How to Humanize AI Content

Learning how to humanize AI content is necessary to forge a connection with your target audience and avoid getting labeled as spam by Google.

AI is a powerful tool for rapidly generating words and ideas. However, speed and efficiency aren’t everything. A skilled writer’s touch transforms AI outputs into meaningful, authentic stories that resonate with real people. Without human touch, you risk your articles risk becoming mere echoes in the digital void. 

Below, we outline 10 actionable techniques that breathe life into AI-generated text.

What Is AI-Generated Content?

AI-generated content is any text, image, or video created by artificial intelligence systems. 

AI writing assistants are like inexperienced writing apprentices. They can research topics, draft outlines, and write at speed. Just as a junior writer demonstrates raw talent but needs constant guidance, AI-generated content requires an expert touch. Left to its own devices, an AI writing assistant may pepper content with misinformation and telltale signs of AI-generated text.

Human insight, careful editing, and creative storytelling transform AI drafts into content that feels genuine and inspires action. 

Check out our article on the top 10 AI content creation tools.

Why is so much AI content bland and detached?

Large language models,  such as ChatGPT, are nifty tools, but they have limitations. One of the most glaring problems with AI-generated content is a bland and generic voice and tone. 

Here are a few reasons why engaging AI content remains elusive:

• Reliance on patterns: These tools learn from vast amounts of existing text. As such, they tend to generate content that’s distinctly average, lacking a unique spark and individual voice. This also means telltale words, phrases, and structural patterns show up in its output. 
• Lack of nuance: AI-generated text can’t capture the subtle complexities of human emotion, humor, and persuasion. As such, the basic text it generates feels generic and uninspiring.
• Missing context and factual errors: LLMs don’t possess real-world knowledge and can’t put themselves into the shoes of your target audience. Without these elements, output often misses the mark and contains random factual errors. Oh, and LLMs double down on mistakes instead of owning up to them — so you can’t use AI to fact-check itself.
• Difficulty with originality: AI remixes existing information. To pique an audience’s interest, content needs fresh insights, expert perspectives, and a human-crafted narrative.

Recognizing these shortcomings is the first step to knowing how to humanize AI text.

Why Do I Need to Humanize AI Text?

You should humanize AI text because your content won’t rank on search engines otherwise. AI can generate content quickly, but that doesn’t equate to quality. Google prioritizes articles that are helpful, authoritative, and informative for users. Content that’s low-effort or designed to trick search engines will be banished to obscurity as spam. 

Since Google’s helpful content update, it’s become necessary to create content that fills knowledge gaps and provides web users with value.

To ensure your content achieves its goals, consider these key points:

• User-first content: You have to focus on the readers’ needs to write something compelling. That means conducting deep research so you can solve problems, answer questions, and provide value. AI struggles to achieve this depth without expert input. 
• Search engine alignment: Google and other search engines aim to connect users with the best possible answers. Superficial, low-effort, and repetitive content — AI- or human-generated — won’t rank well.

What makes human writing unique and relatable?

Human beings are driven by emotion, and emotion is the magic marketing ingredient that sparks connection. Without emotional experience to draw from, AI struggles to produce authentic content.

Let’s explore why human oversight remains essential for crafting content that connects:

• Empathy: Humans intuitively grasp the nuances of emotion, allowing them to write with a warmth and understanding that resonates on a deeper level. AI systems may analyze sentiment, but they can’t replicate the genuine feeling that builds trust with a reader.
• Context: People bring a lifetime of experiences and knowledge to their writing. This allows them to precisely tailor content and address real challenges while catering to cultural nuances and the target audience’s needs.
• Originality: Ideas are derived from unique perspectives. AI may recombine existing information, but true originality comes from the human ability to think creatively and develop fresh insights.
• Storytelling: Human beings are natural storytellers who craft narratives that captivate and persuade. AI may follow basic structural forms, but it’s the human ability to weave emotion, surprise, and take readers on a journey that moves audiences.

How to Humanize AI Content 

The human touch remains essential to creating exceptional content that resonates with your audience. Success lies in transforming those initial AI outputs into content that feels uniquely yours.

Here’s a roadmap for infusing your AI-generated drafts with the emotional depth and authenticity readers crave.

1. Leverage AI for research and drafting — not publishing

AI excels at the legwork of content creation, but it’s never publish-ready in its raw form. It can sift through information, identify trends, and provide a rough draft or framework. But remember, AI-generated drafts lack the critical analysis and creative spark that elevate content from informative to engaging. 

• Original analysis: Use AI-generated research as a foundation for your deeper research. Look into authoritative sources from the past year and use your industry knowledge to elevate the draft.
• Real-world examples: Connection is built on shared experiences and emotions. Weave in relatable examples, personal anecdotes, or a compelling narrative arc to make content unforgettable.

