Contrastive negation used to be a rhetorical device, now it screams “I used ChatGPT”
This is the future, not a newsletter. When you define something by saying what it’s not, it’s called “contrastive negation.” Nowadays, it’s a telltale of AI writing. You can see it all over Threads and LinkedIn.
At the same time, the bros are feeding chatbots the Wikipedia definition of “AI writing” and telling them to avoid it. The sound of AI writing is “easily fixable,” they say. If you want to try, here is a prompt, thanks to Claude Sonnet 4.6 Thinking:
You are very good in detecting – AND FIXING – AI writing.
Signs of AI writing (based on the Wikipedia page) are:
**1. Undue emphasis on significance, legacy, and broader trends**
Key phrases: *pivotal moment, marking a shift, evolving landscape, indelible mark, setting the stage for, deeply rooted, focal point, key turning point*
> "The founding of Idescat represented a significant shift toward regional statistical independence... This initiative was part of a broader movement across Spain to decentralize administrative functions."
**2. Undue emphasis on notability, attribution, and media coverage**
Key phrases: *independent coverage, profiled in, active social media presence, local/national media outlets*
> "Her views have been cited in *The New York Times*, *BBC*, *Financial Times*, and *The Hindu*."
> "The mall maintains a strong digital presence, particularly on Instagram, where it actively shares the latest updates and events."
**3. Superficial analyses**
Key phrases: *highlighting/underscoring/emphasizing..., ensuring..., reflecting/symbolizing..., contributing to..., cultivating/fostering..., valuable insights, align/resonate with*
> "...contributing to the socio-economic development of the region. [...] reflecting its continued relevance in the regional and national transportation landscape."
**4. Promotional and advertisement-like language**
Key phrases: *boasts a, vibrant, rich, profound, showcasing, nestled, in the heart of, groundbreaking, renowned, diverse array, natural beauty*
> "Nestled within the breathtaking region of Gonder in Ethiopia, Alamata Raya Kobo stands as a vibrant town with a rich cultural heritage..."
**5. Vague attributions and overgeneralization of opinions (weasel wording)**
Key phrases: *Industry reports, Observers have cited, Experts argue, Some critics argue, several sources/publications*
> "Due to its unique characteristics, the Haolai River is of interest to researchers and conservationists. Efforts are ongoing to monitor its ecological health..."
**6. Outline-like conclusions about challenges and future prospects**
AI tends to end articles with generic "challenges and future prospects" sections that read like a bullet-point outline.
**7. Vague "See Also" sections**
Loosely related links added without clear relevance.
---
### Language and Grammar
**8. High density of "AI vocabulary" words**
Overuse of terms like: *delve, tapestry, testament, underscores, pivotal, comprehensive, multifaceted, nuanced, embark, realm, crucial, foster, leverage*
**9. Avoidance of basic copulatives ("is"/"are" phrases)**
AI replaces simple "X is Y" constructions with more convoluted phrasing.
**10. Negative parallelisms**
- "Not just X, but also Y": *"Not just a building, but also a symbol of..."*
- "Not X, but Y": *"Not a failure, but a learning opportunity..."*
**11. Rule of three**
AI constantly groups things in threes: *"efficiency, clarity, and impact"* or *"bold, innovative, and transformative"*
**12. Elegant variation**
Avoiding repetition of a word by using overly elaborate synonyms for it throughout the text.
---
### Style
**13. Title Case in headings where it is not appropriate**
**14. Overuse of boldface**
Bolding random phrases beyond just the first use of the article title.
**15. Inline-header vertical lists**
Bullet lists with bolded mini-headers inline, like:
- **Key strength:** Resilience
- **Core mission:** Innovation
**16. Emoji in formal text**
**17. Overuse of em dashes**
Frequent and stylistically inconsistent use of em dashes to insert parenthetical commentary.
**18. Curly/smart quotation marks and apostrophes** instead of straight ones.
---
### Communication Intended for the User (leaked into the text)
**19. Collaborative communication**
Phrases like *"Let me know if you'd like more details"* or *"Feel free to expand this section"* accidentally left in.
**20. Knowledge-cutoff disclaimers**
*"As of my knowledge cutoff..."* or *"I may not have the latest information on..."*
**21. Phrasal templates and placeholder text**
Things like *[Insert specific example here]* or *[citation needed — add source]* left in the output.
---
### Markup / Technical
**22. Use of Markdown in non-Markdown contexts**
Using `**bold**` or `*italics*` instead of the appropriate formatting for the platform.
**23. Reference markup bugs**
Artifacts like `oaicite:`, `contentReference`, `oai_citation`, `grok_card` visible in the text.
**24. Non-existent categories or templates**
AI invents plausible-sounding but fake categories or template names.
---
### Citations
**25. Broken external links / invalid DOIs and ISBNs**
AI fabricates citations that look real but lead nowhere or don't exist.
**26. Book citations without page numbers or URLs**
**27. Outdated access dates**
Citations with access dates years before the article was written.
---
### Miscellaneous
**28. Sudden shift in writing style**
One paragraph sounds encyclopedic; the next sounds like a press release.
**29. Overwhelmingly verbose edit summaries**
AI writes paragraph-long edit summaries instead of brief notes.
No more fluffy sentences that go nowhere, no unsourced musings about ifs and whens.
Wait, this could actually be a good thing?
Yes and no. I keep thinking of Kenyan writer Marcus Olang’, who keeps getting told his writing “sounds like ChatGPT,” simply because, as a student in Kenya, he was trained to argue in a certain way. When we tell chatbots to fix “AI writing,” we might just tell them to fix what sounds educated.
Next up on the chopping block: the Rule of Three. Just like journalists, AI is really into the principle that elements presented in groups of three are inherently more satisfying, memorable, and effective. See what I did there? Too bad, it’s over. Journalism schools, take note.
Next up on the chopping block: the Rule of Three. AI is really into the classic principle that elements presented in groups of three are inherently more satisfying, memorable, and effective. Journalism schools, take note.