humanizer

name	humanizer
description	Audits text against AI writing tells and rewrites it into natural prose. Use when the operator wants drafted content de-AI-ified, especially before publishing on X/LinkedIn/Threads or sending to readers.
allowed-tools	[]

Humanizer

Audit a draft for the usual LLM tells, then rewrite it so a human reader can't pattern-match it as AI.

When to Use

• Operator says "humanize this", "de-AI this", "make this not sound like ChatGPT", "rewrite in my voice".
• Before posting drafted content to X, LinkedIn, Threads, a blog, or sending to a reader.
• After another skill (social-posting, summarize) produces text that needs a final pass.
• Operator pastes copy and asks for an honest critique of how AI-flavored it reads.

Do not auto-invoke on raw conversational replies. The skill is for prepared drafts, not chat.

Procedure

1. Read the entire draft once. Note the apparent voice (if any) and the audience.
2. Scan top-to-bottom for tells in the four groups below. Mark each hit.
3. Rewrite the draft applying the counter-patterns. Keep meaning, claims, numbers, and technical terms exact.
4. Return the rewrite, then a short change log: one line per tell category that fired, with the original snippet and the replacement.
5. If nothing fires, say so and return the original unchanged. Do not invent problems.

Lexical tells — overused words and phrases

Tell	Example	Rewrite pattern
"delve into"	"Let's delve into the data."	"Look at", "go through", "read", cut entirely.
"tapestry"	"a rich tapestry of ideas"	Drop the metaphor. Name the thing: "a mix of ideas" or just "ideas".
"ever-evolving" / "ever-changing"	"in this ever-evolving landscape"	Cut the modifier. Or: "as X keeps changing".
"in today's fast-paced world"	Stock opener.	Delete the opener. Start with the claim.
"navigate the complexities"	"navigate the complexities of compliance"	"deal with compliance", "handle compliance edge cases".
"leverage" (verb)	"leverage AI to"	"use", "apply", "run".
"synergy" / "synergistic"	"synergistic outcomes"	Name the actual mechanism, or cut.
"robust" / "robust solutions"	"a robust framework"	Say what makes it robust, or cut: "a framework that handles X".
"unprecedented"	"unprecedented growth"	Give the number. If you can't, drop the word.
"paradigm shift"	"a paradigm shift in how"	"a change in how", or describe the change.
"holistic approach"	"we take a holistic approach"	Say what you actually do across which axes.
"actionable insights"	"deliver actionable insights"	"things you can do next:" then list them.
"best practices" (as buzzword)	"industry best practices"	Name the practice. If you can't, cut.
"game-changer" / "revolutionary" / "transformative"	"a game-changing tool"	State the effect, with a number if possible.
"cutting-edge" / "state-of-the-art"	Marketing filler.	Say what's new about it.
"dive deep" / "deep dive"	"let's dive deep into"	"look at", "read through".
"underscore" / "underscores the importance"	"underscores the value"	"shows", "matters because".
"myriad"	"a myriad of options"	"many", "lots of", give a count.
"vibrant"	"a vibrant community"	Cut, or describe what makes it active.
"seamless" / "seamlessly"	"seamlessly integrate"	"fits into", "works with X without extra config".
"meticulous" / "meticulously crafted"	Self-flattery.	Cut. Let the work speak.

