The dead giveaway that ChatGPT wrote your content - and how to work around it

I have been testing ChatGPT since it launched in November 2022 and have seen updates improve its writing capabilities. However, fairly recently, I noticed a pattern in ChatGPT's output -- the repeated use of the em dash. Also: ChatGPT is your personal shopper now - here's how it works While the em dash is a punctuation mark loved by many writers, such as myself, as seen in the sentence above, it also seems to be ChatGPT's favorite.

While the em dash, also referred to as a hyphen, is a sophisticated way to add a pause, break, or an aside into a sentence, it may be worth switching to the comma, or you may start raising suspicions that you rely on AI . The em dash problem Don't believe me? Once I started noticing this pattern, I looked it up, and it's not just me noticing it. There are Reddit threads , OpenAI Developer Community discussions, and even various articles dedicated to what is referred to as the "ChatGPT Hyphen".



As I stated earlier, em dash aficionados are everywhere, wedded to their favorite punctuation mark, so I ran an experiment to test my observations. Also: 5 reasons I turn to ChatGPT every day - from faster research to replacing Siri I asked ChatGPT to write me a quick conversational summary explaining what ChatGPT is and to define some use cases. In the first sentence, the em dash made an appearance: ChatGPT is basically an AI that you can talk to — kind of like having a super helpful writing buddy on call 24/7.

It's trained to understand all kinds of questions and prompts, and it can generate text that sounds pretty natural and human. You can use it for tons of writing tasks: things like drafting emails, writing blog posts, coming up with social media captions, brainstorming ideas, or even helping edit and polish what you've already written. It's also great for creative projects like stories or poems, and it can explain tricky concepts in a really easy-to-understand way.

Basically, if it involves words, ChatGPT can probably help! I then asked ChatGPT to tell me about New York in the summer, and the em dash was sprinkled through its output: Absolutely! New York City in the summer is vibrant, energetic, and packed with things to do — but also hot, busy, and sometimes a bit overwhelming. What to expect: Weather : It's usually hot and humid, with temps in the high 70s to 90s °F (25–35°C). Thunderstorms can pop up occasionally.

Vibe : The city comes alive. Parks are full, street performers are out, rooftop bars are buzzing, and events are happening everywhere. Crowds : Tourists flood in, so expect longer lines at major attractions like the Statue of Liberty, museums, and Broadway shows.

Green spaces : Central Park, Prospect Park, and the High Line are great spots to cool down a bit, have a picnic, or catch a free concert or movie night. Cultural events : SummerStage, Shakespeare in the Park, and outdoor film festivals are big hits. Food : It's prime time for food trucks, street fairs, and outdoor dining — from trendy spots in Brooklyn to classic pizza joints.

Beaches and escapes : You can hop a subway to Coney Island or take a quick train to beaches like Rockaway or Long Beach for a breather. It's a mix of grit and magic — chaotic but unforgettable. Are you thinking of visiting or just curious? Also: 3 clever ChatGPT tricks that prove it's still the AI to beat As I continued my testing, many outputs did not include em dashes, especially shorter answers.

However, generally speaking, em dashes are not commonly used in everyday language, and, as a result, ChatGPT's constant gravitation towards them has made it almost a signature of its text. The solution Luckily, there is a super useful trick to keeping your text em dash-free. You can ask ChatGPT at the end of your initial prompt not to use em dashes, or, after the AI generates its response, you can tell it to remove em dashes.

Since ChatGPT is generally pretty good at following instructions , the changes will happen immediately once you ask. And if you happen to like using em dashes in your writing, do so at your own risk. 7 strategic insights business and IT leaders need for AI transformation in 2025 How I used this AI tool to build an app with just one prompt - and you can too The best AI for coding in 2025 (and what not to use) My 5 favorite AI apps on Android right now - and how I use them.