How to Edit AI Writing So It Doesn’t Sound Like AI
Are you reading a lot of copy these days that sounds like it belongs in a corporate brochure? Big sweeping phrases, clever “X meets Y” pairings, and buzzwords stacked one after another sound polished, sure, but it doesn’t sound like anyone you’d actually want to have a conversation with. That’s the telltale “AI voice.”
AI can be great for drafting, but left as-is, it will read as generic, overly formal or even poetic, hollow and insubstantial. The key is learning how to edit those drafts into something that feels like you actually wrote it.
Why Is It Like That?
AI tools tend to fall into patterns. They’re trained on huge swaths of marketing copy, so they spit out phrasing that looks polished but reads generic. Savvy readers can usually spot:
Overused structures: “X meets Y,” “Rooted in X,” “Built for X.”
Lists of three: A favorite cadence in AI writing.
Em dashes: Over-relied on for “dramatic” pauses.
Buzzwords: align, amplify, bespoke, built, clarity, cultivate, deep understanding, delve, elevate, embark, encompass, endeavor, enhance, enlighten, landscape, pivotal, profound, purpose, realm, resonate, rooted, synergy, tapestry, testament, underscore, unleash, unlock.
How to Humanize It
Add specificity
Instead of: Where legacy meets intelligence.”
Try: “A 30-year history, reimagined with today’s tools.Change the cadence
Instead of: “Rooted in tradition. Built for progress.”
Try: “We started in a garage, but the work has always been about moving forward.Eliminate the buzzwords: Instead of “empower,” say “help.” Instead of “resonate,” say “stick with you.”
Vary sentence length: AI text often reads like evenly measured bricks. Slip in a one-word sentence. Or a long, winding one. That unpredictability mirrors natural speech.
Add in conversation: Adding a phrase like “to be honest” or “we didn’t see that coming” re-anchors the text in lived experience.
Quick Checklist
Ask yourself:
Does this sound like something I’d actually say out loud?
Is there a cliché structure (X meets Y, built on X, rooted in X)?
Could I swap a buzzword for a simpler word?
Do my sentences all march in step, or do they have variety?
Is there a real detail that would bring this to life?
