed by AI unless given a prompt accordingly. In fact, an AI won’t use the transition of one voice to another in a text like you do, so that’s again a sign!    

No or Abrupt Use of Metaphors

While the relevant use of language devices like metaphors is more associated with human creativity, it acts as a significant sign to detect whether a text is written by AI. AI-written texts mostly come with a bland literary expression and even when metaphors pop up in between, they sound forceful and unnatural. Besides, a text written by AI may encompass jargon and language that you may have hardly heard of! Such an irony needs to be inspected deeply!

In a nutshell, detecting a text written by AI isn’t that tough! You can do so effortlessly by using both technology and your cognitive capabilities. Once you detect an AI-written text, you can easily locate data biases and confirm the authenticity of the information from other credible sources.