| Sample | Score | Verdict | Key Patterns |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI-Generated | 89/100 | Almost Certainly AI | "delve," "landscape," false contrarian, no specifics, "In conclusion" |
| CNN News | 44/100 | Probably AI / Genre-Formulaic | Formulaic structure, good specificity, both-sides balance |
| Wikipedia/Britannica | 32/100 | Possibly AI-Assisted (genre-appropriate) | Dense academic style, high specificity, appropriate hedging |
| Economist | ~18/100 | Likely Human | Wit, concrete analogy, commitment, no throat-clearing |
89 (AI-Generated): Every AI pattern present. No specificity, no commitment, no voice. Template structure with hedging throughout. Rhetorical question ending. This is what unedited ChatGPT output looks like.
44 (CNN): Formulaic news writing. High specificity saves it (real numbers, named sources, dates). But structural patterns match AI: inverted pyramid, both-sides balance, no distinctive voice. Could be human journalism or AI mimicking news style.
32 (Wikipedia/Britannica): Academic encyclopedia style. Hedging appropriate for historical uncertainty. Dense information with specific dates, names, places. Score reflects formal patterns that are genre-appropriate, not AI tells.
~18 (Economist): Opens with Groucho Marx analogy, not "In today's..." Makes a claim immediately. Wit serves argument. No hedging. This is what committed, voiced prose looks like.
| Sample | Opening | Score Impact |
|---|---|---|
| AI-Generated | "In today's fast-paced business environment..." | +15 (Corporate Opening Gambit) |
| CNN | "Even if you believe you haven't yet been directly impacted..." | +5 (direct address, but soft) |
| Wikipedia | "The Byzantine Empire represented the eastern half..." | +0 (direct statement of fact) |
| Economist | "Groucho Marx memorably said..." | -5 (unexpected cultural reference) |
| Sample | Specific Details | Score Impact |
|---|---|---|
| AI-Generated | None | +20 |
| CNN | $125K, 14.5M deaths, $12.5T, named sources | -15 |
| Wikipedia | 330 CE, 1453, Constantine, Bosporus | -15 |
| Economist | Groucho Marx, eurozone economies | -10 |
| Sample | Commitment | Score Impact |
|---|---|---|
| AI-Generated | Zero — all hedged | +15 |
| CNN | Low — reporting not arguing | +5 |
| Wikipedia | Medium — claims with appropriate uncertainty | +3 |
| Economist | High — "Some of Europe's economies may feel..." | -5 |
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Specificity matters most. Real names, numbers, dates dramatically lower scores.
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Genre affects interpretation. A 44 for news journalism is different than a 44 for an essay. Some patterns are conventions, not tells.
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Opening lines are diagnostic. "In today's..." is an 85%+ AI indicator. Unexpected cultural references suggest human.
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Commitment separates. AI hedges everything. Humans take positions.
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The score is a diagnostic, not a judgment. A 32 for Wikipedia is fine—that's what encyclopedias sound like. An 89 for thought leadership is not.