How to Spot AI

Did you know that the first chatbot, named Eliza, debuted more than six decades ago? Despite that, AI has largely been in the dark since that time. Last November, that all changed with the release of ChatGPT from OpenAI. Granted, there have been other AI tools and automation efforts put forth over the years, but nothing of this magnitude.

And, with the entire world watching to see what happens next, ChatGPT is just the first of many that are about to change the way people live and work. However, it’s essential that AI is used to assist humans in doing things, not to replace them entirely. While ChatGPT can write an entire article on just about any topic of your choosing, it’s not recommended.

For starters, AI can make mistakes. Machine learning also misses some of the nuances of human language and speech. If nothing else, sites like Google are already starting to penalize people for using AI-generated content on their websites, blogs, and elsewhere online.

So, how can you tell if you’re looking at AI-generated content when you’re browsing online? Here’s what to look for.

• Sentence length and structure: AI often uses short sentences that are simple and often seem out of place in some documents. It also tends to make sentences the same length for consistency.
• Repetition: AI often uses the same words and phrases to fill space. Some tools will just use a keyword anywhere it fits to meet SEO requirements, and often the flow feels unnatural.
• Lack of complexity: AI cannot put complex thoughts into words. It cannot analyze content and turn that material into something with meaning. AI is great at static writing, but not analytical or creative work.
• Incorrect data: AI isn’t great at fact-checking itself. Machine learning models collect data from tons of sources, but they aren’t good at making sure that data fits.
• Too consistent: AI is very uniform and often too predictable in its formatting and content creation. It often seems boring and repetitive and can often come off as robotic because it’s almost too perfect.

You should also watch for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors, along with paying attention to the source. AI isn’t quite a human replacement yet and these are just some of the ways that you’ll be able to tell if you’re dealing with AI-generated content. Now that you know, you can proceed accordingly.