How to Humanize AI Text
Ever noticed how text written by AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Gemini has a certain “robotic” quality to it? Laden with words like “leverage,” “dive into,” and “utilize,” AI-generated texts can be a good first draft to help you defeat the terror of the blank page (or screen). But whether you’re writing posts for a rock climbing social media page or drafting an e-book on investment advice, your human touch is necessary for your text to stand out and reach the hearts and minds of your target audience.
What is AI text?
AI text refers to any text created by artificial intelligence, from report summaries and blog posts to social media captions and translations. Tools like ChatGPT rely on a specific type of AI called a large language model. This technology allows them to churn out volumes of text almost instantly after you type a prompt explaining what content you need. While their output contains remarkably human-sounding sentences, AI doesn’t actually understand the meaning behind the words; rather, it predicts which words are most likely to appear next in a sequence.
Unlike human writing, AI text sometimes feels a bit stiff. It doesn’t have personal experiences to draw from, emotional depth, or those little quirks that make writing sound real. AI just follows patterns it’s learned, while we write from our own experiences. We add our unique take on things, throw in some humor when it fits, and understand context in ways that AI tools still can’t quite manage.
Why should I humanize AI text?
The internet is flooded with AI texts, and while this doesn’t automatically mean poor search engine ranking, it does mean that users are fatigued by reading the same stuff everywhere. Humanizing AI texts will help you make the most of the tools available by editing out the generic vocabulary (no more “harnessing” and “crafting” for you) and flat tone of voice. Here are a few more things to look for in AI texts:
- Lack of personality: AI texts often sound like they could have been written by anyone, for anyone. This means your readers won’t connect with your unique brand voice or remember what you’ve said, and that’s a problem when you’re trying to build relationships with customers or share ideas that stick.
- Accuracy: Many AI models do not have real-time access to the internet and cannot provide up-to-date information about events that happened after their initial training. As a result, they can make up facts and statistics or even cite sources that don’t exist.
- Excessive formality: Even when trying to sound casual, AI often slips into unnecessarily formal language that creates distance between you and your readers.
- Other subtleties: AI struggles with pop culture references, humor that lands just right, and the subtle emotional cues that can connect a text with its target audiences.
By taking the time to humanize AI text, you’re not just making it sound better, you’re respecting your readers’ time and attention. You’re showing that you care enough to add that human touch.
7 ways to humanize AI text
Below are 7 ways to help you edit any AI text so that it matches your writing style and target audience.
1. Tailor perplexity and burstiness in prompts
Two characteristics make AI texts stand out:
- Perplexity is how surprising or unpredictable a text is. When you read something and can’t easily guess what comes next, that text has high perplexity. While AI writing often has low perplexity (it’s too predictable), human writing usually includes surprising elements: unexpected word pairings or idioms that add flair to a text.
- Burstiness refers to how varied the sentence lengths and structures are. When we write, we tend to mix short and long sentences. AI writing tends to favor complex sentences (low burstiness) and this can blur out the meaning.
To make AI texts sound less mechanical and more natural, you can tailor these two characteristics in your prompts by using descriptive language, such as: “Rewrite this to sound more natural, with a mix of short and long sentences” or “Vary the sentence structure and make the tone sound less robotic.”
Content marketing is a strategy focused on creating and sharing valuable, relevant content to attract and engage a target audience. It aims to build trust, educate, and provide solutions rather than directly promoting a product or service. This content can include blog posts, videos, podcasts, infographics, and more. The goal is to drive profitable customer actions, such as sales or sign-ups, over time. Effective content marketing strengthens brand authority and customer loyalty.
Explain what content marketing is. Write this in a conversational tone with a mix of sentence lengths.
Content marketing is all about providing value before asking for anything in return. Instead of pushing products, you create useful, interesting content—like blog posts, videos, or social media updates—that speaks to your audience’s needs or interests. The idea is to build trust and keep people coming back. Over time, that trust can turn into sales, loyalty, or even referrals. Think of it as helping first, selling later.
2. Adjust readability with Flesch scores
The Flesch Reading Ease score measures on a scale from 0-100 how easy a text is to understand. The higher the score, the more readable the text. AI often writes at a higher complexity level than necessary.
To fix this, you can specify in your prompt that you want a Flesch reading score between 60- 70, which is easy to understand without sounding childish. I asked ChatGPT to explain what an algorithm is in 5 lines, and you can see the difference before and after specifying the reading level.
An algorithm is a step-by-step procedure for solving a problem or performing a task. It consists of a sequence of well-defined instructions that lead to a specific outcome. Algorithms take input, process it logically, and produce an output. They must be finite, efficient, and unambiguous. Common examples include search engines, sorting methods, and AI decision-making processes.
