AI writing tells

Predictable phrasing (perplexity)

A language model works by predicting the most probable next word. That's also its deepest tell: it keeps choosing the most probable next word. The result is text where nothing surprises you: corporate connective tissue like "Furthermore," "It is worth noting that," "The key insight is," and adjectives that always travel in the same pairs ("dramatically streamline," "seamlessly integrate").

Detectors quantify this as perplexity: how surprised a language model is by your text. Human writing has higher perplexity. We pick odd words, make weird comparisons, and skip the transitions entirely when we're in a hurry.

Why detectors flag it

Perplexity is the original AI-detection signal, and it's still one of the strongest. Low-perplexity text, where every word is the likeliest candidate, is close to a mathematical definition of "written by a model." Combined with flat sentence rhythm, it's the core of every major detector's score.

What it looks like

In today's fast-paced digital landscape, effective communication is more important than ever. Furthermore, teams that leverage modern tools can dramatically streamline their workflows.

Every phrase is the most expected phrase. That's the problem.

How to fix it

• Cut the essay transitions. "Furthermore," "Moreover," "It is worth noting". Social posts don't need them. Just say the next thing.
• Replace generic claims with your specifics. "Dramatically streamlined our workflow" becomes "cut our release process from four hours to twenty minutes."
• Keep your odd word choices. The slightly-wrong word you'd actually use beats the perfectly expected one.