Can you spot ChatGPT-generated text? The AI is being used in emails, cover letters, marketing pitches, college essays, coding, and even some news stories. But sussing out what's written by a human and what's written by a computer program may be best left to the computers themselves.
Detection tools have proliferated in the wake of ChatGPT and alternative large language models (LLMs). Most are free, albeit with character limits (something that can be bypassed by pasting in chunks of text at a time). An AI detector can serve many purposes, from making sure the text you write doesn't come off as too generic and stilted to uncovering deception from job candidates.
Educators are at the top of the list of those who could use a reliable way to tell whether something has been written by an AI. And they have indeed been among the early adopters of AI detector software. But just as ChatGPT and its kind can be unreliable, so are the AI detectors.
In the ChatGPT subreddit, a high school student recently sought advice(Opens in a new window) after being falsely accused by their history teacher of using ChatGPT. The teacher would not disclose what tool was used and, according to the student, felt justified in making the claim because the detector had helped them catch other AI-written text from other students who admitted to using ChatGPT.
It’s a cautionary tale we wanted to tell before we get to this roundup of popular AI detectors and our experience with some of them. Since ChatGPT and the like are trained to imitate how humans speak, separating out what an AI has cribbed from common usage and what is actual text written by people is not an easy task—even for AI.
There is some talk in the AI community of AI generators including a watermark(Opens in a new window), or signals within AI-written text that could be detected by software without affecting the text's readability. But this would have to include the participation of the companies that produce AI content, and it's unlikely any of them would do something that puts them at a disadvantage relative to their competitors.
That said, here are some of the most-used AI detectors. To try all of the free ones, I ran through text from my own story Is Dall-E the Next Dior? How AI Is Trying to 'Make It Work' in Fashion, as well as text from a ChatGPT-generated prompt: "Please write me an article on how AI is being used in the fashion industry, specifically Stable Diffusion, DALL-E 2, and Midjourney."
1. AI Text Classifier
AI Text Classifer(Opens in a new window) comes straight from the source: ChatGPT developer OpenAI.
It seems a little awkward for ChatGPT to evaluate itself, but since it’s an AI, it probably doesn’t care.OpenAI is also upfront about this solution's limitations: it works best with a minimum of 1,000 characters; it can mislabel both AI-generated and human-written text; it doesn't work well on text written by children or that isn't in English; and a few tweaks to AI-generated text help it to easily evade the classifier.
AI Text Classifier, which is free to use, grades text on how likely it is to be AI-generated: very unlikely, unlikely, or unclear. OpenAI stresses that the detector is meant “to foster conversation about the distinction between human-written and AI-generated content" rather than provide a definitive answer.
The Results
I used AI Text Classifer to evaluate the entirety of the ChatGPT-written essay and it gave this result: "The classifier considers the text to be likely AI-generated." For my own text, the tool determined this: "The classifier considers the text to be very unlikely AI-generated."
AI Text Classifier drew the right conclusions.(Credit: OpenAI)
2. GPTZero
GPTZero(Opens in a new window) was crushing the dreams of college students just days into ChatGPT making headlines. It was developed by one of their own, Princeton senior Edward Tsai(Opens in a new window), who used the knowledge from his comp-sci major and journalism minor to analyze text for “perplexity” (how complex the ideas and language are) and “burstiness” (if there’s a blend of long and short sentences rather than sentences of more uniform length).
Tsai trained GPTZero on paired human-written and AI-generated text. While it can be used to test a single sentence (as long as it’s 250 characters or more), GPTZero's accuracy increases as it's fed more text.
GPTZero’s origin and speed to market made it popular among educators. But the program's FAQ cautions(Opens in a new window) against using results to punish students: “While we build more robust models for GPTZero, we recommend that educators take these results as one of many pieces in a holistic assessment of student work. There always exist edge cases with both instances where AI is classified as human, and human is classified as AI.”
