Artificial Intelligence has come as a boon for many of us. Be it a student struggling to write a research paper, or a teacher trying to get ideas about a lesson for tomorrow’s class. ChatGPT and other content-generating AI platforms have made our work so quick, efficient, and simple. But with great power comes greater responsibility. What’s original and fake in content, do we know anymore? There are some major drawbacks of AI content, like
- Robotic and sounds fake
- Overly use of tough words that might be hard for most to understand
- No real-life connection
- Will not rank compared to expertly written human content
That’s why we have asked some of the most influential people from the industry to help us find the right way to utilize AI content. Below, we have shared their opinions to help you understand the techniques and requirements to give AI content the much-needed human touch.
Take a look at some of the most practical strategies that blend technology with the art of human communication, helping your content inspire the readers more deeply.
1. Inject Conversational Quirks and Storytelling
One technique I use to make AI-generated content sound more human-like is injecting conversational quirks and storytelling. When crafting content for my real estate tech website, I take AI drafts from tools like Copy.ai and rewrite them to include casual phrases, like “let’s be real” or “here’s the deal,” and short anecdotes.
For example, when writing a blog post on CRMs, the AI produced a dry list of features. I spiced it up by adding, “Last week, my buddy Jake, an investor, was drowning in leads until he tried this CRM hack,” weaving in a relatable mini story. I also vary sentence lengths, short punches mixed with longer riffs, to mimic natural speech patterns.
This approach made my post on “Best CRMs for Investors” feel like a chat with a friend, boosting dwell time by 30% and sparking 50 comments on X.
Jason Moss, Owner, Moss Technologies
2. Utilize Custom GPT for Content Improvement
You can use ChatGPT to make your AI content even more human-like by using an appropriate prompt to clean up the fluff, overly complicated language, and AI giveaways.
I like to set up a custom GPT and call it Content Improver (original name, I know).
Then feed it with details about how you want to clean up any content you input. For example…
You can ask it to ensure:
- No fluff words
- Direct statements
- Simple language
- Logical flow
- Good readability
…and avoid things like:
- Complex sentence structures
- Unnecessary repetition
- em dashes (—)
- en dashes (–)
Ask it to take the provided article and improve clarity, readability, and engagement while preserving its full length, structure, and details.
You should still edit once this has been done, but sometimes, doing this quick task means you only have to edit a little, rather than almost completely rewriting.
Martin Hayman, Co-founder, RankCaddy
3. Edit AI Content Like a Human Draft
One technique I rely on is editing AI-generated content the same way I’d edit a rough draft from a junior writer. I read it out loud, sentence by sentence, and listen for anything that feels stiff, overly formal, or unnatural. Then I rewrite those parts using everyday language, contractions, and a more active voice, just like I’d speak to a client or a colleague. I also pay close attention to rhythm and flow. AI can pack too much information into one sentence, so I break things up to improve readability. The goal isn’t just to fix grammar, it’s to make it sound like it came from a real person who understands the topic and can provide expert opinion.
Tyson Downs, Owner & Business Growth Consultant, Titan Web Agency: A Dental Marketing Agency
4. Layer Lived Experience into AI Drafts
One technique I swear by to make AI-generated content sound more human is layering lived experience into the edit. AI can give you a great starting point, especially useful when you’re stretched thin or managing multiple content marketing resources across teams. But to make it resonate, you have to inject real-world emotion, perspective, and a bit of beautifully imperfect language. I’ll often ask myself, “Would I actually say this in a conversation?” If the answer is “No,” I rewrite it until it feels like something I’d text a colleague, say in a podcast, or share on stage.
For example, if AI gives me a paragraph like, “Leveraging cross-functional collaboration to optimize workflows is essential to boosting operational efficiency,” I’ll take that and turn it into, “When departments stop guarding their turf and start solving problems together, magic happens and productivity spikes without anyone burning out.” Same message, but now it has pulse, voice, and relatability.
Another trick? I consciously allow for strategic imperfection, starting sentences with “and,” using contractions, throwing in an unexpected metaphor, or referencing cultural touchstones. These human quirks build trust and make content feel alive. Audiences can tell when something’s polished by a machine versus touched by a real voice.
Ultimately, AI is a brilliant co-writer, but the soul of your content comes from being brave enough to sound like you. That means using your tone, your quirks, and your take. Because personality is what breaks through the noise. It’s not about fooling the reader into thinking it’s human-written; it’s about making them feel something human as they read it.
