Welcome to the Grammar Minute, where we’re saving the English language sixty seconds at a time! I’m Lauren Smyth, and I’m here to address the ridiculous myth that you can detect AI writing by its use of em dashes.
Remember how AI works. It’s predicting what letter or symbol it thinks should come next based on human text it has seen elsewhere. If AI is using a lot of em dashes—well, that’s because humans use a lot of em dashes.
Em dashes are often used to set off a somewhat disjointed thought or to insert a helpful interjection into a sentence. They’re a reflection of the fact that we humans don’t always think linearly, and as AI reviews more text and gets more complicated, em dashes will probably become more common.
It’s actually not that hard—right now, anyway—to spot AI-generated writing. It’s similar to looking at a photo. If the text is cliché and completely devoid of soul and rhythm, that’s probably AI. Good grammar and proper use of em dashes aren’t sufficient proof.
That’s your Grammar Minute! Visit thegrammarminute.com for more tips and tricks.