What are your AI writing pet peeves? ?? ??

I’m a fan of using AI in my work. That said, I’m getting tired of the same phrases and structures showing up over and over.

Here are 11 of the most overused AI words and phrases:

1. Anything that is rapidly evolving or ever-evolving. Example: “In today’s rapidly evolving B2B landscape, companies are continuously adapting to innovative technologies and shifting market dynamics, emphasizing the need for agile strategies, deeper data insights, and a stronger focus on customer-centric approaches to maintain a competitive edge.”?
2. Similarly, starting sentences with phrases about the world today. Example: “In today’s digital age, businesses must navigate an increasingly complex landscape of technology and consumer expectations, where the integration of AI, data analytics, and personalized marketing strategies becomes essential for staying competitive and relevant.”?
3. Making something “transformative” or “crucial”. Example, “AI's transformative potential in B2B marketing is crucial for businesses looking to innovate and stay ahead in an increasingly competitive and data-driven marketplace.”?
4. Using “Whether you are…”. Example: “Whether you are a seasoned marketer or a newcomer to the field, understanding and leveraging the latest technological advancements can significantly enhance your marketing strategies.”?
5. Reminding the reader to remember. Example, “Remember, while AI in marketing offers incredible efficiency and data-driven insights, it should be used as a tool to enhance human creativity and intuition, not replace it.”?
6. Telling us to “think of X as” or saying something “It’s like…”. Example: “Think of AI in a B2B marketing context as a sophisticated assistant that not only automates mundane tasks but also provides insightful data analysis. It's like having a tireless team member who can sift through mountains of data, identify trends, and offer actionable recommendations, all tailored to enhance the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns.”?
7. Using “not only… but also”. Example: see the first sentence in the prior paragraph. (That said, I actually am a fan of using the construction in my writing, but it needs to be used sparingly.)?
8. Saying something is “all about”. Example: “AI in B2B marketing is all about leveraging advanced analytics and machine learning to understand complex customer behaviors.”?
9. Repetitive paragraphs, e.g. making the same point multiple times in different ways. (See what I did there?) ?
10. Overuse of certain words, including "delve", “unlock”, “ensure”. Example: “AI enables us to delve into complex data patterns, unlock valuable customer insights, and ensure that marketing strategies are both highly targeted and optimally effective.”?
11. Ending with “In conclusion”, though admittedly I let that one a bit too often. Example: “In conclusion, it’s important for writers to avoid overusing certain phrases and structures that have become overused by AI.”

Here are a few other ways to make sure your writing is, and sounds, human.

First, imperfections are your friend. In my list above, note that sometimes I followed the word Example with a colon, and sometimes with a comma. AI would never do that.

Second, AI is pretty bad at using what’s called a “tricolon”. This is a group of three words or phrases that parallel each other in length and/or form. A famous example is '‘Government of the people, by the people and for the people”. The brain remembers groups of 3 better, and when each word or clause is parallel, it just sounds good. But AI struggles to make the groups of 3 parallel — see #1 above, where “agile strategies”, “deeper data insights”, and “a stronger focus on customer-centric approaches” are not parallel.

Third, AI doesn’t tend to use parentheses or em dashes. I love using them, see #7 above and the previous paragraph.

Fourth, AI sentences tend to have a pretty uniform sentence length and structure, which can get boring. Vary your sentence lengths. See my earlier paragraph about imperfections being your friend.

What are your AI writing pet peeves? Have you tried updating your AI prompts and instructions to avoid phrases like these? Let me know in the comments!