5. Use Spoken Language and Purposeful Imperfections
One technique that works consistently: I rewrite AI-generated drafts using spoken language patterns. That means shorter sentences, natural transitions, and contractions. Basically, the way you’d explain something to a friend over coffee, not in a boardroom presentation.
I also throw in small, purposeful imperfections, like rhetorical questions or subtle humor, to break up the robotic tone. For example, instead of saying, “It is essential to optimize meta descriptions,” I’d go with, “Seriously, when’s the last time you clicked a vague link?”
The goal isn’t to trick anyone into thinking it’s human-written. It’s to make it feel like someone actually enjoyed writing it. That’s what makes people stick around and engage.
Ahmed Yousuf, Financial Author & SEO Expert Manager, CoinTime
Related: Top 6 Benefits of Multilingual Content Marketing for Global Success
6. Add Specific Details for Authenticity
Adding small, specific details is my favorite technique for making AI-generated content sound more human. I noticed early on that generic statements and perfect grammar made the writing feel stiff, almost as if no real person had ever lived the experience.
So, I started slipping in little anecdotes or observations, like describing the way sunlight hits a desk or how someone fidgets with a pen during a meeting.
One time, I was working on a blog post about remote work. Instead of just listing productivity tips, I included a story about my own struggle to resist the lure of the kitchen when working from home.
That single, honest moment sparked more reader comments than anything else in the piece. It taught me that readers connect with writing that feels lived-in and imperfect.
Now, whenever I review AI-generated drafts, I look for places where I can add a touch of personality or a quirky detail. These moments of authenticity help the content break free from that unmistakable robotic tone, making it feel more like a conversation than a script.
7. Incorporate Intentional Human-Like Imperfections
One of the strongest ways to make AI-written content sound more human is through “intentional imperfection.”
Let’s be honest, humans don’t talk or write in perfect symmetry — we stumble, use contractions, pose rhetorical questions, and sometimes ramble. So, having worked with AI-generated text, we always add small “humanese” touches like:
- Conversational filler: “Let’s be honest,” “Here’s the thing,” “Not gonna lie…”
- Sentence fragments: “Worth it? Totally.”
- Mild slang or contractions: “You’re not alone” instead of “You are not alone.”
- Relatable asides: “(Yes, I’ve done this too.)”
It breaks up the robotic rhythm AI often produces. These tweaks inject authentic voice, warmth, and spontaneity — you know, the stuff that makes writing feel like it came from a real person with a personality, not just a predictive model.
Xi He, CEO, BoostVision
8. Blend AI Structure with Human Personality
We don’t aim to make AI perfectly mimic a human. Instead, we employ a layering technique. The AI generates the foundational structure and key data points for content or conversations, doing the heavy lifting. A human expert, who deeply understands the local market and target customer, then layers on the personality. This involves injecting regional phrases, cultural nuances, and specific conversational patterns that build immediate trust with potential leads.
This approach is most visible in our AI chatbots. The AI is trained on successful lead qualification patterns, so it understands the logical flow. However, the actual phrases it uses and the tone are refined by a human strategist. The AI handles 24/7 availability and speed, but the human touch is what secures the high conversion rates we observe. The AI performs the volume work of qualification, handing off to a human once a warm lead is identified. It’s a collaboration, not a replacement.
9. Employ Iterative Co-Creation Process
The most effective way I make AI-generated content sound more human is by refusing to treat it as “done” after AI has touched it.
I use an iterative co-creation process as a technique. I feed the AI my original content, phrases, and insights, then ask probing, clarifying, and even challenging questions. I don’t want it to just write, I want it to help me think. I use the first draft as a mirror: I react, refine, reject, and rewrite. Then I feed those improvements back in, ask it to preserve my rhythm and tone, and we iterate again. This can repeat multiple times until I feel satisfied and that I do not have much to add to it at the moment.
This is exactly how I wrote this submission.
Along the way, I’m also checking for not just tone mismatches, but factual mismatches. Sometimes AI introduces phrases or concepts I never said, but it sounds confident enough to trust without checking. That’s where the human filter becomes essential. I don’t just ask, “Does this sound polished?” I ask, “Did I actually mean this? Would I stand behind it in a conversation?” or I ask it to give me the actual links to the sources, or do fact checks myself, for example.
