AI isn’t magic — it’s just pattern recognition.

(Did you recognize the sentence above as being AI-written? It wasn’t. I wrote that but it had 2 tell-tale signs of “ChatGPT wrote this”. Do you know what they are?)

Once more, AI recognizes patterns, something that humans have excelled at for hundreds of thousands of years.

That’s one of our superpowers.

Chances are YOU can recognize AI writing when you see it, even if you aren’t an expert at AI, you’re an expert at patterns.

Here's how I used AI to extract some of AI's worst writing and then used AI to prevent AI from writing like AI.

(And you know THAT sentence wasn’t written by AI!)

When You Know What You Hate But Can't Describe It

The two patterns I used in the first sentence are the em-dash or “—” and the antithesis with a pivot phrase.

First pattern: AI loves using em-dashes. We humans rarely use them in casual writing, but every AI model treats them like punctuation candy.

Second pattern: The antithesis and pivot phrase.

Ever read something like this: "It's not about X, it's about Y" or "This isn't just A, it's B."

I didn't even know this pattern had a name until I asked ChatGPT directly: "Most LLMs including ChatGPT love to use the writing pattern of 'It's not X, it's Y' in many different situations. What do you call this writing pattern?"

Answer: The Antithesis and pivot phrases.

Now I had names for my frustrations, time to remove them!

Next move: map the enemy territory.

My ChatGPT prompt: "What are some other telltale patterns that ChatGPT and other LLMs tend to use or overuse which might be spotted by humans?"

The response revealed an entire catalog of robotic tics.

Here’s what ChatGPT said to me:

1. Antithesis and Pivot Phrases

• Pattern: “It’s not X, it’s Y.”

• Why it’s overused: Feels clever and persuasive but becomes formulaic.

• Example: “It’s not just about saving time, it’s about reclaiming your life.”

2. Prefatory Abstractions

• Pattern: Starting sentences with vague setups like:

  • “In a world where…”

  • “When it comes to…”

  • “In today’s fast-paced society…”

• Why it’s overused: Attempts to sound profound, but delays the real point.

• Example: “In the realm of productivity, consistency is key.”

3. Triadic Phrasing (Rule of Three)

• Pattern: Grouping three concepts with rhythm and parallelism.

• Why it’s overused: It mimics persuasive speech but feels too rehearsed.

• Example: “Fast, reliable, and scalable.”

4. Overqualified Assertions

• Pattern: Phrases padded with hedging or disclaimers:

  • “Arguably,” “in many cases,” “it’s important to note,” “in some ways,” “to some extent”

• Why it’s overused: Meant to sound balanced or nuanced but often dilutes clarity.

• Example: “While there are many factors, it’s important to note that mindset plays a key role.”

5. Generic Analogies and Metaphors

• Pattern: Reliance on clichéd metaphors:

  • “Like a well-oiled machine”

  • “Think of it as a compass, not a map.”

• Why it’s overused: Offers surface-level clarity but lacks originality or specificity.

6. Redundant Reassurances

• Pattern: Repetitive affirmations meant to comfort or encourage.

• Why it’s overused: Mimics coaching tone, but feels empty when repeated.

• Example: “And that’s okay. You’re not alone. You’ve got this.”

7. Circular Conclusions

• Pattern: Ending by restating the intro without advancing insight.

• Why it’s overused: Attempts to sound complete but often adds no value.

• Example: “So as you can see, staying focused is the key to success.”

8. Artificial Enthusiasm

• Pattern: Forced excitement through exclamations or over-positive phrasing.

• Why it’s overused: Aims to be motivational but feels synthetic.

• Example: “This is your moment! Step into your greatness!”

9. Hyperstructured List Introductions

• Pattern: Over-explaining the structure before delivering the actual content.

• Why it’s overused: Tries to be organized, but slows the pace and feels robotic.

• Example: “Let’s break this down into three key parts: first, second, and finally…”

10. Unnecessary Definitions or Obvious Clarifications

• Pattern: Explaining well-known terms or ideas.

• Why it’s overused: LLMs try to cover all bases, but this feels patronizing.

• Example: “Mindfulness, which is the practice of being present…”

But identifying problems means nothing without solutions.

Here’s The Prompt That Fixed It For Good

So I went further:

(Subscribers can access the prompt for free just below this sentence. Not a subscriber, sign up, nothing to pay but your attention)