Did AI write it? That’s not what matters. Instead of looking for em dashes, readers should be checking sources.
The em dash, bullet points, emoji, italics – every reader seems to have a favorite way to determine whether AI wrote something. The truth is, when the information is helpful, reliable, and entertaining, the source becomes almost irrelevant. Also, AI is getting better faster. In just a few months I’ve seen it go from clunky writing to offering some pretty nice industry-specific insights and turns of phrase.
Did AI write it? Maybe, maybe not. The real question isn’t about revelatory em dashes and emoji. It’s about whether you find the information insightful, trustworthy, and fun to read.
Having said that, let’s talk about what “trustworthy” means. I’m talking about sources.
CHECK THE SOURCES. AI pulls some crazy citations out of its little cyber hat, but so do actual writers and bad actors. Here are three key tips from a trained journalist on checking sources:
1. Are all sources cited? Any fact-based claim in an article like “most car owners don’t buy extended warranties at purchase” or “extreme weather events have doubled in the past 10 years” should have a clearly cited source. The fact should either be linked to the original source or provide enough information that you can easily look it up yourself.
2. Primary sources are more trustworthy. Quoting information from the original source means it’s less likely to be edited or mismanaged. For example, citing a report from the International Trade Commission about the impact of tariffs on rare mineral imports is better than citing an article in Supply Chain News that quotes that same research report.
3. Academic and government sources generally win. Although academic and government studies do sometimes have agendas, they are more impartial than business-backed analysis. A trade organization is unlikely to publish information harmful to their industry, for example, while an academic analysis seeks impartial facts.
Checking sources should be a habit to apply to any writing, especially in the current era of manipulated information and “fake news.” Personally, I don’t care anymore about whether AI wrote something. Think instead about the brain behind the AI, and how carefully that brain checked the sources supporting the premise of the article.