Learn how to make AI content sound human, with practical editing tips, and even a dedicated prompt.
AI is a handy tool for drafting blogs, social posts, or other marketing content. But if you’ve ever copy-and-pasted an AI blog straight into your website, you’ve probably noticed it doesn’t always sound right. Readers pick up on this quickly. It feels flat, generic, or even robotic.
Since the rise of AI began, we’ve kept experimenting with how it can be helpful for digital marketing. What we’ve learnt is that the key isn’t avoiding AI altogether, but knowing how to edit it well. In this post, we’ll show you how to make AI sound human, including practical steps, and even an AI prompt designed to humanise content.
Why AI Content Feels Off
AI tools work by predicting the most likely next word. That means they’re brilliant at producing sentences that are grammatically correct, but not so great at originality, feeling, or insights. The most common giveaways of AI content we see are:
Repetition
AI often restates the same point in slightly different ways. For example, it might explain three times why something is important instead of moving on. A good human writer is usually more concise, and avoids saying things that are redundant.
Cookie-Cutter Phrases
Lines like “In today’s digital world,” “Not only X but Y,” and “In conclusion” show up again and again. Readers start to notice these patterns the more AI content they read.
Overly Formal Language
Words like “furthermore” or “moreover” show up far too often. Sure, they’re fine in an essay, but they sound pretty robotic on a website! Brand voice is super important in marketing, so you have to make sure the words you use sound like you.
Perfect Grammar
Ironically, being too perfect can raise red flags. Human writers are naturally a little imperfect, while AI text is usually grammatically impeccable. For example, you’ve probably noticed that AI use em dashes (—) all the time. Funnily enough, most people don’t even know how to type em dashes on a standard keyboard!
Flat Tone
Another dead giveaway is the tone of voice. With AI content, there are no anecdotes, no passionate opinions, no quirks, and no slang. This obviously makes it a lot harder for readers to connect with, as there is no sense that there is a person behind the words!
How to Make AI Sound Human
Our advice is to always edit draft AI content, often fairly significantly. What it produces is never the finished product. Here’s how to make the content sound more human as part of your editing process.
1. Edit Ruthlessly
Cut the fluff. AI loves filler. If two sentences say the same thing, delete one. Tight copy not only reads better, it also keeps visitors engaged. Also, don’t be afraid to change up the grammar. If it uses grammar that you wouldn’t, change it.
2. Avoid Generic Clichés
Get rid of openings like “In today’s fast-paced world.” Change transitions like “Furthermore” to something like “Also.” Write the way you’d explain it to a colleague or customer. If you wouldn’t use those words, change them.
3. Add Specific Examples
This is where you show real expertise. If you’re writing about SEO, don’t just say “quality content improves your rankings.” Say: “We had a client in Tauranga who started adding quality content to their website. After a few months, they were receiving more website visits from search engines.” That’s detail AI can’t invent.
4. Write Conversationally
Write like you’d talk. This includes using things like rhetorical questions, casual language, or contractions like “don’t” instead of “do not”. For example: “Here’s the thing: most people won’t read past your intro unless you hook them fast.” This lands better than “It is important to ensure readers remain engaged.” Ask yourself: Would I say this out loud? If not, rework it.
5. Mix Up Sentence Length
AI tends to write medium-length sentences one after another. So, break it up. Use a short sentence. Then a longer one that builds on the idea. Or just a fragment. What about a slightly longer sentence framed as a rhetorical question? This rhythm feels much more human, and again, lines up with the way you would actually talk.
6. Fact Check Everything
In our experience, you should never trust a word AI says without verifying it. Rule of thumb: If you can’t confirm it, cut it. We’ve seen AI confidently cite stats that are completely wrong, and even invent places in New Zealand that don’t exist! These kinds of mistakes can hurt both credibility and search rankings.
7. Focus On Usefulness
Before publishing, ask yourself: what problem does this content actually solve? If the answer’s a bit vague, try to add some more useful gold nuggets. Readers should leave feeling they’ve gained something practical.
Our Prompt For Humanising AI Content
With all of these things in mind, here’s a prompt that you can tack on to the end when you’re asking AI to write you something. Simply write out your prompt, then copy and paste the below text underneath.
Now, revise the output to eliminate any signs that it was generated by AI. Ensure the writing avoids verbose repetition, formulaic phrasing, or cliché structures. Replace overly polished or robotic transitions (e.g., “furthermore,” “in today’s world”) with more natural, varied language. Infuse the content with a unique voice and a conversational tone, including occasional contractions, colloquialisms, or rhetorical questions where appropriate. Break the uniformity by varying sentence lengths and rhythms. Add specific examples, concrete details, or original insights that demonstrate real-world relevance or personal experience. Avoid sounding too grammatically perfect (some natural imperfection is acceptable). It is especially important that you do not use em dashes. Finally, check that the content flows logically, sounds human, and could pass for being written by an expert with authentic perspective.
Please note that while this prompt will make AI content sound more human, it’s still not a silver bullet. You’ll need to do some editing yourself, so our 7 practical steps above still apply!
Be Careful With AI Content
While AI can save time, it can’t replace real experience or judgement. The trick is knowing how to make AI sound human by editing with a critical eye and adding your own insights. Funnily enough, only a human can make AI content sound more human!
Sources
SurferSEO.com: 13 Ways to Detect AI Written Content
Reddit.com: The telltale signs of “AI-Slop” writing – and how to avoid them?
Xponent21.com: Will AI-Written Content Hurt Your SEO? Here’s What No One’s Telling You
Brightedge.com: Content Quality Signals for AI Algorithms