There's a separate product, GPTZero Educator(Opens in a new window), that educators can sign up to use(Opens in a new window) for $9.99 per month. Its features are more suited to their needs: It highlights specific sentences that might be AI-written, handles larger amounts of text, and accepts multiple file formats. It will check up to 1 million words per month.
Meanwhile, anyone can try GPTZero for free at GPTZero.me(Opens in a new window). It lets registered users check up to 5,000 characters per document and three files per batch upload. A Pro plan is currently $19.99 per month; it uses a more advanced AI model and checks more words per month.
The Results
Of the AI-written text I fed it, GPTZero said: "Your text is likely to be written entirely by AI." My own received, "Your text is likely to be written entirely by a human."
GPTZero highlighted all of the ChatGPT-written text as AI-written and gave it an average perplexity score of 31.929 and a burstiness score of 21.385. My article received no highlights for possibly-AI-written sentences and got an average perplexity score of 588.703 and a burstiness score of 2,545.787. We don't know how GPTZero accounts for burstiness and perplexity, exactly, but the results seem positive.
Recommended by Our Editors
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ChatGPT vs. Google Bard vs. Bing: Which AI Chatbot Gives the Best Answers?
Thank you, GPTZero(Credit: GPTZero)
3. Originality.AI
Originality.AI(Opens in a new window) is a business-oriented product that states up front that it’s not made for academia. Its purpose is to aid content publishers in making sure that their source material or work submitted to them is not plagiarized or written by AI. This program's Chrome extension(Opens in a new window) quickly checks emails, Google docs, websites, and so on.
Unlike other AI detectors that warn about taking action based on their results, Originality.AI claims it has a 96% detection rate overall and 99%+ on GPT-4 content, 94.5% on paraphrased content, and 83% on ChatGPT. It says it owes this to “A LOT of compute power and does NOT have a free option." Originality.AI costs one cent per 100 words and uses automatic billing. Since it doesn't offer a free tool, we didn't use it to test our text.
4. Writer AI Content Detector
Writer makes an AI writing tool, so it was naturally inclined to create the Writer AI Content Detector(Opens in a new window). The tool is not robust, but it is direct. You paste a URL or up to 1,500 characters into the box on its site and get a large-size percent detection score right next to it. The product is free, and those who have a Writer enterprise plan can contact the company to discuss detection at scale.
The Results
Given 1,500 words of the ChatGPT-written piece, Writer AI Content Detector graded it "0% human-generated content" and recommended, "You should edit your text until there’s less detectable AI content." For 1,500 words of my own piece, I got a "100% human-generated" score and a robot-issued "Fantastic!" compliment.
Writer AI Content Detector comes down on the side of writers(Credit: Writer)
5. ZeroGPT
ZeroGPT(Opens in a new window) is a straightforward, free tool for “students, teachers, educators, writers, employees, freelancers, copywriters, and everyone on earth,” which claims an accuracy rate of 98%. It works on a proprietary, undisclosed technology the company calls DeepAnalyse, which was trained on 10 million articles and text.
Users paste text into a box on the site and receive one of the following results: the text is human-written, AI/GPT-generated, mostly AI/GPT-generated, most likely AI/GPT-generated, likely AI/GPT-generated, contains mixed signals with some parts AI/GPT-generated, likely human-written but may include AI/GPT-generated parts, most likely human-written but may include AI/GPT-generated parts, and most likely human-written.
The Results
ZeroGPT knew what I was up to by submitting the ChatGPT-written piece. "Your text is AI/GPT Generated," it said, before giving it a score of 94.03% and highlighting all but one sentence as being written by AI. For my writing, I was relieved to see this conclusion: "Your text is human written," and a 0% AI-written score.
