How to fix AI generated writing

Why does AI writing sound robotic?

Because it’s written by a robot. And generative AI is an outstanding tool to help get your core ideas structured, and a basic first sketch down. But you’re not done there if you want your writing to be the most engaging it can be for your audience. 

Consider, what are you trying to convey with your words? Who are you writing to? What do you want them to do with the information you’re sharing? 

If you ask yourself these questions, then re-read your AI output (which probably seemed pretty good at first glance), you’ll notice that a lot of the words can be cut without your writing losing any of its messaging. 

These redundant, repetitive words are what I like to call ‘AI fluff’. To make your AI writing sound less robotic, begin by cutting the fluff.

What’s wrong with using ChatGPT for my website copy?

So you tried it, and you like it. It’s got all the key details you need, and it looks more professional than your DIY draft.

But does it really sound like YOU? Does the tone perfectly capture your brand, or do you sound like everyone else? And most importantly, is it converting? 

Without your unique brand voice, your copy is just a repeat mashup of what other people are doing, and that’s going to give you an astronomically average result.

How to make AI-generated content sound human? Bring in your brand voice. Choose words that you and your customers use in natural speech. Show your personality.

How to tell if text is AI generated

Forget about the long hyphen. That thing is actually an em dash (like this —), and it’s merely a distant cousin of the hyphen (like this -). Professional writers have been using it long since ChatGPT came along and learned it from the writers.

If you want to know how to spot AI-generated text, pay attention to the structure and formatting. If The Headline And All Subheadings Are In Title Case Like This, that’s one potential red flag; but in no way certain confirmation.

If every single paragraph ends with a conclusion that says: it’s not just about ABC. It's also about XYZ. That’s your second red flag.

If you’re seeing multiple AI typical buzz phrases such as: evolving digital landscape, elevate your (whatever) game, unlock the potential, or anything to do with today’s fast-paced world, those are some pretty big red flags right there too.

But still, we have to remember that AI learned all of this from somewhere. Just because you spot one or two red flags in the piece you’re reading, doesn’t necessarily mean the writing wasn’t done by a human. These buzz phrases were commonly used before AI, too.

There is no set of distinct rules. The best way to tell AI from human writing is to assess the overall structure for repetitive patterns and redundant fluff.

You can use an AI detector, but it’s never going to be reliably accurate. Try this: copy a section of content from any popular website. Paste it into several different AI detectors. Observe the wildly different results you get.

For this reason, I always explain to my clients that I write for the reader first, and the detector is just an afterthought. What matters most about your writing no matter how you create it, is that the reader wants to read on to the next sentence, and the next one after that, and the next, and so on.

How to make AI writing sound natural

To make your AI-generated website copy sound more natural, cut the fluff and repetition. Not just repetition of the same words, but the same sentence and paragraph structures.

The surge of AI-generated content has seen huge growth in the demand for professional AI editing services. As businesses become more aware of the potential flaws in using generic content, such as the risk of harming SEO efforts and lack of engagement with the reader, the need for AI copy humanisation grows.

Humanising ChatGPT copy for websites and editing AI writing for businesses have been some of the most popular services in demand since I started my freelance career in 2024. I’ve edited texts from social media posts to 30,000 word manuscripts—from flat and robotic to human and engaging. 

Generative AI is a game-changing tool that’s reshaping the way we work. But it is a tool, not an author. You still need a human editor for ChatGPT writing if you want your copy to sound original. As an AI refinement specialist, I now offer this service to businesses across the globe. Bringing AI copy to life is what I do. See for yourself—samples and process RIGHT HERE