A lot of us write our own stuff but still use tools for editing, and the problem in 2025/2026 is that detectors flag everything, even human writing. So here are 5 quick things I’ve been doing to make AI-assisted content sound more like me and less like a template.

There’s also a short explainer video that covers why AI writing “sounds AI”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwBsVbHslZo&t=14s

1. Break the “perfect” sentence rhythm

AI loves predictable patterns: medium length → transition → medium length → transition.
I usually shuffle sentence lengths like:

• long
• short
• medium
• fragment if it fits

Just that alone makes the text feel way more natural.

2. Add small personal asides

I don’t mean crazy storytelling, just tiny human moments:

• “Honestly,”
• “surprisingly,”
• “for some reason,”
• “the part that annoyed me was…”

These micro-signals help break the robotic tone.

3. Fix transitions manually

AI transitions always sound the same: “Additionally,” “Moreover,” “In conclusion,” etc.

I replace them with:

• “Plus,”
• “On top of that,”
• “The weird thing is…”
• or no transition at all

It instantly sounds less generated.

4. Use an AI tool only as an editor, not a writer

I’ve tested a few this semester. Some tools make writing more detectable because they smooth everything too much.

Grubby AI was one of the few that didn’t change my meaning or erase my voice when I used it only for cleanup. I still edit everything afterward myself, but it helped fix awkward phrasing without making it “too perfect.”

5. Add structure the way humans actually do

Instead of letting AI write perfectly parallel bullet points or flawless topic sentences, I tweak things slightly:

• combine two ideas
• add something that doesn’t fit the pattern
• include a quick example from personal experience

Humans are structured, but not that structured.

Bonus tip

Reading your writing out loud makes robotic phrasing painfully obvious, you’ll hear instantly where something sounds “AI.”