By skyforbes 
I’ve been writing my thesis and some essays, and even when I’m actually writing everything myself, I’ve had chunks flagged as “AI.” It’s getting super frustrating, detectors keep shifting, and something that passed clean in September suddenly gets soft-flagged now.
For context, this vid explains it pretty well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Senpxp79MQ&t=21s, basically why detectors are unpredictable and why false positives happen.
I tried a bunch of tools this week just to clean up wording and make things sound more natural. Most of them still left my text sounding stiff or got flagged. I’ve tested out Grubby AI purely as an editing/humanizing helper (not to generate the actual content). After editing with Grubby AI, my text felt more natural and some of the AI-score metrics I checked dropped, but YMMV and you should absolutely check your uni’s policy before using anything.
Before anyone suggests “just use X to bypass detection” – I’m not looking for shortcuts or sketchy workarounds. I just want to avoid false positives and make my writing sound like a real person.
So I’m curious:
- What tools have you used only as editing aids (grammar, flow, tone) that actually improved clarity without changing your original meaning?
- Any tips for rewriting/structuring academic writing so it stays original but still reads smoothly? (e.g., integrating citations, adding personal voice, phrasing methods/results)
- Have any uni writing centers or profs given guidance on using AI tools safely? What did they say?
TL;DR: detectors are getting unpredictable. Just looking for real student experiences and low-risk tips to avoid false positives while keeping everything honest. Cheers!