ChatGPT's Latest Update Made My Last Blog Article Obsolete

Back in July, I wrote an article about how you could spot a ChatGPT-written article from a mile away. But today I had the AI machine write me a long-form blog article to start for a client and it sounded . . . well . . . not like ChatGPT.

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Don't worry, the article I wrote wasn't completely obsolete, and it's still spitting out a lot of its futuristic-type introductions to blog posts that are it's primary writing tactic (in an ever-evolving landscape, for example). But this last article I had it write for me (as a best practice, NEVER use a completely AI-written article: always hand-edit everything after the intial content is written), I was actually surprised by how human the article sounded.

ChatGPT recently underwent a significant update in September 2024 that was designed to make its writing sound less like, well, ChatGPT. The update marks a shift toward producing more human-like content, which poses both opportunities and challenges for marketers and copywriters alike. As AI continues to enhance its capabilities, recognizing AI-generated content is becoming increasingly difficult. So, what does this new update mean for your business? And how can you stay ahead in identifying AI-written content?

What’s New in ChatGPT’s Latest Update?

The newest update to ChatGPT focuses on refining its tone and style, making its outputs more nuanced and natural. Here are a few key changes:

• Contextual Awareness: ChatGPT has improved its ability to understand the tone, voice, and objectives of a piece. Whether you’re aiming for a conversational blog post or a formal article, it can better adapt its writing style to suit the desired outcome.

• Reduction in AI “Tells”: One of the main goals of this update is to reduce the typical signs of AI-generated content. Previous versions of ChatGPT might have repeated phrases, over-explained concepts, or used overly neutral language. These updates make the content more dynamic and varied, much like human-written text.

• Improved Cohesion: AI-generated content used to struggle with keeping a consistent narrative or logical flow. The new update improves on this by weaving information more naturally throughout the text, making it harder to identify segments that might feel disconnected.

These updates have undoubtedly raised the bar for AI-written content, blurring the lines between machine and human authorship.

Why Recognizing AI-Written Content Just Got Harder

With these improvements, marketing managers face a growing challenge. Many organizations pay copywriters to produce original, human-crafted content. The new wave of AI-generated writing, however, is becoming harder to distinguish from that written by human hands, raising concerns about content integrity and the potential for undetected AI usage in paid work.

In my previous article, You Aren’t Fooling Anyone with Your ChatGPT-Written Articles, I delved into some of the easy ways we could once spot AI-generated content. But as AI advances, those obvious markers are becoming a thing of the past. Marketing managers who want truly original, human-centered writing may find themselves unknowingly paying for content that’s been AI-generated or AI-assisted.

The issue isn't just about being fooled; it's about authenticity. Content crafted by humans often includes emotional nuance, creativity, and a deeper understanding of the subject matter—qualities that clients and audiences value. Now, as the distinction between AI and human writing fades, marketing managers need to be more vigilant than ever.

How to Spot AI-Written Content in 2024

Even with the latest improvements, there are still ways to identify AI-generated content, though they require more attention to detail than before. Here’s what to look out for:

1. Overly Consistent Sentence Structures: Human writers vary sentence lengths and structure to create a natural rhythm and flow. AI, on the other hand, can sometimes fall into a pattern of similar sentence structures. If the text feels too uniform, it could be a sign of AI involvement.

2. Lack of Genuine Emotion: While ChatGPT has improved in mimicking human-like tones, it still struggles with conveying real emotion. Content that feels overly neutral, with a lack of genuine passion or unique perspective, could be AI-generated. Human writers often inject personal insights, cultural references, or specific emotions into their work.

3. Overuse of Transitions: AI often relies on common transitional phrases (e.g., “however,” “in addition,” “therefore”) to maintain flow. While these are necessary for smooth writing, an overabundance of them can be a red flag that AI is at work.

4. Repeating Facts and Information: AI tends to circle back to certain ideas more frequently than human writers, who can usually recognize when an argument has been sufficiently made. If you notice a repeated point or rephrasing of a previously made statement, that could be an AI signature.

5. Subtle Errors in Specificity: While AI can write a coherent article, it can still make errors when trying to grasp certain nuances, such as historical context or industry-specific jargon. If something feels slightly off in how a topic is handled, it may be a sign that a machine is behind the text.

6. Flat Introductions and Conclusions: While ChatGPT can now write more dynamic body content, its introductions and conclusions sometimes still feel formulaic. A lack of creative flair or too predictable a structure at the start and end of an article can indicate AI generation.

What’s Next for Marketing Managers?

With AI tools like ChatGPT continuing to evolve, marketing managers need to keep refining their own skills to identify AI-written content. This means developing a keen eye for subtle differences between human and AI writing, particularly if you're hiring freelance writers or using content agencies. If your goal is to maintain a fully human voice for your brand, paying close attention to these details is crucial.

Additionally, open dialogue with your content creators is key. If you prefer human-written work, make it clear in your contracts and agreements. Alternatively, if you are open to the use of AI tools as long as they’re used transparently, establish guidelines for when and how they can be integrated.

Conclusion

The recent updates to ChatGPT bring exciting advancements, but they also complicate the landscape of content creation. As AI becomes more sophisticated, recognizing AI-written content will require extra effort, vigilance, and perhaps new tools for detection.

For now, though, there are still clues that marketing managers can use to discern the difference. Staying ahead of these trends and knowing what to look for will help ensure your brand’s content maintains the authenticity and uniqueness your audience expects.