Let’s be honest, AI-generated content is now everywhere, from social media posts and blog articles to images and videos, making it harder to tell whether something was created by a human or a machine. While AI offers convenience and efficiency, it often lacks originality, personality, and true brand alignment (Every time I see badly used AI-Generated Content particularly on LinkedIn I honestly cringe!). Businesses that rely too heavily on AI risk losing the authenticity that makes their content engaging and often original.

For businesses and content creators, there is a fine line between using AI as a tool and letting it take over completely.  At Delivered Social, We know AI can assist with idea generation, drafting, and automation, but when left unchecked, it produces bland, repetitive, and robotic content that fails to connect with an audience. Many brands have already suffered from AI-generated mistakes, tone-deaf messaging, and engagement drops due to inauthentic posts.

Social media is driven by  genuine interaction, creativity, and relatability, which AI struggles to replicate. If businesses post AI-generated content without human oversight, they risk losing their unique voice and damaging trust with their audience.

I’m sure I’ll get some backlash with the article as many businesses will endorse AI and I do endorse AI and I believe it’s a brilliant tool BUT it must used correctly which I why I’m writing this article on  Spotting AI-Generated Content, from text and social media posts to images and videos. It will also cover how to use AI effectively so that it remains an aid rather than a replacement. The key to success in digital marketing is not just creating content but creating real, valuable, and meaningful content that resonates with your audience.

How AI-Generated Text Stands Out

Let’s be honest, AI-generated text can feel off. While it is improving, it still struggles to capture real personality, creativity, and the unique voice that makes content engaging. If you have ever read something that feels oddly repetitive, generic, or just too polished, chances are it was written by AI.

Spotting AI-Generated Content

• Repetitive Sentence Structures – AI-generated content often reuses phrases and sentence patterns, making the writing feel predictable.
• Overuse of Transition Words – Words like moreover, arguably, notably, furthermore, and in conclusion are classic AI giveaways. Humans rarely speak or write like this unless they are trying to sound academic.
• Lack of Personality – AI struggles with humour, sarcasm, and genuine storytelling. It can list facts, but it does not naturally create content that feels relatable or engaging.
• Too Formal or Too Generic – AI-generated content often sounds either too robotic or too vague. It might state “It’s important to consider…” instead of just getting to the point.
• No Real Experience or Insight – AI lacks personal experience and anecdotal evidence. If an article gives generic advice without real-life examples, it is a red flag.

AI Text vs Human-Written Content

Example of AI-generated writing:
“Social media content is crucial for engagement. Brands should consider storytelling techniques to foster deeper audience relationships and drive conversions.”

Human-written alternative:
“Social media is all about connection. If your content feels corporate and lifeless, people will scroll past. Share real experiences, not just sales pitches, and you will see the difference.”

AI can be useful for drafting and structuring content, but if you let it write everything without human input, your content will start sounding just like everyone else’s. And let’s be real, no one wants to sound like a chatbot on LinkedIn.

AI-Generated Social Media Content: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

Social media is supposed to be engaging, personal, and relatable, but AI-generated posts often miss the mark. If you have ever scrolled through LinkedIn and cringed at yet another overly polished (I do about 47 times a day..) , corporate-sounding post, you are not alone. AI is great for assisting with ideas and drafting, but when businesses rely on it too much, their content becomes robotic, inauthentic, and just plain boring – honestly, Spotting AI-Generated Content isn’t difficult.

The Good: When AI Helps

• Idea Generation – AI can help brainstorm post topics, captions, and content formats, saving time for busy marketers.
• Content Structuring – AI can create outlines and first drafts, making it easier to refine and add a personal touch.
• Automating Repetitive Posts – Useful for scheduling standard updates, like promotions or reminders.

The Bad: Where AI Fails

• Generic Engagement Prompts – Posts that say “What are your thoughts?” with no real context scream AI-generated content.
• Lack of Real Personality – AI struggles with humour, sarcasm, and storytelling, making posts feel flat.
• Forgetting Audience Connection – AI cannot replicate the nuances of human interaction, brand voice, or cultural context.

The Ugly: AI-Generated Social Media Fails

• Overuse of buzzwords and clichés – “In today’s ever-evolving digital landscape…” Just stop – NO ONE TALKS LIKE THIS!
• Automated responses gone wrong – AI chatbots replying with awkward, tone-deaf messages.
• AI-generated captions that make no sense – “Mondays are like coffee, without the beans!” Huh?

AI-Generated Images & Their Common Red Flags

AI-generated images can look impressive at first glance, but when you take a closer look, you will often notice strange details, unrealistic features, and visual inconsistencies. While AI tools like DALL·E, Midjourney, and Stable Diffusion have advanced rapidly, they still struggle with certain aspects of human anatomy, textures, and real-world physics – it’s quite easy to spot inaccuracies  particularly if you ask for any text in an image!