Syntactic tells — sentence and phrase structure

Tell	Example	Rewrite pattern
Em-dash as default connective	"It's hard — but worth it — for teams."	Use a comma, a period, or parentheses. Reserve em-dashes for genuine asides. Limit to one per paragraph.
Tricolon (three parallel clauses)	"It's fast, it's safe, it's scalable."	Pick the strongest one. Or: two clauses, not three. Avoid rhythm that scans as a slogan.
"Not just X, but Y" / "It's not X — it's Y"	"Not just a tool, but a movement."	State Y plainly. Drop the X.
"Whether you're X or Y..." opener	"Whether you're a startup or an enterprise..."	Pick the actual audience. Cut the hedge.
Parallel "From X to Y" sweeping range	"From healthcare to finance"	Name the specific case you mean, or two concrete ones.
Hedging openers	"It's worth noting that…", "It's important to remember…"	Delete the opener. Lead with the noted thing.
Throat-clearing intros	"In this article, we'll explore…"	Cut. Start with the first real claim.
Conclusion announcers	"In conclusion,", "To wrap up,", "In summary,"	Cut. The last paragraph is the conclusion by position.
Stacked transitions	"Moreover, … Furthermore, … Additionally, …"	One transition max per section. Prefer none.
"Not only X but also Y"	"Not only fast but also cheap."	"Fast and cheap."
Faux-conversational rhetorical Qs	"Sound familiar?" / "Ever wondered why?"	Cut, or replace with a direct statement.
Symmetric two-clause closers	"It's small, but it matters."	Vary the rhythm; sometimes end on the strong clause alone.

Rhetorical / voice tells

Tell	Example	Rewrite pattern
Empty validation of the reader	"Great question!" / "You raise an interesting point."	Cut. Answer.
Over-qualification	"While there are many factors to consider, it's generally true that…"	State the claim. Add one qualifier if needed.
False balance / both-sides hedging	"On one hand X, on the other hand Y" with no commitment	Take a side, or admit you can't and say why.
Recursive restating	Says the thesis, restates it, restates again.	One statement. Move on.
Faux humility ("I'm just an AI" / "I may not have all the answers")	Self-referential disclaimers.	Cut. If a limit is real, name it specifically.
Performative enthusiasm	"I'm thrilled to share…"	Cut the frame. Share.
Universal claims	"Everyone knows that…" / "We all agree…"	Drop. Or attribute: "Most engineers I know…".
Aphoristic closers	"At the end of the day, it's about people."	Cut. End on the last real point.
Symmetrical pros/cons lists	Three pros, three cons, exact parallel length.	Asymmetric lists. Different sentence shapes per bullet.

Formatting tells

Tell	Example	Rewrite pattern
Bolded key term every sentence	"We focus on clarity, speed, and trust."	Bold sparingly. At most one phrase per paragraph.
Em-dash-headed bullets	"— Fast setup\n— Easy config"	Use plain bullets, or numbered list.
Every bullet identical length	Robotic uniformity.	Vary length. Some bullets one word, some a full sentence.
Heading + 1-sentence section, repeated	Endless H3s with stubs underneath.	Combine sections, or drop the headings.
Emoji per bullet	"✅ Fast\n🚀 Scalable\n🔒 Secure"	Drop emoji unless the operator's voice already uses them.
"Here's the thing:" / "Here's why:" as setup	One-line setup for the next line.	Cut the setup, lead with the line.

Output protocol

Return two blocks, in this order:

1. Rewrite. The full revised text, ready to paste. No commentary inside it.
2. Change log. One bullet per tell category that fired. Format:
   • <tell>: "<original snippet>" → "<replacement>" (truncate snippets to ~80 chars).

If you cut a phrase entirely, write → (cut). If you merged sentences, write → (merged).

Keep the change log to the tells that actually fired. Do not list categories that didn't apply.

Anti-overcorrection

• Do not change numbers, names, claims, code, commands, or quoted material.
• Do not introduce typos, slang, or fake informality. "Human" does not mean "sloppy".
• If the operator's voice is already present in the draft (recurring phrases, sentence shapes, idioms), preserve it. The goal is to remove AI tells, not to flatten the writer.
• Em-dashes are not banned. One per paragraph is fine when it's a real aside. The tell is using them as the default connective.
• Tricolons are not banned. The tell is reflexive tricolon for rhythm, not occasional use.
• Technical precision wins over flow. If a buzzword is actually the correct term in the field (e.g., "robust" in statistics, "leverage" in finance), leave it.
• If asked to humanize a very short text (one sentence, a headline), do the smallest change that removes the tell. Do not pad.
• If the draft is already clean, say so. Do not rewrite for the sake of rewriting.

Invocation hint

Operator-friendly trigger phrases: "humanize this", "run humanizer on this", "de-AI this draft", "rewrite this in plain voice before I post it".