Assess AI-generated information for accuracy and bias and fill it with unique, expert insights. It’s down to you to shape the final piece so it resonates with your audience. AI is a tool that accelerates the workflow, not a replacement for your mastery.

2. Learn how to prompt AI like a pro

Transform your AI output by injecting details about your audience into prompts. Your prompts have the power to program emotional intelligence into your AI assistant. The better you understand and specify your reader’s pain points and desires, the more likely your AI-generated text will connect with them.

Here’s how to guide your AI assistant:

• Tell it about the reader’s aspirations: What does your audience hope to become? How do they want to feel?
• Example: “Write a blog post that inspires amateur bakers to feel confident tackling their first layer cake, emphasizing the joy of the process.”
• Acknowledge vulnerabilities: Explain readers’ fears or insecurities so the AI can generate content that speaks directly to them, making them feel seen and understood.
• Example: “Write a social media post acknowledging the anxieties of jobseekers, providing practical tips to boost their confidence.”
• Use vivid imagery: Sensory details help the AI understand you’re seeking a response that demonstrates empathy and detail.
• Example: “Describe a decluttered workspace to help the reader envision the sense of calm and focus it brings.”

3. Cut the fluff

AI tools are prone to producing text that feels overly wordy, with redundant words and phrases. Creating impactful content means sharpening your editing skills. Content writing should be concise, focused, and packed with value for your reader.

Here’s how to identify filler:

• Empty phrases: Look for words or phrases that add no real meaning, such as “at the end of the day” or “in order to.” Cut these ruthlessly.
• Rambling sentences: If a sentence takes too long to get to the point, break it into shorter, more powerful ones.
• Repeated words: AI gets attached to certain words. Examples include “specific,” “dive in,” “delve,” “it’s about,” and “meticulous.” Just as you’d make sure your content uses fresh vocabulary throughout, you must edit AI-generated copy for repetition.
• Redundancy: Does your text repeat the same concept in different ways? Consolidate for clarity.

Why conciseness matters

Here’s why you should avoid unnecessary wordiness and repetition:

• Engagement: People are busy. Get to the point quickly to hold their attention.
• Clarity: Filler words and phrases obscure your core message, and eliminating them makes your writing more powerful.
• SEO: Search engines favor clear, focused content. Editing out fluff can improve your rankings.

Every word should earn its place. When editing AI-generated text, be merciless about cutting anything that doesn’t serve your audience or your core message.

4. Embrace storytelling

Facts and figures inform, but stories invoke emotions and inspire relatability. Even the most cutting-edge AI tool can’t compete with the age-old tradition of storytelling. 

Imagine your article as a journey. Instead of listing features, guide your readers through and paint a picture they can put themselves into. 

Here’s how to unlock the power of storytelling:

• Anecdotes: Use brief, relatable stories that illustrate the pain point your content tackles.
• The hero’s journey: Even in short content, you can create a sense of transformation. Frame your reader as the hero, overcoming a challenge with the help of your product, service, or resource.
• Sensory details: Engage the reader’s senses with vivid descriptions. This immerses them in the narrative so they feel part of something bigger.

Stories matter because they create an emotional bond between the reader and your content.

Thanks to the connection between memory and emotion, narratives are more likely to stick in a reader’s mind than plain facts and figures. Put simply, when readers are emotionally invested, they’re more likely to take the desired action.

Turning facts and figures into stories 

Let’s look at some examples of turning facts and figures into stories. 

Example 1: Product feature to story

Factual statement: Our software offers real-time collaboration features.

Story: Ever felt the frustration of endless email chains and conflicting edits? With our tool, your team sees the same document, updates appear instantly, and ideas flow effortlessly. That’s the power of real-time collaboration.

Example 2: Statistical data to story

Factual statement: Studies show customers prefer self-service options for simple questions. That’s why you should invest in our AI chatbot. 

Story: Put yourself in a tired customer’s shoes, late at night, searching for a quick answer. They don’t want to sift through long help articles or leave a voicemail. An intuitive chatbot guides them to the solution in minutes, capturing the lead and building trust and loyalty. What’s more, studies show customers prefer self-service options for simple questions. Who doesn’t love convenience?

Storytelling is an age-old superpower. Use it to inject your AI-generated content with the magic that makes it unforgettable.

5. Prioritize emotional intelligence and use active voice

Emotional intelligence in writing goes beyond acknowledging a reader’s feelings. It means empathizing with the deeper aspirations and feelings driving their behavior.

AI excels at analyzing patterns and generating language. But it can’t truly grasp the power of an active writing style. It’s down to you to ensure it demonstrates emotional intelligence.

Along with emotional depth, an active voice makes your writing more dynamic and engaging. Instead of blandly stating what happened, active voice puts the focus on who or what is driving the action. This creates a sense of immediacy and places the reader closer to the heart of your content. 

