Today, artificial intelligence is considered an excellent writer. Distinguishing machine-written text from human writing has become a practical concern for editors, educators, and anyone evaluating sources online — particularly as large language models such as GPT-class systems produce fluent prose that reads, at a glance, like a careful human draft. The signals that give AI writing away are rarely about grammar; they are about texture, specificity, and the kinds of small errors humans make and machines do not. Here are some tips experts recommend to use in distinguishing AI-generated content from human writing: Scrutinise the content. Look for human-like errors. Consider the context. Utilise AI tools. Trust reputable sources. Each tip points at a different signal. Scrutiny catches the over-smooth paragraphs and the confident-sounding claims that dissolve when you check the cited facts. Human-like errors — a misplaced comma, a regional idiom, a half-finished thought left in for rhythm — are exactly the kind of texture that current models tend to sand away. Context matters because AI-written text often handles surface fluency well but stumbles on the specifics of a place, a date, or a named person. Detection tools (classifier-based or watermark-aware) give a probabilistic second opinion rather than a verdict. And reputable sources — outlets with editorial chains and named authors — remain the cheapest filter against synthetic noise. Credits: CNN
