The Biggest Tell That Something Was Written by AI
The article discusses the increasing prevalence of AI-generated writing in various aspects of life, including personal communication and professional writing. While many people express distrust towards AI writing, its efficiency and polished output are leading more individuals to adopt it as a tool. The author argues that reliance on AI can undermine the critical thinking and personal touch that are essential to meaningful writing.
- ▪AI-generated writing is becoming common in personal texts and professional communications.
- ▪Despite distrust, many are using AI as a writing tool to enhance efficiency and stand out in competitive fields.
- ▪The article emphasizes that the writing process is crucial for meaningful expression, which AI cannot replicate.
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TechnologyThe Biggest Tell That Something Was Written By AILook closely and you’ll see that every part of the text is not quite right.By Eve FairbanksIllustration by The Atlantic. Source: Getty.May 29, 2026, 7 AM ET ShareSave A few weeks ago, where I live in Johannesburg, a man ran a stop sign and crashed into my Subaru. At the scene he was frantic, unable to gather his thoughts. Half an hour later, I received a lengthy, perfectly grammatical text from him elegantly explaining how he perceived the crash had happened. For a repair quote, I wrote to a mechanic I know, a man who used to text me in curt phrases riddled with shorthand.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Atlantic.
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