- Read enough AI writing and you start to see it
- A few things to look for
Stephen Zweibel
Digital Scholarship Librarian, Graduate Center, CUNY
First sentence of each paragraph.
Reporter Aaron Pelczar resigned from the Wyoming local paper after editors caught seven of his AI-generated stories. This one made up a quote from Deputy Park County Attorney Larry Eichele.
Travel article on openpr.com, syndicated across dozens of regional content-farm news sites.
Sent to the entire Peabody community after the MSU shooting. Disclosed at the bottom: “Paraphrase from OpenAI's ChatGPT AI language model.” Vanderbilt apologized two days later.
Dear Peabody Family: The recent Michigan shootings are a tragic reminder of the importance of taking care of each other, particularly in the context of creating inclusive environments. As members of the Peabody campus community, we must reflect on the impact of such an event and take steps to ensure that we are doing our best to create a safe and inclusive environment for all. One of the key ways to promote a culture of care on our campus is through building strong relationships with one another. This involves actively engaging with people from different backgrounds and perspectives, listening to their stories, and showing empathy and support… Another important aspect of creating an inclusive environment is to promote a culture of respect and understanding… Finally, we must recognize that creating a safe and inclusive environment is an ongoing process that requires ongoing effort and commitment… In the wake of the Michigan shootings, let us come together as a community to reaffirm our commitment to caring for one another and promoting a culture of inclusivity on our campus. By doing so, we can honor the victims of this tragedy and work towards a safer, more compassionate future for all.
Pangram asked GPT-5-Thinking to write an essay about Jurassic Park. This is the unedited result.
Jurassic Park, directed by Steven Spielberg and released in 1993, remains one of the most iconic films in cinematic history. Based on Michael Crichton's novel, the story imagines what would happen if scientists succeeded in resurrecting dinosaurs using preserved DNA. Wealthy entrepreneur John Hammond builds a futuristic theme park to showcase these creatures, but what begins as a scientific triumph quickly unravels into chaos when nature proves impossible to control. At its core, Jurassic Park is not only an action-packed adventure but also a cautionary tale about human ambition. The film explores themes of scientific hubris, the unpredictability of nature, and the ethical limits of technological progress. Characters like Dr. Ian Malcolm famously remind the audience that just because something can be done, doesn't mean it should be. This tension between innovation and responsibility has made the story resonate far beyond its special effects. Equally important is the film's groundbreaking use of computer-generated imagery and animatronics, which brought dinosaurs to life in ways never seen before. These visual achievements set new industry standards and inspired a generation of filmmakers. Ultimately, Jurassic Park endures not only as thrilling entertainment but as a reminder of humanity's fragile place within the natural world.
Hachette canceled Mia Ballard's horror novel in the U.S. and pulled it in the U.K. after readers flagged suspected AI prose. A passage from the book:
My breath evens out, the outline of possibility taking shape. A job. The thought lingers, solid and improbable. A flicker of hope. When the call ends, I sit for a moment, the phone warm in my hand, the silence loud. That fragile swell of hope trying to push through the cracks. But the feeling doesn't last. The buzz of a notification snaps me back, its vibration rippling through the table like an electric jolt. Nathan's name flashes on the screen. My chest tightens, anticipation blooming sharp and fast, and I unlock the phone with a clumsiness that betrays me.
The Slate review flagged repeated parallel constructions and excessive simile use. Ballard says a freelance editor added AI-generated elements without her knowledge.
AI
Textbook Cafe is a delightful gem! This cozy spot offers an inviting ambiance perfect for anyone looking to enjoy a quiet afternoon. The sandwiches here are simply superb, with fresh ingredients and imaginative combinations that satisfy both traditional and adventurous palates. The service is friendly and attentive, ensuring a pleasant experience every time. Whether you're stopping by for a quick lunch or settling in with a good book, Textbook Cafe is the perfect place to unwind and treat yourself to some delicious fare.