How to Spot AI-Generated Images

• Weird Hands & Fingers – AI notoriously struggles with hands, fingers, and joints, often adding extra fingers or making them look unnaturally twisted.
• Unrealistic Eyes & Facial Features – AI-generated faces can lack symmetry, have inconsistent lighting, or appear uncanny, especially when you zoom in.
• Distorted or Blurry Backgrounds – Look for melted objects, unreadable text, or details that don’t make sense in the background. AI often blends textures in odd ways, making elements look artificially smooth or unnatural.
• Strange Lighting & Shadows – AI struggles with realistic light sources, sometimes casting shadows in the wrong direction or missing them entirely.
• Glitches in Text & Logos – AI-generated images often fail to produce legible text, making company logos, signage, and written content appear warped or nonsensical.

When AI-Generated Images Are Useful

AI can be a great tool for concept art, quick mockups, or abstract visuals, but when it comes to branding, marketing, and professional design, human-created images still reign supreme. If you want genuine, high-quality visuals, stick to professional photography and graphic design. We also know a lot of clients who use AI to initial design logo ideas or designs for their business.

AI-Generated Videos: Spotting AI-Generated Content

AI-generated videos are becoming more realistic, but they still have telltale signs that give them away. From uncanny facial movements to awkward speech synchronisation, AI struggles to replicate the subtleties of human emotion and natural storytelling. While tools like Synthesia, DeepBrain AI, and Runway have made strides in AI video creation, the technology is far from perfect.

How to Spot AI-Generated Videos

• Unnatural Facial Expressions & Movements – AI-generated faces can appear stiff, overly smooth, or lack real emotional depth. The eyes often lack focus or blink unnaturally, making the person look robotic.
• Mismatched Lip Syncing – AI struggles with accurate lip movements, especially in longer sentences or complex pronunciations. This results in an awkward, slightly offbeat speech pattern.
• Repetitive Hand Gestures – AI-generated avatars overuse the same gestures, making movements look unnatural and overly rehearsed.
• Weird Lighting & Texture Issues – AI can miscalculate shadows and skin tones, leading to inconsistent lighting, blurry edges, or distorted details.
• Flat or Emotionless Voices – AI-generated voices lack the natural rhythm, pauses, and tonal variations of human speech, making them sound monotonous.

Where AI-Generated Videos Can Be Useful

AI video creation works well for automated training videos, basic explainer content, and quick voiceovers. However, for branding, storytelling, and audience engagement, human-led video content is still far more impactful. If your video feels lifeless or awkward, chances are it was generated by AI.

Most Overused ChatGPT Words & Phrases That Scream “AI-Written”

If you have ever read an article that felt overly polished yet strangely lifeless, chances are it was AI-generated. AI writing tools tend to rely on the same predictable words and phrases, making content feel generic, robotic, and far from human conversation. When it’s come to Spotting AI-Generated Content – trust me it’s not difficult once you know what you’re looking for.

AI’s Favourite Overused Words

• Tapestry – No one in real life describes industries or ideas as a “rich tapestry.”
• Vibrant – Everything does not need to be vibrant, especially corporate reports.
• Delve – AI loves to delve into things. Humans usually just talk about them.
• Landscape – Overused in tech and marketing discussions. “Navigating the digital landscape” needs to be retired.
• Pivotal, Arguably, Notably – AI clings to these words to sound intellectual, but they add little value.

AI’s Favourite Overused Phrases

• Let’s dive into… – No, let’s not. Just get to the point.
• It’s important to note… – If it’s important, just say it.
• Remember that… – Sounds condescending.
• Based on the information provided… – No one talks like this.

How to Rewrite AI-Generated Content to Sound Human

❌ “Let’s delve into the intricate landscape of digital marketing.”
✅ “Let’s talk about what actually works in digital marketing.”

AI-generated content can be useful for structuring ideas, but it should always be edited with a human touch to remove the cringeworthy phrases that make it obvious.

FAQs: How to Use AI Without Losing Your Authenticity

AI can be a powerful tool for content creation, but it should never replace human creativity, tone, or real-world experience. When used correctly, AI can assist with idea generation, research, and drafting, but it must be refined to reflect your unique voice and personality.

1. Should I rely on AI to write all my content?

No. AI is best used as a starting point, not the final product. AI-generated content often lacks nuance, emotion, and a personal touch. Always edit and refine to match your brand’s voice.

2. How can I make AI-generated content sound more human?

• Rewrite AI drafts to sound more conversational and natural.
• Add personal experiences, insights, and opinions AI can’t replicate your real-world expertise.
• Avoid generic AI phrasing (see the previous section on overused ChatGPT words).

3. Can AI help with content creation without replacing authenticity?

Absolutely. AI can:

• Generate blog post ideas and outlines to speed up research.
• Suggest captions or headlines for social media posts.
• Create first drafts, which can be edited to sound more natural.

4. What’s the best way to balance AI and human creativity?

• Use AI for efficiency, but always review and tweak before publishing.
• Engage personally on social media – don’t rely on AI to reply to comments or messages.
• Prioritise storytelling and emotions in marketing – AI struggles to create content that feels personal.

5. What happens if I don’t edit AI-generated content?

• Your content will sound generic, repetitive, and robotic.
• You risk losing credibility if your posts feel lifeless or too polished.
• AI errors can create misleading or factually incorrect information.

I really hope you found this article about Spotting AI-Generated Content useful and If you want to see AI-balanced content done right, connect with me on LinkedIn where I share real insights (not AI fluff!)