Also, since I am not a native English speaker, I often have English in my own way (lol). And when the text is too good for me, I rewrite it and keep it, even if AI tells me we need to correct it. Reading this, you probably notice that it is not as polished as it could be.
If I need something quick, I prompt with: “Keep my voice, tone, and my accent.” Or I can train a custom model using my posts, examples, and content structure. I haven’t done it for my voice yet, but I may do it soon, as I am getting tired of correcting texts, so I feel they are mine. I also ask myself; would this feel real? Would I trust and enjoy this message if I were on the receiving end?
The last 10%, the emotional integrity, can’t be outsourced. That’s what makes the process human.
Tatiana Teppoeva, Founder & CEO, One Nonverbal Ecosystem™
Related: Why Content Syndication Should Be in Your Marketing Strategy
10. Review and Adjust for Natural Speech
There’s value in using AI to generate content, but only when you know HOW to use it effectively. AI is just that: “artificial” intelligence — the secret ingredient is the human touch. We’re all looking for ways to make our AI-generated text sound more human, but the real solution is to simply review it with your human perspective.
One technique I like to use is reading AI-generated text out loud. How does it sound when spoken? My guess is that it sounds a bit stiff, and it uses words and structures sentences in ways you wouldn’t naturally. Your AI model can’t recognize other AI content and is trained on information from the web written by both humans and machines. By reading it aloud, identifying where it sounds odd, and making adjustments, you’re doing yourself and future AI systems a favor.
But what does this look like in practice? Here are some quick tips: avoid clichés, reduce the use of commas, replace complex words with shorter, more common ones, and don’t always list things in groups of three.
Monika Gudova, Senior Content Writer, Orange Line
11. Inject Real-Life Experiences and Insights
The most effective way to make your AI-generated content sound more human is to create your AI-generated content like a human would.
As AI-based content proliferates, one thing is becoming very clear: readers hate it.
To avoid alienating them with the creeping realization they’re being fed AI-generated slop, I do three things:
- I inject my lived experience. I add details, anecdotes, and insights AI can’t fake — the kind that smell like real life.
- I break up the rhythm. AI loves predictable sentence structures. I throw in fragments. Sentences that start with “and” or “but”.
- I embrace the imperfect. Not every sentence has to be surgically precise. Sometimes, a slightly messy turn of phrase feels more honest than something algorithmically “perfect.”
Sure, AI can help with structure or first drafts, but it’s my voice and my standards, as a human being, that make the content worth reading by other human beings.
Patrick McKenna, Content Specialist, TIDAL DIGITAL
12. Create Content Like a Human Would
The most effective technique I use to make AI-generated content sound more human is incorporating specific examples and real stories from my 15+ years of SEO experience.
While AI is great at organizing information effectively, it often lacks the personal touch that comes from real-life experiences. Without this depth, its writing can sometimes feel like just another run-of-the-mill article.
Whenever I write, I always recall cases from the various niches I’ve worked in — and I’ve worked with many.
Sometimes I include small, “imperfect” details, such as challenges we faced, or mistakes made along the way. Readers instantly feel this. They trust you more when you don’t sound robotic or overly polished.
AI accelerates the process, but human insight, data, specific competitor examples, and lessons learned from failure bring the content to life.
In Conclusion: What Is in Store For AI-Generated Content?
Online platforms, be it on search engines, YouTube, or social media channels, are filled with AI-generated slop. When scrolling, most of us have come across reels/ videos that sound fake with unbelievable images. These immediately make us cringe and question, what we trust online is even real or not.
With the advent of various AI platforms, be it OpenAI, Perplexity, etc., generating content has become a matter of minutes. But is it really worth it? Looking at Google’s recent updates, most websites with AI content are ranked so low that they have been lost in the black hole of the online universe. Those with expertly written, genuine, human content survived. Recently, YouTube has announced that it will monetize only human and original content on its platform; AI-generated, altered content cannot make money anymore. This teaches us a valuable lesson, the human touch will never go out of fashion.
So, no matter how much content you research and pull out of AI platforms, follow our 12 expert-given tips to make it yours and give it that much-needed human feel.
If you’re struggling to strike the right balance between automation and authenticity, hire a marketing consultant can give your content the human edge it needs.