ZeroGPT declares me 100% human(Credit: ZeroGPT)
Humans Are Still the Best AI Detectors
While these AI detectors were indeed able to tell AI-written text from text written by a human, precautions against relying completely on their results still apply. I'm a professional writer; those who are not might not have the same results with their own work. I don't mean to brag—it's just some hope for me to cling to in these times of AI journalists taking jobs from human ones(Opens in a new window).
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FAQs
How do you check if a text is written by ChatGPT? ›
You can detect Chat GPT-written text using online tools like OpenAI API Key. The tool comes from Open AI, itself, the company that made Chat GPT. It's worth noting that the app isn't perfect.
How to detect AI written text? ›GLTR is currently the most visual way to predict if casual portions of text have been written with AI. To use GLTR, simply copy and paste a piece of text into the input box and hit "analyze." This tool was built with GPT-2, meaning it won't be as extensively trained as if it were written with GPT-3 or GPT-4 content.
How do I use ChatGPT and avoid AI detection? ›To use the tool, simply paste in your writing & click the humanize button. You should get your new results back in a few seconds. You could also check if what you've pasted is being detected across a few different detectors. So AI can't create "undetectable AI" since it's using itself to write it!
How do ChatGPT detectors work? ›The tool is designed to help users detect AI written content generated by an AI writing tool, such as GPT-3 or GPT-2. The web-based tool provides a detection score, indicating the likelihood that the content was created by an AI. The detector from Writer did not pass the test as it think it is human-generated content.
What software is used to detect ChatGPT? ›GPTRadar. GPTRadar is another ChatGPT and AI detector created by Alessio Nittoli and Antonio Cappiello. It used OpenAI GPT-3 to figure out if the written content is by a human or generated by a machine. You can use the tool for free to start without signing up, but then you'll have to buy credits to detect more text.
Can code from ChatGPT be detected? ›The short answer is yes. Plagiarism detection software can identify similarities in language and context, even if the content is generated by an AI language model like Chat GPT. Artificial intelligence language models like Chat GPT have become increasingly popular with the advancements in technology.
Can AI-written content be detected? ›While it is impossible to reliably detect all AI-written text, we believe good classifiers can inform mitigations for false claims that AI-generated text was written by a human: for example, running automated misinformation campaigns, using AI tools for academic dishonesty, and positioning an AI chatbot as a human.
What is the best AI detector? ›| Best for | Starting price | |
|---|---|---|
| Originality AI | Best overall | $20 for 2000 credits |
| Content at Scale AI Detector | Best free tool | Free |
| AI Text Classifier | ChatGPT model | Free |
| GPTZero | Educators | $9.99 per month |
Turnitin's AI writing detection available now. Turnitin launches AI detection to help educators identify when AI writing tools such as ChatGPT have been used in students' submissions.
What is AI used to detect? ›Artificial intelligence (AI) has a significant role in fraud management. AI technologies, such as machine learning (ML) algorithms, can analyze large amounts of data and detect patterns and anomalies that may indicate fraudulent activities.
How to trick AI content detectors? ›
- Get the AI to output text less likely to detect.
- Use another tool to camouflage the text as AI generated.
- Use a tool with a more advanced AI engine.
- Mixing human and AI writing.
DetectGPT can determine with up to 95% accuracy whether a large language model wrote that essay or social media post.
Can teachers detect AI writing? ›Teachers can quickly identify instances of AI-generated writing and apply suitable changes by utilizing strategies such as recognizing problems with the content, comparing the current essay to the student's past work, and using AI-detection tools.
Can Turnitin detect ChatGPT and Quillbot? ›The following are some of the advantages of using Turnitin plagiarism checker to detect Quillbot or chatGPT generated content. Quillbot is a software that mainly rephrases, or paraphrases written documents online. It can rewrite any content and generate a rewritten content with the same meaning.
What is a detection tool? ›Definition. Detection tools. detect the existence of a virus on a system. These tools perform detection at a variety of points in the system. The virus may be actively executing, residing in memory, or stored in executable code.
