How do you tell when a post is AI written?

[GretchenWienersHair]

I’ve seen a few posts recently about the rise in AI threads, and now it’s been mentioned I feel like I’m noticing them more and more, but don’t know if I’m just assuming they are. And if they are, does it mean a human has gone onto something like ChatGPT and had their post written for them, or is it an AI bot starting threads? Or are there both?

I’ve started to assume really long posts with bullet points or numbered points are AI written. Would this be a fair assumption to make or am I just skipping past potentially interesting threads? As soon as I see paragraph, paragraph, bullet point list, paragraph, I close the thread!

The bullet point ones always put me off. Actual humans are much more meandering in their writing.

I asked chat gpt to answer your question and this is the response. Does it help?!

Hey fellow mumsnetters!

With AI becoming more advanced, you might wonder how to spot posts that are written by artificial intelligence. While AI has gotten really good at sounding human, there are still a few signs that can help you figure out whether a post is written by a person or not:

1.	<strong>Repetitive Language or Patterns</strong>

AI often uses similar phrases or words repeatedly, even when they don’t quite fit. If you notice that certain expressions are used more than usual or feel a bit “off,” it could be AI-generated.
2. Overly Polished or Formal Tone
Sometimes AI-generated posts sound too formal, polished, or robotic. Humans tend to be more conversational and casual, especially on forums like Mumsnet. AI might also struggle with slang or informal language that we use naturally.
3. Lack of Personal Experiences or Details
AI can’t share personal experiences like we do. If a post is giving general advice or information without any real-life anecdotes, it might be from an AI. Posts from real mums tend to have personal touches, like specific stories or unique opinions.
4. Inconsistencies in Logic
AI can make odd logical jumps or give advice that doesn’t make sense in the context. If a response seems strangely off-topic or contradictory, it could be a machine-generated reply.
5. No Emotional Nuance
AI is still learning how to handle emotions. A post might feel oddly neutral, lacking emotional depth or empathy, especially when discussing sensitive topics like parenting struggles.
6. Too Quick to Post or Respond
AI can generate content very fast. If you notice someone replying in seconds to a long post, it might be AI. People usually take more time to read, think, and reply.

Remember, AI isn’t bad by nature—it can be really useful. But it’s helpful to know when you’re interacting with it, especially when you’re seeking real, heartfelt advice.

Any other tips from the community? :)

Note: Mumsnet is a supportive place for sharing real, lived experiences, so if you suspect AI is generating posts, it’s worth keeping in mind when considering the advice shared.

Hope this helps!

Intuition.

It’s a great shame though. And, like AI generated models on clothing sites, once you begin to notice them you see them everywhere.

Funny, that's just the sort of question someone would ask if they wanted to train a generative AI model to write more realistic sounding posts on MN...

There's not enough swearing, acronym use or grumpiness to genuinely replicate the joy that is the MN community.

But yes, mainly this. There's no fixed list of things that make them stand out. There's just a sort of uncanny valley quality that you can pick up on.

🤣 I wish I had that level of intelligence.

Quite.

Like you can tell a troll. It's nothing concrete,but you JUST KNOW that HunnyDogWoof isn't really sitting there in a pickle about how her neighbours small child called her a cunt and threw a bottle of whiskey at her ehilst she was walking to the car.

Too fecking true 😀
🤔Also no emojis I think

Been a few threads recently where the post is all logically laid out with bullet points and impeccable language, just seem different.