Explain what an algorithm is and keep the Flesch reading score at 70:
An algorithm is a set of clear steps used to solve a problem or complete a task. It takes input, processes it, and gives an output. Every algorithm follows a logical order and has a clear ending. You can find algorithms in everyday life, like a recipe or a set of driving directions. They also power computers, helping them sort data, search the web, and make decisions.
3. Avoid jargon and complex language
When editing AI text, look for opportunities to replace specialized terms with everyday language, unless you’re writing for experts who genuinely use that jargon. Here are some red flags to watch out for:
- Unnecessarily complex words (“facilitate” instead of “help”)
- Business jargon (“leverage,” “strategic initiative,” “stakeholders”)
- Passive voice that hides who’s doing what
- Overly formal phrasing (“aforementioned,” “necessitates”)
Although there is nothing inherently wrong with these words or phrases, AI tends to overuse them often in situations where they feel unnatural or unnecessary. Consider if they really work in a given context. Is it okay, for example, to call your plan an “initiative,” or would “project” or “goal” be clearer?
“Leverage our proprietary methodology to facilitate maximum ROI through optimized customer acquisition strategies.”
Humanized by removing jargon:
“Use our tested method to get more customers while spending less.”
4. Use a humanizer tool
Humanizers can help you rewrite AI-generated text, making it sound like a real person wrote it. These tools fix the robotic feel of AI writing by refining tone, adjusting phrasing, and improving readability while keeping the original meaning intact. Quillbot’s AI Humanizer is a good example—it’s free and works fast. Just paste in text from ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini, and it smooths out the awkward parts.
After using a humanizer tool: Good time management means focusing on the most important tasks first to stay productive.
5. Train the AI to match your writing style
To make your AI-generated text truly yours, you need to teach it how you write. Start by giving it examples of your previous work, like blog posts, emails, or anything else you’ve written; the more samples, the better.
Be specific about what makes your writing unique. Do you use lots of rhetorical questions? Are you fond of pop culture references? Do you write in short, punchy sentences? Tell the AI exactly what to mimic. This might take a few iterations, but it’s worth your time, especially if you’re often using AI tools for writing.
- “Here’s an example of how I write. Use this tone and structure to write a new version of [your topic].”
- “Mimic the tone and rhythm of this paragraph in a new piece about [insert topic]. Avoid sounding like a generic blog post.”
- “Analyze my writing sample below. What are the most noticeable features of my style? Now write a paragraph about [topic] using those features.”
6.Use real-life examples and experiences
Adding a short anecdote or a real situation, whether it’s from your own work or someone else’s, can instantly make a piece feel more human. It doesn’t have to be dramatic. Even something like “When I first tried this method last year, I got stuck halfway” gives your reader something to connect with.
Examples help build trust and break up generic-sounding content. Just be sure they’re relevant and quick—no one needs an entire memoir in the middle of a how-to guide.
After adding a personal touch: “I used to forget to drink water during long hikes, until one trip left me with a pounding headache and that foggy, drained feeling you just can’t shake. Ever since, I’ve made hydration a priority.”
7. Revise for emotional resonance
AI content often feels emotionally flat because its understanding of emotions comes from patterns in text, not lived experience. For topics that should evoke emotions, that can be a problem as you won’t be able to connect with your readers.
Add emotional depth by considering how your topic makes people feel. Are they frustrated with a problem you’re solving? Excited about a new opportunity? Anxious about making the right choice? Address these emotions directly and validate them. Use sensory language where appropriate to help readers experience the content, not just understand it intellectually.
“The sunrise view from the mountain peak is beautiful and worth the climb.”
Humanized with sensory details:
“The sunrise from the mountain peak paints the sky in fiery oranges and soft pinks. The cool morning air fills your lungs as you stand there, taking in the silence that makes the whole climb worth it.”
In a how-to guide or a financial report, emotional embellishment would feel forced if not weird. Keep emotional language appropriate to the context.
Frequently asked questions about how to humanize AI text
- What is the best way to humanize AI text?
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The best way to humanize AI text is to use a humanizer tool. You can copy and paste an AI text into a tool like Quillbot’s Humanizer, and it’ll refine tone, adjust phrasing, and improve readability while keeping the original meaning intact.
- Should I always edit AI-generated text before publishing it?
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Yes. AI-generated text often includes unnecessary complex sentences, repetitive word choice, and an overly detached tone of voice. This results in a writing style without the unique voice, emotional depth, and personal experience that comes with human writing. To create a truly engaging text, it’s best to treat the AI text as a draft and edit it. Quillbot’s Humanizer Tool, for example, can help you polish AI-assisted writing.