Here’s an example of active vs. passive voice:

• Passive voice: The phone was answered promptly.
• Active voice: Sarah promptly answered the phone.

The first one is bland and doesn’t inspire a reaction. It sounds like a complete and finite statement. However, placing “Sarah” in an active position piques the reader’s curiosity. They may start asking questions and perhaps even making assumptions about her motivations. Once engaged, they want to keep reading and find out more.    

6. Capture your brand’s unique voice

Your brand has a unique personality. People should be able to recognize it the same way they’d recognize a trusted friend. LLMs generate text, but you need to tailor the content to align tone and voice with your brand identity.

Think of your brand voice as a filter all your content passes through. Is it playful and friendly, authoritative and informative, or bold and disruptive? 

Once you’ve clearly defined this voice, here’s how to integrate it with your AI tools:

• Training data: Feed your AI a curated selection of existing content that embodies your desired tone. For the best results, this should include a mix of blog posts, social media updates, and marketing copy.
• Fine-tuning: Many AI tools allow you to adjust settings or provide feedback to refine the output’s tone. Experiment until you achieve the desired balance.
• Word choice: Create a list of words and phrases that do and don’t fit your brand voice. Reference this list when editing your AI-generated content.

Tailoring tone for different audiences

While your core brand voice must remain consistent, subtle shifts in tone may make content resonate with certain audience segments. Consider:

• Formality: Technical audiences demand a more formal tone, while a casual demographic prefers something more conversational.
• Humor: When used sparingly and tastefully, humor is a powerhouse. That said, it must align with your brand personality and the audience’s expectations, or it will feel jarring and out of place.

7. Train AI to write like you

Training AI tools on your style encourages consistency across content outputs.

Think about your favorite author or influencer. You recognize their voice through their choice of words, mannerisms, and the themes they explore. Similarly, a distinct style in your content establishes a recognizable brand identity and keeps readers coming back for more.

AI content personalization works best if you use a single AI tool and have an established brand voice. Feed your AI with a curated selection of your writing, such as previous blog posts, articles, scripts, or social media captions. The more data you provide and the more specific your prompts, the better an AI writing assistant becomes at replicating your writing style.

8. Showcase your experience and expertise

AI can’t replace a subject-matter expert’s depth of knowledge and real-world experience. 

Expert collaboration levels up your content creation process. Working with an SME brings fresh perspectives, access to industry data, and the topical authority Google craves. This translates into accurate content that addresses your audience’s pain points and questions.

Let’s look at several ways to integrate expert knowledge:

• Interviews: In-depth interviews with SMEs allow you to tap into their experience and share it in an engaging, conversational format.
• Direct quotes: Even short, impactful quotes from experts add credibility and weight to your content.
• Guest authorship: Inviting SMEs to author or edit articles positions your brand as a hub for thought leadership.

Want to build trust and position yourself as a reliable authority in your field? Demonstrating expertise in your content is essential. When you feature expert voices, you let readers know you go the extra mile to provide them with well-sourced information. 

9. Include user-generated content 

User-generated content is the strongest form of community-building because it encourages your audience to interact directly with each other. 

Reviews, testimonials, social media comments, and photos of customers sporting your product or service showcase the value you deliver to real people. Social proof is powerful. It fosters trust in an environment where readers can be skeptical of polished marketing messages.

Want to learn more about user-generated content? Take a look at our article about UGC, with examples. 

10. Fact-check and AI-detect

AI-generated text is often full of inaccuracies and biases. Rigorous fact-checking is vital for maintaining the integrity of your content and keeping your audience’s trust.

Here are some strategies for fact-checking AI content:

• Identify the source: Always trace AI-generated information back to its original source. Evaluate the source’s credibility and double-check for potential biases.
• Cross-reference: Verify facts across multiple reliable websites, publications, or databases.
• Be skeptical: Approach AI output with skepticism, especially when it comes to complex or controversial topics.
• Use primary sources: Go directly to primary sources, such as research papers, government data, educational resources, and original expert interviews.

Utilizing AI detection tools to guarantee content accuracy

AI detection tools are still an evolving technology, but they can help identify potentially problematic content. They analyze text patterns to flag content likely to be AI-generated. While far from foolproof, they add an extra layer of protection. This signals your commitment to transparency with your audience.

Humanizing Your AI Content Journey 

AI writing techniques will continue to improve. For now, you have to know how to humanize AI content for it to stand out and rank in searches. Embracing storytelling, infusing content with brand voice, prioritizing emotional intelligence, and incorporating expert insights transform AI text.

The most effective content creators see AI as a powerful tool, not a replacement for their expertise and creativity. Following these strategies helps you unleash AI’s full potential. Use it to create content that ranks high and establishes your brand as a trusted voice in a crowded digital world.

Bridge the gap between technology and human connection. Discover how our copyediting services can transform your AI content into engaging narratives that delight target audiences and capture your brand’s unique voice.