Can You Tell if Something Was Written by an AI Chatbot?
A colleague recently forwarded an article and asked, "Did a person write this?" It was a fair question. The prose was clean. The structure was logical. But something felt... off.
Identifying AI-generated content is becoming a practical skill for every business professional. Here are four clues to watch for.
Flawless but flat. AI-generated text rarely contains the casual asides and idiosyncratic rhythm that make human writing feel lived-in. If it reads like it was written by someone who never gets tired, take note.
Vague specificity. Watch for phrases like "in today's rapidly evolving landscape" and "a comprehensive approach." These sound authoritative but say very little. Experts are more direct.
No opinion. A subject-matter expert takes a position. AI tends to present "both sides" without committing. If a document never disagrees with anything, ask who wrote it.
Generic examples. AI excels at outlines. It struggles to share a story from last Tuesday's production floor. If the examples feel hollow, they probably are.
Does any of this matter? In our industry, yes. A compliance memo, a client proposal, or a training document carries the credibility of the person who signs it. Readers - and regulators - expect accuracy, accountability, and a real point of view.
The solution isn't to avoid AI. It's to edit the output. Add your experience. Fix the flat phrases. Make it yours.
Amazing Astronomical Fact: In 1835, the New York Sun published a series of articles claiming astronomer John Herschel had discovered bat-winged humanoids living on the Moon. The "Great Moon Hoax" ran for six installments before anyone questioned it.
Readers have always struggled to spot convincing fiction dressed as fact. Good judgment matters now more than ever.
SURPRISE ENDING: This entire blog post above was written by Claude. I uploaded my previous “Thursday Thoughts” and entered the following prompt:
Using the combined documents as a guide, write a blog post in the same style with the subject of “Can you tell if something is written by an AI chatbot?” Limit the post to 2,100 characters.
Did you know it wasn’t me before I told you?
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