How Can You Tell an Email May Have Been Written Using Generative AI?

Have you ever received an email and wondered if it was written by AI? With the growing use of tools like ChatGPT, identifying emails written by generative AI is increasingly important.

When you open your inbox, you can look for certain clues to identify emails written by AI. Clues like flawless grammar, overly formal language, and generic greetings can reveal the message is AI-generated.

Let’s explore the key signs that might indicate an email was crafted by AI rather than a human. Whether you’re curious or concerned, understanding these indicators will help you navigate your inbox with more awareness and confidence.

Table of Contents

• 1. Perfect Grammar and No Typos
• 2. Overly Formal or Consistent Tone
• 3. Generic Greetings and Sign-offs
• 4. Repetitive Language Patterns
• 5. Too Much Information at Once
• 6. Missing Personal Context or Emotion
• 7. Quick Response to Complex Questions
• 8. Unusual Text Formatting
• FAQ’s
• Conclusion

1. Perfect Grammar and No Typos

Most human-written emails contain small mistakes. We might misspell a word or forget a comma here and there. It’s natural because we’re not perfect. But AI-written emails often have flawless grammar and punctuation.

When you see an email that’s too perfect, with every comma in the right place and not a single typo, it might be AI-generated. Even professional writers make occasional mistakes in their emails.

Think about your own emails. Don’t you sometimes hit send before catching that small error? That’s what makes our writing human.

2. Overly Formal or Consistent Tone

AI tends to maintain the same tone throughout an email. It might sound too professional or formal, even in casual situations. Humans naturally vary their writing style based on context and emotion.

For example, a human might start formally but become more relaxed as they write. Or they might mix casual phrases with business language. AI usually stays rigidly consistent in its tone.

Look for emails that feel like they’re trying too hard to sound professional. They might use phrases like “I trust this email finds you well” throughout the entire message.

3. Generic Greetings and Sign-offs

Watch out for very standard greetings like “Dear Sir/Madam” or “To Whom It May Concern.” While humans sometimes use these too, AI often defaults to these generic openings.

The sign-offs might also feel impersonal, like “Best Regards” or “Sincerely” without any personal touch. Humans often add their own flair, like “Cheers” or “Talk soon!”

Look for more personality in how the email starts and ends. Human writers tend to be more specific and personal in their greetings.

4. Repetitive Language Patterns

AI sometimes repeats certain words or phrases throughout an email. Humans usually find different ways to say things and naturally vary their language.

You might notice the same transitional phrases appearing multiple times, like “additionally” or “furthermore.” Humans tend to be more random and less structured in their word choices.

Pay attention to how ideas flow. If you see the same patterns or expressions used repeatedly, it might be AI-generated.

5. Too Much Information at Once

AI-written emails often pack in lots of information very efficiently. While this sounds good, it can actually feel unnatural. Humans usually write in a more scattered way.

You might notice long lists of perfectly organized points. Or paragraphs that cover multiple topics without any personal tangents or natural flow.

Real people tend to meander a bit in their writing. They might go off-topic or forget to mention something until the PS.

6. Missing Personal Context or Emotion

Human emails often include personal touches like “Hope you had a great weekend” or references to previous conversations. AI might miss these natural connection points.

Look for emails that jump straight to business without any warmth or personality. Humans usually add some personal element, even in professional emails.

Real people remember shared experiences and mention them. They ask about family or reference past meetings in a natural way.

7. Quick Response to Complex Questions

If you receive an instant response to a complicated email, especially outside of business hours, it might be AI-generated. Humans need time to think and process complex information.

Real people usually take some time to respond to emails that require detailed answers or careful thought. They might need to check facts or gather information.

Watch out for suspiciously fast responses that are too well-structured and complete to be written on the spot.

8. Unusual Text Formatting

AI-generated emails might have very consistent or oddly perfect formatting. Every paragraph might be exactly the same length, or all bullet points might follow the exact same pattern.

Human emails tend to be more messy. We might switch between short and long paragraphs, or use different styles of lists and formatting within the same email.

Pay attention to how the text looks on the page. Too much uniformity might suggest AI involvement.

FAQ’s

Conclusion

In conclusion, spotting AI-written emails is becoming an important skill in today’s digital world. As we’ve explored, there are several ways to tell if an email may have been written using generative AI.

Remember that none of these signs alone proves an email is AI-generated. Sometimes humans write very formal emails, and sometimes AI can sound surprisingly human. The key is to look for multiple signs together.

Ajay Rathod

Ajay Rathod loves talking about artificial intelligence (AI). He thinks AI is super cool and wants everyone to understand it better. Ajay has been working with computers for a long time and knows a lot about AI. He wants to share his knowledge with you so you can learn too!