Why human-written articles are getting flagged as AI-generated? A problem-solution guide

The AI and AI detection tools, both are rising so fast that writers are facing the frustrating experience of having their original, self-written work getting flagged as AI-generated. If AIs are claiming that they wrote your work, meaning your work is getting caught by AI detectors, let’s find the potential problems and solutions to help you get rid of it.

Problem 1: Overuse of templates

Solution: Although templates speed up your writing process, relying too much on templates can make your work repetitive. To solve this, add a unique personal thought to your writing. Avoid sticking to one structure. Rearrange sections, change sentence flow, use creativity, and make engaging content to maintain a natural tone.

Problem 2: Too formal tone

Solution: Highly formal language is a red flag for AI detectors. This sounds tough to deal with as sometimes a formal tone is needed but try adding a bit of conversational and human tone to your formal writing. Use idioms, contractions, and natural phrases that feel human-written and not robotic. Imagine you’re speaking directly to your reader.

Problem 3: Repetitive phrases or sentence structures

Solution: AI follows repetitive patterns, so if your writing lacks sentence variety, it may appear AI-generated. To solve this, consciously mix up sentence lengths and structures. Alternate between short and long sentences and add expressions to make your writing attractive.

Problem 4: Limited vocabulary or simplistic sentence structures

Solution: When content is written with a limited vocabulary or excessively simple sentences, it can lack the feel of human authorship. Avoid this by using a variety of vocabulary and introducing various phrases. Instead of reusing similar words, explore synonyms or add descriptive language to add depth.

Please avoid replacing “statistically significant” with “notable” or “considerable” (AI does this but it is incorrect in most instances/all instances). The writer in me wanted to mention this somewhere, anywhere!

Problem 5: Unintentional plagiarism

Solution: If your writing is similar to other articles you’ve read, it might get flagged by AI or plagiarism checkers. Unintentionally copying phrases from widely read sources is common, but don’t forget to rephrase thoroughly in your own words. Also, add your unique opinion. Reviewing your work with plagiarism checkers can also help identify any unintentional plagiarism, letting you correct them.

Problem 6: Use of AI-assisted tools

Solution: Using AI-powered tools for grammar or style assistance can sometimes make your content look like AI-written. If you use these tools, avoid accepting every suggestion it gives. Choose what is suitable and correct in your piece, leaving space for natural imperfections that make your writing distinctively human.

Factors contributing to red flags

Writing style

Technical or academic writing styles often appear robotic (something I face personally in technical content). While writing complex articles, use a conversational tone wherever possible, add your thoughts and conclusion to the technical data. Try to add more than one technical article with similar findings and write a common concluding statement for all of them. Add explanations that make your work feel more human-written.

Now that we know certain words are used frequently by AI, avoid using those words or use them to a minimum.

Topic

Certain topics (like science) may may get flagged more frequently as AI-written. Thus, you have to find a way and add real-world examples, and your unique perspective to scientific writing.

Length

Too short or too long, and AI will claim that it wrote your article. If your article is concise, ensure it still contains sentences of varying lengths. For long articles, don’t use a common structure for all articles you write, and add your unique thoughts to keep the content engaging.

Final Thoughts: Prevention Strategies

The best way to avoid being flagged as AI-generated is to focus on writing naturally. Use AI and other writing tools rarely, use human-like language and varying structure, and always add a personal touch to your work. A human review after your writing can also help your voice and perspective shine through clearly.

In the end, writing with originality is the most effective method to avoid AI detection. By using these solutions, you can keep your work free of the robotic qualities that AI detectors target.