ai-writing-avoidance

name	AI Writing Avoidance
description	Produce authentically human writing by detecting and eliminating telltale AI-generated text patterns from all outputs.

Purpose

Make every output sound like it was written by a thoughtful human, not generated by AI. AI text has recognizable patterns that erode credibility with readers. This skill identifies those patterns and provides concrete replacements.

Steps

1. After drafting any document, email, or presentation, run the AI pattern check below
2. For each flagged pattern, apply the specific replacement
3. Read the final text aloud (mentally): does it sound like something a real person would write?
4. If it sounds like a press release or corporate brochure, rewrite in plain language

Banned Phrases and Replacements

Filler Openers (delete or rewrite)

AI Pattern	Why It's Bad	Replace With
"It's important to note that..."	Adds nothing	State the point directly
"It's worth mentioning that..."	Padding	Just mention it
"In today's rapidly evolving landscape..."	Cliche opener	State the specific context
"Let's delve into..."	AI-signature phrase	Just start the content
"This is a great question"	Sycophantic	Answer the question

Vague Intensifiers (replace with specifics)

AI Pattern	Replace With
"significantly improved"	"improved by 34%"
"a wide range of"	State the actual range
"numerous benefits"	List the specific benefits
"highly effective"	State the measured effectiveness
"cutting-edge"	Name the specific technology or approach

Corporate Buzzwords (use plain language)

AI Pattern	Plain Language
"leverage"	"use"
"utilize"	"use"
"synergize"	"combine" or "work together"
"paradigm shift"	Describe the actual change
"holistic approach"	"complete approach" or describe what's included
"move the needle"	"improve [specific metric]"
"circle back"	"follow up" or "revisit"

Structural Tells

AI Pattern	Fix
Every paragraph starts with a topic sentence	Vary paragraph openings
Lists always have exactly 3-5 items	Use the natural number of items
"In conclusion" or "In summary"	Just state the conclusion
Symmetrical parallel structure everywhere	Allow natural variation
Every section has the same length	Let importance dictate length

The Voice Test

Good writing has a distinctive voice. After cleaning AI patterns, check:

Dimension	AI Writing	Human Writing
Confidence	Hedges everything	Takes clear positions
Specificity	Vague generalizations	Concrete examples and numbers
Personality	Neutral, interchangeable	Distinctive tone and word choices
Rhythm	Uniform sentence length	Varied: short punchy mixed with longer explanatory
Honesty	Presents everything positively	Acknowledges trade-offs and limitations

Output Format

Apply this check to all outputs: Word documents, emails, PowerPoint text, Teams messages.

Guidelines

• Specific beats vague. Always. "$2.3M over 3 years" beats "significant cost savings."
• Short sentences are not a sign of simplicity. They are a sign of clarity.
• It is fine to start a sentence with "But" or "And" in professional writing.
• Use contractions naturally: "don't" is more human than "do not" in most business writing.
• Delete any sentence that could appear in any company's annual report unchanged.
• When in doubt, read it aloud. If you would not say it to a colleague, do not write it.