How to Check If Your Content Is AI-Generated (Step-by-Step Guide)

At We-Right Factory, we maintain a fair, data-driven approach.  This material may contain affiliate links, though that never influences our findings. We count on practical checks, actual use cases, and transparent criteria.

According to Ahrefs research, 74.2% of newly published web pages contain AI-generated content. That number continues to rise. AI content lacks depth, misses context, and reads flat – readers usually notice it. Human writing builds trust, signals expertise, and works more effectively in the long run. 

The We-Right Factory team conducted a series of tests and analyzed common trends across hundreds of AI-generated texts. We know how to recognize generated text, understand the patterns and weaknesses of AI, and are ready to share this experience. Here’s how to tell if content is AI-generated.

Why AI Content Is Easy to Spot (When You Know What to Look For)

AI follows templates. All the AI robots available are trained on the same data, so the output will look similar across tools and topics. The lines are the same – they have similar forms, wording, and rhyme. After clocking them, it takes less than a minute to spot AI content. Here’s why AI content is easy to detect:

• Similar structure. AI constructs each and every piece of writing with the same intro-body-conclusion framework, with no differences at all.
• Sentence patterns. The length of the sentences remains constant all the way through – no short sentences which are interspersed with long sentences.
• Filler phrases. “It’s worth mentioning” and “In conclusion” are used in almost every AI-generated draft out there.
• Word choice. AI selects the most frequently used synonym each time and doesn’t use field-specific words.
• Logic depth. Items are added to the list but never developed – AI summarizes subjects rather than explaining them.
• Predictable flow. The transition between paragraphs is read identically at the start and finish of each paragraph.
• Tone flatness. There’s zero personality in writing, and zero personality in reading, the same writing topic, the same reading topic, regardless of the article specialization.

Step-by-Step: How We Check If Content Is AI-Generated

There is a specific order that we use in AI content checks. Each step targets a specific level of the text: structure, language, logic, and tool verification. Read them consecutively, and you have a clear read of any piece. Here are the steps in detail.

Step 1: Scan the Structure First

The quickest tell is structure. AI tools fall to templates – there’s no variation in the output. Scan the flow of sentences and the layout of the piece, and then read the actual content. A single surface assessment alone provides you with a good indication. The following are what to look at:

• Uniform sentence lengths. All sentences have approximately the same number of words. The combination of short, punchy lines and longer lines is a natural occurrence in human writing. AI makes everything flat and at an even pace.
• “Perfect” logic. In every paragraph, a point is established and neatly closed. No loose ends, no half-ideas. It sounds more like an outline rather than an actual argument.
• Predictable flow. The piece looks like this: intro → point → summary, then repeats the same cycle. No detours, no tangents. Authors can provide more depth and context – AI follows the template.

We have tested a sample of AI drafts and human articles. We observed this same plan of recurrence in the majority of AI texts. We also observed that the minor corrections did not disrupt this trend. You can see the example of the standard AI sentences in the following screenshot.

Step 2: Find Repetitive Patterns and Phrases

The same sentence constructions are repeated throughout the work, as generated by AI. Different paragraphs, same skeleton – that repetition is a visible signal because human authors disrupt rhythm, AI adheres to it. Take out some of the sentences and place the structures next to each other. The key indicators include:

• “X is not just X, it’s also Y”. This is a construction that appears in nearly every AI text. E.g.: “SEO is not just rankings, it’s also visibility.” No man writes that sentence spontaneously – it is a filler construction that the model falls back on.
• “No X. No Y. Just Z.”. It’s a clear conclusion, usually made up of three parts. For example: “No fluff. No filler. Just results.” It sounds more like a slogan, not a sentence. Human authors don’t use it this way.
• Overused transitions. “Furthermore,” “Moreover,” “Additionally” – back to back, paragraph after paragraph. Human writers replace natural connection phrases or simply omit them.
• Repetitive 3-item lists. AI will always adhere to lists with 3 items. For example: “fast, reliable, and scalable.” Human authors don’t automatically group all the ideas into 3 points.

Here you can see a real example of text with AI patterns that we described above:

As you can see, the AI checker tool clearly identifies this text as generated, with an 81% probability.

Step 3: Analyze Word Choice

Words are a strong criterion. AI relies on the most common word set and doesn’t account for anything niche or field-specific. The outcome is writing that reads as polished but not personalized; that is, there’s no personality and nothing specific. Look especially at the following words:

• Ensure. “This will ensure optimal results.” Since no one uses ensure in real-life conversations, it is a formal filler that AI defaults to at all times.
• Robust. “A robust solution for your business.” Vague and overused. It is an indication of nothing definite as to what the thing actually does.
• Cutting-edge. “Cutting-edge technology for modern teams.” Empty descriptor. True authors refer to the technology, rather than the coolness.
• Seamless. “A seamless user experience.” Always appears near UX or onboarding copy. Meaningless without specifics.
• Fluid. “Fluid navigation across all devices.” Same problem – sounds good, says nothing.
• Crisp. “Crisp, clean design.” Design writers don’t use this word. AI does, repeatedly.
• Deliver. “We deliver results.” Trigger because it pairs with vague nouns – results, value, solutions. Human writers say what specifically gets delivered.

Our experts analyzed multiple AI texts – these words were repeated in most of them. You can see a real example below:

Read also our article: Surfer SEO vs Ahrefs: Which Platform Makes More Sense in Practice?

As in the previous case, the AI checking tool clearly sees this text as generated:

Step 4: Check the Logic and Depth

A signature of AI is surface-level writing. The tool discusses a subject without discussing it in detail, without providing information, details, and real-life situations. A copywriter who knows the subject writes with detail, AI summarizes. Such a difference in depth is one of the strongest indications in the entire check. The key markers are as follows:

Step 5: Use AI Detection Tools (But Don’t Trust Them Blindly)

Detection tools apply AI markers to patterns similar to known AI output. They are fast and convenient for an initial text check. The most popular tools for AI detection are:

• ZeroGPT. It has stringent requirements for uniform formatting and repetitive words, which makes it a good solution for quick scanning.
• Originality.ai. It is highly sensitive; it identifies slightly edited AI work, where other tools would show as human text.
• Copyleaks. Scans the phrasing and sentence structure, performs well when verifying multilingual work.

An AI score is an indicator, not a final verdict. Detection scores depend on the degree of editing, the subject, and the writing style. Use detection output as one data point – compare it with the manual checks we reviewed above to get a 100% verified result of the content.

We used these tools to process the same texts. The platforms showed different results and had different sensitivities. The most sensitive is Originality.ai, while Copyleaks and Zerogpt are less triggered by AI markers. 

Real Case: AI vs Human Text

To demonstrate the difference in practice, we prepared a side-by-side comparison of the same content: one version was generated by AI, and the other was rewritten by a copywriter.

In the following table, you can find what each marker looked like in the original text, why it was a red flag, and the specific fix we made.

Our Final Thoughts

AI text contains patterns. They can be trapped by structure, wording, and the lack of detail. There are detection tools available that can assist, but a self-review is more important. Ideal results can be achieved by reading the context, flow, and real examples simultaneously.

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