Is there any software to detect ChatGPT? ›As it currently stands, your university may be able to detect ChatGPT. Despite the model being relatively new, some AI detection software has already caught up. GPTZero is probably the most common detection tool around and boasts impressive accuracy.
How to detect malware using AI? ›Artificial intelligence (AI) cannot not automatically detect and resolve every potential malware or cyberthreat incident, but when it combines the modeling of both bad and good behavior, it can be a successful and powerful weapon against even the most advanced malware.
Can my professor know I use ChatGPT? ›Yes, you can get caught using ChatGPT by various methods, such as plagiarism detection tools, stylometric analysis tools, code quality analysis tools, and other AI detectors.
Can Google detect ChatGPT content? ›Yes and no; in theory, Google could most likely detect a text is being generated by AI or ChatGPT if they created a system for it. There is no indication that Google does this when indexing and ranking different content.
Can QuillBot be detected? ›Since QuillBot is not considered AI writing, most plagiarism checkers will not flag its use. That said, we make no guarantees if someone uses QuillBot on text generated by a tool like ChatGPT.
How do I make AI generated content undetectable? ›
You could check the writing for AI or turn the writing undetectable. If you ask it to humanize your text, it'll run through the detectors and then rewrite your content to make it completely undetectable.
What website detects AI writing? ›AI Writing Check. 👋 Educators, AI Writing Check is a free service developed by Quill.org and CommonLit.org to enable educators to check if a piece of writing submitted by a student was written by the AI tool ChatGPT. This algorithm is designed to detect AI-generated writing.
What is AI tool in content writing? ›AI writing tools, also known as AI content writers, are pieces of software that generate text based on user input powered by artificial intelligence. AI writers can generate human-like text content with the power of AI technology. AI writing tools are excellent for businesses that conduct content marketing.
How can I tell if a student used ChatGPT? ›Monitor the writing style of the student
Another way to detect students who are using ChatGPT to write their assignments is to monitor their writing style. ChatGPT is designed to mimic human writing, but it may have distinct patterns or quirks that can be identified. Furthermore, ChatGPT is a powerful language model.
Yes, Turnitin can detect Chat GPT and other AI-assisted writing. Turnitin's AI detection technology has been developed to keep up with the advancements in AI writing tools.
Is ChatGPT not an AI? ›Meta chief AI scientist Yann LeCun has said that OpenAI's ChatGPT represents a product, not actual research and development in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). According to him, OpenAI has not made any actual scientific breakthroughs and ChatGPT is 'not particularly innovative'.
What are the AI methods for object detection? ›Popular algorithms used to perform object detection include convolutional neural networks (R-CNN, Region-Based Convolutional Neural Networks), Fast R-CNN, and YOLO (You Only Look Once). The R-CNN's are in the R-CNN family, while YOLO is part of the single-shot detector family.
What are the sensors used in AI? ›These include camera, IR, sonar, ultrasound, radar and lidar. A combination of various sensors allows an AI robot to determine size, identify an object and determine its distance. Radio-frequency identification (RFID) are wireless sensor devices that provide identification codes and other information.
How does AI detect images? ›Image recognition algorithms use deep learning datasets to distinguish patterns in images. These datasets consist of hundreds of thousands of tagged images. The algorithm looks through these datasets and learns how the image of a particular object looks like.
How do you disguise AI writing? ›In addition to higher-level vocabulary, you can also make use of synonyms and paraphrasing to add variety and richness to your content. This approach not only helps to mask the AI-generated nature of your text but also improves its overall flow and cohesion.
How to outsmart AI? ›
Minimizing student use of AI
Avoid the use of knowledge recognition and recall through the elimination of multiple-choice questions. Decrease the use of essays that focus on the regurgitation of knowledge from one source and that require repackaging the information as the substance of the assessment.
- Choose a Natural Writing Style.
- Avoid repetitive patterns.
- Implement a variety of sentence structures.
- Create a Humanlike Persona.
