5 Obvious Ways Everyone Knows You're Using ChatGPT
Feb 27, 2026
5min read
It’s 2026, and let’s be real: artificial intelligence is basically our third hand. Whether you’re using a Neuralink patch or just the classic AR glasses, everyone is using AI to help them write. But there’s a problem. Even with the latest updates, most people are getting lazy. We’ve reached a point where 'AI smell' is a real thing in digital conversations.
Even though ChatGPT is smarter than ever, it still has some habits that give the game away. If you want to keep your personal brand feeling human, you need to watch out for these five dead giveaways.
1. The 'Polite Robot' Syndrome. Even in 2026, AI is just too nice. If your email starts with 'I hope this message finds you having a wonderful day,' people are going to roll their eyes. Real humans are usually a bit more direct or messy. If you sound like a customer service bot from 2021, everyone knows you just hit the 'generate' button.
2. The Perfect Listicle Obsession. ChatGPT loves a good list. If every single message or report you send is broken down into five perfectly balanced bullet points with bold headers, it looks suspicious. While it's great for readability, humans don’t naturally think in perfect categories all the time. Sometimes we just write a paragraph and call it a day.
3. Using 'Safe' 2024 Slang. A big giveaway is when your AI uses slang that is two years out of date. If your content is trying to be 'fire' or 'lit' in 2026, you’re failing the vibe check. AI often pulls from older data sets for its personality, making it sound like a dad trying to be cool. If the slang doesn't match the current 2026 trends, it's obviously a bot.
4. No Real Opinions. Ask a human what they think about the new Mars colony, and they’ll give you a biased, heated answer. Ask ChatGPT, and it will give you a balanced view of the pros and cons. If your writing never takes a side and always plays it safe, people will know you didn’t actually write it. Real writing has a bit of an edge.
5. The 'Wrap-Up' Addiction. You know how every AI response ends with a neat little summary? 'In conclusion,' or 'Ultimately, it’s about finding a balance.' Humans don’t usually summarize their own texts in a formal way. If you’re ending every casual Slack message with a philosophical summary of what you just said, you’re outing yourself.
Using AI is fine—it’s 2026, after all. But if you want people to actually connect with what you’re saying, you have to add your own voice back into the mix. Don't let the bot do all the talking.
Even though ChatGPT is smarter than ever, it still has some habits that give the game away. If you want to keep your personal brand feeling human, you need to watch out for these five dead giveaways.
1. The 'Polite Robot' Syndrome. Even in 2026, AI is just too nice. If your email starts with 'I hope this message finds you having a wonderful day,' people are going to roll their eyes. Real humans are usually a bit more direct or messy. If you sound like a customer service bot from 2021, everyone knows you just hit the 'generate' button.
2. The Perfect Listicle Obsession. ChatGPT loves a good list. If every single message or report you send is broken down into five perfectly balanced bullet points with bold headers, it looks suspicious. While it's great for readability, humans don’t naturally think in perfect categories all the time. Sometimes we just write a paragraph and call it a day.
3. Using 'Safe' 2024 Slang. A big giveaway is when your AI uses slang that is two years out of date. If your content is trying to be 'fire' or 'lit' in 2026, you’re failing the vibe check. AI often pulls from older data sets for its personality, making it sound like a dad trying to be cool. If the slang doesn't match the current 2026 trends, it's obviously a bot.
4. No Real Opinions. Ask a human what they think about the new Mars colony, and they’ll give you a biased, heated answer. Ask ChatGPT, and it will give you a balanced view of the pros and cons. If your writing never takes a side and always plays it safe, people will know you didn’t actually write it. Real writing has a bit of an edge.
5. The 'Wrap-Up' Addiction. You know how every AI response ends with a neat little summary? 'In conclusion,' or 'Ultimately, it’s about finding a balance.' Humans don’t usually summarize their own texts in a formal way. If you’re ending every casual Slack message with a philosophical summary of what you just said, you’re outing yourself.
Using AI is fine—it’s 2026, after all. But if you want people to actually connect with what you’re saying, you have to add your own voice back into the mix. Don't let the bot do all the talking.
