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You're reading this because you know AI can churn out content at lightning speed. But let's be real — sometimes it sounds like a robot wrote it.
Stiff, formulaic, lacking personality… any good writer and editor who’s been using AI on the reg can spot unedited AI content faster than Usain Bolt can sprint the 100.
Your readers will be able to as well. Not to mention search engines.
So, it’s time to be proactive! In this article, we'll walk you through our top 7 tips for making AI content sound like a real human crafted it.
We’ll cover:
Let’s get started!
AI content is created using artificial intelligence. Basically, machines analyze massive amounts of data to generate text tailored to a specific topic or style. The result can sound a bit strange since AI isn’t human and doesn’t always match our way with words.
But why, though? Here are some things that make AI content more A than I:
That being said, the algorithms are pretty advanced these days. AI systems are trained on huge datasets of human writing to learn patterns, styles, and topics.
They study what real content looks like; the AI combs through millions of articles, posts, and pages to analyze how people naturally write.
AI tracks things like sentence structure, word choice, rhythm, and flow. The goal is for the AI to get good at mimicking human writing in all its quirkiness and imperfection.
Results vary, though.
Yes, AI can get a little dry, and most content is not exactly something to write home about — it ain’t exactly Disney on Ice.
But that doesn’t mean your AI content has to put people to sleep! You want to make an emotional connection with your readers, so spice up those boring descriptions with language that packs a little punch.
Instead of: The AI system analyzes data to find patterns.
Try: The clever AI digs deep into mounds of data to uncover meaningful insights. Kind of like one of those cute truffle dogs.
See the difference? The second option sparks more interest by implying the AI is "clever" and will uncover "meaningful" patterns. Emotional language, even in small doses, helps bring AI content to life and gives readers a reason to care.
Sprinkle these throughout the content yourself to give it that extra emotional boost that AI has trouble with.
You know how it is: You tell someone to “just be funny” and suddenly their mind goes blank, and they get flashbacks of that one time on open mic night.
Creativity and humor on demand is hard! As the human giving prompts to your AI writer, be as specific as possible about the voice and tone you want. Saying “write something funny” is too vague.
Instead, give examples like:
Giving the AI constraints and a clear model to work from will make it much easier to deliver what you’re looking for. After all, humor is subjective and varies from person to person. The more clues you can give about the type of funny you want, the better.
And remember, just like people, AI systems have their limitations. Mimic? Yes. Truly creative humor? Not quite.
So, don’t expect to get George Carlin on demand! Just sayin’.
You know that awkward moment when you're talking to someone, and they just don't quite “get” you?
That's what reading AI content can feel like. The AI is trying its best, but it just wasn't programmed with your particular brand of hilarious wit, quirky way of looking at things, or even company-specific style in mind.
Here are some ideas to help nip that in the bud:
AI is great at gathering and organizing information, but not always so hot at crafting eloquent prose. AI can be the research assistant who provides the raw materials but needs you, the creative writer, to shape it into something special.
AI can search the internet and deliver reams of data on any topic in seconds.
So, have it dig up studies, statistics, examples, and anecdotes to support the key points you want to make.
Then, use its findings as inspiration to get it going with a first draft.
You can then fill out or edit that draft to your heart’s content. Your voice and style will connect with readers much more than just AI-generated content.
So you’ve written your AI-generated content, and now it’s time to give it a good once-over.
No matter how sophisticated the tech gets, it’s going to make mistakes. It’s your job to catch them!
Read through your content carefully and keep an eye out for anything that sounds “off.” Double-check any facts or statistics — AI has a tendency to “hallucinate” and make up numbers or even create companies out of thin air.
For example, you might come across a sentence like: “Did you know over 73% of people prefer AI-written blog posts?” Unless there’s a legitimate study to back that up, delete it!
AI also struggles with semantics, metaphors and nuance, so simplify or rephrase anything confusing.
Once you’ve combed through for inaccuracies, work on tightening up the language and flow. AI can ramble, repeat itself, and lose focus.
Try dividing long paragraphs into shorter ones, rearranging sentences and sections for better flow and coherence, and deleting any unnecessary or redundant bits.
AI bots can imitate a lot, but they can’t imitate life experiences they’ve never had.
So, adding in little stories and anecdotes from your own life is a great way to make AI content sound more human.
For example, say you’re writing about writing (how meta!):
“Speaking from experience, I know how frustrating it can be to get writer’s block and stare at a blank screen. One time, I was trying to draft an important email at work, and I just couldn’t find the right words. After taking a quick walk around the block, the words came to me like the lyrics to my favorite song!”
Sharing personal experiences, even if in a lighthearted way, this helps the reader connect with you and makes the content more relatable. Your stories don’t have to be deeply profound or wildly entertaining — even small, mundane anecdotes can work. The important thing is that they come across as genuine.
So, even after you’ve gone over every word, how do you know if your AI content sounds human?
AI content checkers can help you put on your skeptical pants and look at the content algorithmically.
They analyze any piece of writing and flag parts that sound too “bot-like.” They’ll catch overused words, complex sentences, and a lack of pronouns that make AI content stick out.
Run your content through a few checkers like Positional or Google’s Natural Language Checker. They’ll give you an “AI score” so you know how human-like your writing is.
Bear in mind that these tools are not infallible! But, when you score 70-80% either way (human or AI), you can be fairly certain that the checker’s in the right.
It takes a bit of a keen eye to spot unedited AI content at first glance, but it’s kind of like looking at one of those optical illusions where there’s a cat hidden in a psychedelic pattern.
Once you see it, you can’t unsee it.
So use these tips, and you’ll be well on your way to harnessing the best AI has to offer: The ability to create good content at scale.
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