- Limit Response Speed.
- Simulate human typing speed.
- Incorporate pauses and delays.
- Mimic human decision-making time.
In response to the new wave of AI software that is available, Turnitin (a well-known plagiarism detection software provider) introduced a new AI detection tool named “Originality” on 4 April 2023. Turnitin believe that Originality can detect if essays have been written by AI with 98% confidence.
What is the best AI detector for students? ›Winston AI Detection
Created specifically for educators and publishers, Winston AI's detection tool is one of the best for checking if educational writing was written by a student or with the assistance of AI.
If you're looking to bulk test academic/education content, Winston is your go-to. Winston AI self proclaims themselves to be the best academic AI detection software. What is this? It's similar to Originality but focused on educators looking to check for students who wrote papers using AI.
Is QuillBot cheating? ›Yes, it is cheating (and it is unethical, but I repeat myself) if you paraphrase someone else's content, whether you use a tool or do it manually.
Does paraphrasing trick Turnitin? ›Paraphrasing. If it is done in a clever way, it is one of the best ways that work, especially if you construct the sentences differently and add more of your own. Of course, it is always risky but a legal way to trick Turnitin.
Which software can detect QuillBot? ›Turnitin detects plagiarism in Quillbot but some percentage of plagiarism may be removed depending on the mode you are using.
How do I know if my student is using ChatGPT? ›Turnitin for detecting Chat GPT.
One of the most effective tools is Turnitin , widely used by educational institutions to detect plagiarism. Turnitin uses a combination of machine learning and human expertise to identify text that chat GPT models have generated.
Yes, WhatTheFont is a simple and easy font finder that can help you identify fonts. Just upload an image of the font you need identified, and the tool will do the job for you. WhatTheFont works by searching through its database and comparing its fonts to the one in your image.
How can you tell if an SMS has been read? ›
...
Check if your text was read on Google Messages
- Open Messages on Android.
- Tap the circular account picture in the upper-right corner.
- Select Messages settings. ...
- Tap Chat features.
Turn on Delivery Receipts to find out if your text message was delivered to the recipient. (This option doesn't tell you if the message was read.) On newer phones, open the Messages app and go to Settings > Advanced > Get SMS delivery reports.
Does ChatGPT give the same answer to everyone? ›Most of the time, when different people ask ChatGPT the same question, they will get the same answer. There might be a few variations in words, but they will be almost identical.
Can schools detect ChatGPT? ›Can Universities detect Chat GPT? It is now completely possible for universities to detect ChatGPT and many other AI content generators. If work is submitted through a university's learning management system, such as Turnitin, AI and plagiarism detection should happen.
What are the 5 text types? ›- 1 Narrative text type.
- 2 Expository text type.
- 3 Argumentative text type.
- 4 Literature.
- 7 External links.
- picture books.
- cartoons.
- mystery.
- fantasy.
- adventure.
- science fiction.
- historical fiction.
- fairy tales.
- biographies.
- non-chronological reports;
- essays.
- newspapers;
- magazines;
- textbooks;
- instruction manuals;
- recipes.
Both the sender and recipient must be using iMessages on an iPhone or iPad and have Read Receipts enabled. When you text someone with Read Receipts turned on, you'll notice the word "Read" beneath your message, and the time it was opened.
How can I check my SMS messages online? ›On your computer, open Messages for web in a browser, like Chrome or Safari. Settings and toggle on Remember this device after you log in. Using your phone, tap Scan QR code and hold your phone up to the QR code on the web page. When it's ready, your phone will vibrate.
What is the timestamp on text messages when phone is off? ›What timestamp appears on messages received while an i-phone is turned off, once it is turned on again? Hi AD, The timestamp shown if a message received while the phone is off, will be the time you turn the phone back on.
How do I find my Google text messages? ›
- Open Settings .
- Click Apps.
- In the list of apps, click Messages. SMS. Messages .