Guide: Humanizing AI-Generated Content

Understanding the "AI Slop" Problem

One of the biggest challenges with AI-generated content is that it often sounds distinctly artificial—what many people call "AI slop." This includes overly complex sentence structures, unnecessary jargon, predictable transitions, and a generic tone that screams "written by a machine." While AI is incredibly powerful for generating ideas and first drafts, the default output often needs significant refinement to sound genuinely human.

The solution isn't to avoid AI entirely, but rather to train it to write in a more natural, direct style from the beginning, then apply systematic editing techniques to eliminate the telltale signs of artificial generation. This approach lets you keep the efficiency benefits of AI while producing content that reads as genuinely human.

Why Default AI Writing Sounds Artificial

AI models are trained on vast amounts of text from the internet, including formal academic writing, technical documentation, and marketing copy. This training creates tendencies toward:

• Unnecessarily complex vocabulary when simple words would be clearer

• Overly formal transitions between ideas

• Generic metaphors and clichés that add no real value

• Passive voice constructions that distance the reader

• Hedge words that weaken statements unnecessarily

Understanding these patterns helps you both prevent them and identify them for removal.

The Complete Humanization Framework

Method 1: The Comprehensive Humanization Prompt

Use this detailed prompt when you want maximum control over style and tone:

WRITING STYLE GUIDELINES (apply to all content):

Core Principles:
- Write in clear, simple language that anyone can understand
- Be concise, practical, and informative
- Use short sentences that are easy to follow
- Choose active voice over passive voice
- Focus on actionable insights with concrete examples
- Address readers directly using "you" and "your"
- Use bullet points only when they improve readability

Strictly Avoid:
- Em dashes (—) - use periods or commas instead
- Semicolons in any context
- Markdown formatting, asterisks, hashtags, or emojis
- Clichés, unnecessary metaphors, and exaggerated claims
- Transition phrases like "in conclusion," "moreover," "however" at sentence beginnings
- Filler adjectives and adverbs that add no meaning

Banned Words and Phrases:
Remove these entirely: can, may, just, that, very, really, literally, actually, certainly, probably, basically, could, maybe, delve, embark, enlightening, esteemed, shed light, craft/crafting, imagine, realm, game-changer, unlock, discover, skyrocket, abyss, not alone, in a world where, revolutionize, disruptive, utilize/using, dive deep, tapestry, illuminate, unveil, pivotal, intricate, elucidate, hence, furthermore, however, harness, exciting, groundbreaking, cutting-edge, remarkable, remains to be seen, glimpse into, navigating, landscape, stark, testament, in summary, in conclusion, moreover, boost, skyrocketing, opened up, powerful, inquiries, ever-evolving

Output Requirements:
- Plain text only (no special formatting)
- No disclaimers or explanatory notes
- Before responding, check for and remove any em dashes

TASK: [Your specific request or paste content to rewrite]

Method 2: Setting Default Style Preferences

For ongoing use, save this shorter version in your ChatGPT custom instructions:

Write clearly and directly. Use short sentences and active voice. Give practical, actionable advice. Address the reader as "you." Use bullets only when helpful.

Avoid: em dashes, semicolons, markdown, asterisks, hashtags, emojis, clichés, corporate buzzwords, unnecessary transitions ("in conclusion," etc.), and filler words like: can, may, just, that, very, really, literally, actually, probably, basically, maybe, delve, embark, shed light, imagine, realm, game-changer, unlock, discover, disruptive, utilize, dive deep, illuminate, unveil, pivotal, intricate, groundbreaking, cutting-edge, remarkable, navigating, landscape, testament, boost, skyrocketing, inquiries, ever-evolving.

Respond in plain text only. Remove any em dashes before sending.

How to Apply the Humanization Process

Option 1: Generate New Content with Human Style

1. Start a new ChatGPT conversation

2. Paste the comprehensive humanization prompt

3. Add your specific content request (e.g., "Write a LinkedIn post about remote work productivity for managers. Include 3 practical tips and one call-to-action.")

4. Review the output using the quality checklist below

Option 2: Humanize Existing AI Content

1. Start a new ChatGPT conversation

2. Paste the comprehensive humanization prompt

3. Add this instruction: "Rewrite the following content to match this style. Keep all facts accurate, remove any hype or fluff, and make it more concise. Provide 2 different versions."

4. Paste your existing content

5. Choose the better version and apply final edits if needed

Option 3: Set as Your Default Style

1. Access ChatGPT settings (click your profile, then "Customize ChatGPT" or "Custom Instructions")

2. Find the field about how ChatGPT should respond

3. Paste the shorter default style version

4. Test with a new conversation to ensure it's working

5. Adjust as needed based on your specific preferences

Adapting for Different Content Types

For Business Documents

• Keep the clarity guidelines but allow numbered lists for complex processes

• Include: "Use precise terminology and include citations when I provide sources"

• Allow slightly more formal tone while maintaining directness

For Creative Content

• Relax restrictions on metaphors if they serve a specific purpose

• Allow more varied sentence lengths for rhythm

• Keep the ban on clichés but permit original creative language

For Technical Writing

• Maintain precision requirements

• Allow necessary jargon but define terms for broader audiences

• Focus on logical flow and clear explanations

Quick Revision Templates

Use these follow-up prompts to fine-tune your content:

Make it More Concise: "Reduce this by 20% while keeping all key facts and the call-to-action. Follow the same style rules."

Add Supporting Details: "Add one specific example or relevant data point to support the main claim. No hype or exaggeration."

Adjust Tone: "Make this sound more conversational while keeping it professional. Same banned words and style rules apply."

Final Polish: "Check this for any remaining filler words, em dashes, or overly complex sentences. Provide the cleaned-up version."

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Still Seeing AI Markers?

Problem: Em dashes, markdown, or banned phrases still appear Solution: Add this to your request: "Before sending your response, scan for and remove any em dashes, markdown formatting, or words from the banned list. Send only the corrected plain-text version."

Content Sounds Too Robotic?

Problem: Following rules too strictly makes writing feel mechanical Solution: Ask for: "Relax the tone by 10%. Add one conversational element while keeping all the banned words and formatting restrictions."

Too Brief or Lacks Substance?

Problem: Eliminating filler words makes content too short Solution: Request: "Expand this by 20% using a concrete example and a stronger call-to-action. No filler words or banned phrases."

Inconsistent Results?

Problem: ChatGPT doesn't consistently follow the style guidelines Solution: Save the guidelines in Custom Instructions and start each relevant conversation with: "Follow my custom writing style instructions for this entire conversation."

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