Did you notice how people who were against AI now enjoy its features? I’d especially like to point out the hysteria about AI-generated content:

Most web articles now look more like vague, lengthy, motivational speeches than honest advice. Ah, these “innovative” and “exceptional” statements playing “pivotal” and “crucial” roles in “unleashing your potential” or “elevating your success” in today’s “ever-evolving” and “fast-changing” digital “landscape!” Can’t you hear them from every corner?

Look:

Love it or hate it, AI writers are here to stay. AI tools like ChatGPT become more common in writing because they save tons of time. While you can ask paper writers for hire to help with academic assignments and other content, it’s still faster and easier to generate text that successfully mimics human writing. (What is more, you can scan it via AI-based text humanizers so it sounds “less AI!” After that, you go to automated AI detectors to spot AI terminology and revise it again. Oh, this brave new world, huh?)

There’s Just One Problem

The more creators use AI for writing, the more artificial their words become.

AI perpetuates uniformity in everyone’s writing: We start crafting texts by particular patterns and templates, thus lacking diversity, creativity, and original insights in our content. Even if you don’t use ChatGPT and Co to generate texts, you may sound robotic as you use too many AI text examples in your work.

And AI detectors may see your texts as AI-generated even if it’s not so.

Why?

AI detectors work like… well, AI: one word at a time. Like ChatGPT generates the next most likely word in a sentence, the software predicts the next most plausible word to see if it comes up with the same.

A tool uses two measures to analyze your writing:

1. Perplexity (how predictable the next word is in a sequence of words in the text)
2. Burstiness (how predictable your content is by the sentence structure and length homogeneity throughout the text).

In plain English, the software analyzes a text’s structure and linguistic features, comparing it to existing AI- and human content datasets to differentiate between them.

Human writers naturally switch between long and short sentences, may write in bursts and lulls, use unique (sometimes even self-created) words and spelling list, etc. AI is more robotic; it’s uniform and regular, with a steady tempo and lacking variability.

Here Are the Basic AI Concepts:

• Wordy sentences
• Common knowledge instead of original, creative insights
• Long, similar-looking paragraphs (50-100 words)
• Repetitive phrases throughout the text
• Monotonous text structure: an into + 2-3 subheads + a conclusion
• Gerunds (-ing) and redundant (-ly) adverbs in every second sentence

AI Words That Sound Artificial

Also, AI vocabulary is often full of sophisticated words instead of neutral, “human” language. All these “unleash,” “meticulous,” and “elevate” sound confident and dramatic, and they feel hollow and insincere when used excessively or without context. It looks like AI wants to sound smart and impress you with a vocabulary and lengthy phrases it knows.

Human language is more conversational, grounded, and relatable.

The Spelling List of Words

Below is a spelling list of popular AI phrases that make your content sound robotic when overused in your texts. It doesn’t mean they are a mistake or you should forget all of them and look for alternatives. Just mind the frequency and find the balance. Use synonyms. Consider your target reader to think about what writing style is more engaging and relatable to them.

Nouns	Verbs	Adverbs	Adjectives
annals efficiency endeavor innovation inquiry institution integration implementation landscape optimization paradigm professionalism realm tapestry transformation	align adhere augment calculate captivate convey cultivate delve embark embrace emerge employ ensure enhance evolve facilitate foster highlight leverage maximize navigate revolutionize resonate streamline supercharge tailor underscore unleash unlock utilize	absolutely accordingly additionally arguably certainly consequently definitely especially exceedingly exceptionally extremely furthermore hence however incredibly indeed moreover nevertheless nonetheless notwithstanding remarkably thus ultimately undoubtedly unquestionably	commendable crucial cutting-edge data-driven diverse dynamic ever-evolving exemplary fast-paced game-changing indelible innovative invaluable meticulous multifaceted paramount pivotal proven robust remarkable seamless synergistic thought-provoking transformative utmost unparalleled unbeatable unmatched vibrant vital

These words may signal AI detectors to mark your texts as AI-generated. They aren’t terrible but sound technical, with no context or personality behind them: overly polished, like a machine would generate them to sound impressive but with no real value behind the message.

Any Alternatives for Better Writing?

Sure, the above AI words list may look scary for novice writers. When I find online articles on AI research topics or obvious AI words to avoid in texts for your writings to sound more authentic, there are always people in the comments saying something like:

“Get rid of the English dictionary too. That’s like half the words in it…”

“It seems we don’t have any words left to use. AI has stolen all.”

“It’s really sad to see normal day words being termed as AI-generated. Only going to worsen henceforth…”

Look:

Yes, AI learns fast. Tools evolve, learn more words to imitate humans, and, as a result, we’ll see a variety of phrases marked by AI detectors as artificial though they aren’t. It doesn’t mean we have to give up words to AI and erase them from our writing dictionary. Let’s just focus on language that feels genuine and human and see AI as a motivator to polish our writing skills and grow as experts.

Here are alternatives for the most common AI words and phrases:

1. Elevate — improve, boost, lift up
2. Pivotal — critical, vital, key
3. Delve — dive, dig, look into
4. Explore — study, search
5. Illuminate — clarify, highlight
6. Unlock — access, enable
7. Remarkable — impressive, notable, extraordinary
8. Game changer —major achievement, significant shift
9. You may want to —consider, it’s worth searching
10. On the other hand — conversely, on the contrary
11. It’s worth noting that — keep in mind, take into account
12. To put it simply — in brief
13. Dive into — dig deeper, in-depth research

Some examples of AI versions vs. human alternatives:

AI: Elevate your success to the next level!Human: We help you achieve success that lasts. AI: Unleash the true potential of productivity with our tools!Human: Our tools help you work smarter and get more done. AI: Revolutionize your workflow with our new app!Human: Make your workflow easier with our new app. AI: Our design evokes a sense of calm and professionalism.Human: Our design makes you feel calm and professional. AI: We foster creativity within our teams.Human: We encourage creativity within our teams.

The “In Today’s Digital Era” Writing Curse

I have a little experience for you:

Open an average business blog in any niche: SaaS, marketing, lifestyle, you name it. See how most articles start there. Then, go to another blog. Do the same thing.

I bet you’ll find this:

• In the rapidly evolving world of…
• In today’s fast-paced digital era, where innovation meets everyday convenience…
• In today’s fast-paced, tech-driven world, smartphones have become an integral part of…
• In an ever-evolving digital world, a crucial role…
• In the dynamic landscape of modern business…
• In the pursuit of personal growth and development…
• In the realm of climate change…

It’s another AI pattern so many writers have “stolen” for their blog posts and made it so meh that most readers have no other desire but to ignore a writing piece that starts like this. Sad but true:

It’s a big red flag and an indelible mark that is a sign to the audience: “This text is AI-generated or crafted by a poor writer with no unique voice, expertness, or insights to share. I’ll find nothing but blah-blah-blah” here.”

So, let’s stop writing like this, deal?

Find the Right Balance

AI writing tools are here, and they aren’t going to disappear anywhere. However, they should serve to enhance your work, not replace or dictate it.

So:

Review your recent articles. How many AI words do you see? Why not swap them out with more natural alternatives?

Avoid overused, robotic words in your texts and focus on language that feels genuine and human instead — and your words will resonate with your audience.