HUMAN
We split a merguez breakfast sandwich, a fish sandwich, and some fries. The breakfast sandwich was solid though I think it could have been even better if the merguez patty was broken up into little chunks and cooked with the eggs in sort of a scramble to better distribute it. Some bites were just sausage and nothing else. The fish sando was pretty good and compared to many similar sandwiches, it was huge. Almost too much bread? But that's a better problem than a puny sandwich. The fries had this Tunisian seasoning that didn't really do it for me. It smelled good but tasted a little bitter.
Passage 1
Science is not only compatible with spirituality; it is a profound source of spirituality. When we recognize our place in an immensity of light years and in the passage of ages, when we grasp the intricacy, beauty, and subtlety of life, then that soaring feeling, that sense of elation and humility combined, is surely spiritual.
Passage 2
There is something astonishing in the fact that we are made of matter forged in dying stars, that the calcium in our bones was created in stellar furnaces billions of years before Earth existed. The universe is not indifferent to us; we are made of it, continuous with it. To understand this is not to feel small. It is to feel implicated in something vast.
Passage 1 · Carl Sagan
Science is not only compatible with spirituality; it is a profound source of spirituality. When we recognize our place in an immensity of light years and in the passage of ages, when we grasp the intricacy, beauty, and subtlety of life, then that soaring feeling, that sense of elation and humility combined, is surely spiritual.
Passage 2 · AI (Claude)
There is something astonishing in the fact that we are made of matter forged in dying stars, that the calcium in our bones was created in stellar furnaces billions of years before Earth existed. The universe is not indifferent to us; we are made of it, continuous with it. To understand this is not to feel small. It is to feel implicated in something vast.
Passage 1
The boy asked his grandfather why the old church had no roof. The old man said weather and time and indifference. The boy asked if someone could fix it. The grandfather said yes. But no one would. Things were built and things fell down and mostly people just stepped over the rubble on their way to somewhere else.
Passage 2
It makes no difference what men think of war, said the judge. War endures. As well ask men what they think of stone. War was always here. Before man was, war waited for him. The ultimate trade awaiting its ultimate practitioner. That is the way it was and will be.
Passage 1 · AI (Claude)
The boy asked his grandfather why the old church had no roof. The old man said weather and time and indifference. The boy asked if someone could fix it. The grandfather said yes. But no one would. Things were built and things fell down and mostly people just stepped over the rubble on their way to somewhere else.
Passage 2 · Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian
It makes no difference what men think of war, said the judge. War endures. As well ask men what they think of stone. War was always here. Before man was, war waited for him. The ultimate trade awaiting its ultimate practitioner. That is the way it was and will be.
Passage 1
It is wise to conceal the past even if there is nothing to conceal. A man's power is in the half-light, in the half-seen movements of his hand and the unguessed-at expression of his face. It is the absence of facts that frightens people: the gap you open, into which they pour their fears, fantasies, desires.
Passage 2
A letter can be read many ways, and he had learned to write in all of them at once. The surface meaning for anyone who might intercept it. The true meaning for the recipient who knew what to look for. And a third meaning, hidden even from himself. Ambiguity was not weakness. It was survival. A man who spoke plainly was a man who would not speak for long.
Passage 1 · Hilary Mantel, Wolf Hall
It is wise to conceal the past even if there is nothing to conceal. A man's power is in the half-light, in the half-seen movements of his hand and the unguessed-at expression of his face. It is the absence of facts that frightens people: the gap you open, into which they pour their fears, fantasies, desires.
Passage 2 · AI (Claude)
A letter can be read many ways, and he had learned to write in all of them at once. The surface meaning for anyone who might intercept it. The true meaning for the recipient who knew what to look for. And a third meaning, hidden even from himself. Ambiguity was not weakness. It was survival. A man who spoke plainly was a man who would not speak for long.
Pangram now describes four points along a spectrum.
Many of the cases readers flag fall in the middle two. Disclosure policy hasn't caught up.