Can AI Be Detected In Essays?

AI tools are all the rage right now because of how easily they have made our lives. From marketing to academia, AI writing tools are used everywhere. However, the use of such tools in academia can be unethical and if you get caught, there may be severe consequences. So, the question arises: can AI be detected in essays? And if yes, then how?

If you are wondering this as well, this blog is for you. Before we answer the question “Can AI be detected in essays?”, let’s first briefly discuss AI writing tools for essays.

What Are AI Writing Tools?

AI writing tools are software applications powered by artificial intelligence. They are designed to automate writing processes and use advanced technologies such as natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning to generate text. From grammar correction tools like Grammarly to content generation tools like ChatGPT, AI tools can perform a range of applications.

AI writing tools use algorithms trained on vast amounts of data. This training helps these tools better understand context, grammar, tone, and structure. Just like computers, AI writing tools function in three basic steps: input, processing, and output.

You provide a prompt, the tool analyses using pre-trained models, and produces an output – the content!

Characteristics Of AI Writing Essays

AI writing tools offer convenience and creativity in written communication. What once took hours to complete could be done in minutes instead. Some of the main features of these tools include the following:

• Content Generation – from blog posts and essays to product descriptions and emails, you can generate content in seconds.
• Grammar Improvement – with tools like Grammarly and ProWritingAid, you can refine your text and write like an expert.
• Language Translation – through multilingual capabilities, you can easily translate text and preserve the context and tone.
• Idea Suggestion – you can generate prompts, topics, plans, and strategies.

Popular AI Tools For Essay Writing

With the advent of time, artificial intelligence is taking over major industries. Essay writing has also been made easier with the help of these tools. Here are some popular AI essay writing tools that you can use.

• ChatGPT

Capable of generating essays and brainstorming topics, ChatGPT is one of the most advanced conversational AI models developed by OpenAI. It is easy to use and can help you draft essays or refine content. You can also adjust tones and depths using prompts. ChatGPT can be used to generate essay drafts, essay topics, essay outlines, and narrative essays.

• Gemini

Developed by Google, Gemini is yet another advanced AI tool for generating essays. The latest version of the tool even allows you to create images related to the essays. It is very easy to learn and use and can be used for multiple functions, including but not limited to generating essays, drafts, outlines, and essay topics.

• Jasper AI

Jasper AI is a versatile tool and is one of the favourite tools of students and professionals for essay writing. It includes templates for essays and summaries, and if you are writing for content marketing, it offers SEO features. The tool is perfect for formal tone essays.

• Grammarly

While Grammarly is primarily a grammar improvement tool, you can use its advanced features for essay writing as well. The grammar check allows you to do error-free writing and helps improve readability. You can use it to improve sentence structure and coherence.

• Quillbot

A unique AI tool that focuses on paraphrasing and summaries, Quillbot is ideal for students doing research as it allows you to rewrite content without changing its meaning. It can also assist you in condensing long texts and adjusting the tone of the essay.

• Writesonic

Want to generate well-structured essays in a short amount of time? Writesonic is yet another amazing option. With a wide range of templates for academic and persuasive essays, it can draft quick essays with minimal input. The tool can also provide ideas and data points for supporting arguments.

Here is a table with comparisons:

Can AI Be Detected In Essays

As AI tools are becoming popular for essay writing, the question comes to mind: “Can AI be detected in essays?” or “What would be the consequences if we get caught?” For educators, it is important to identify essays that are written by AI to maintain academic integrity and uphold ethical standards.

When you see AI content, you may think that it is more polished than content written by humans. However,

• It may lack a personal voice, as AI content tends to be formal and generic.
• The text may have repetitive phrases or structures.
• It may lack critical thinking abilities.

How To Identify AI In Academic Writing

There are two main ways in which academic supervisors and checkers mainly check for AI. You will find a broader answer to your question, can AI be detected in essays?” here. The methods to detect AI in essays are:

• Manual Detection Methods

In manual detection, the checker may perform a close analysis of the tone and content of the essay in order to identify signs of whether it is generated by AI or not. The method relies on human observation and a deep understanding of essay writing. Some common things to check for include the following:

1. Sentences may lack the natural flow or casual expressions that are often found in human writing. Moreover, occasionally, AI produces clunky sentences.
2. AI also often makes general statements that lack depth or specificity. The sentences may not contribute meaningful insight.
3. Ironically, if an essay does not have even minor mistakes, it is a big red flag. AI-generated content is mostly flawless and adheres strictly to rules.
4. If there are any repetitive phrases in the text, the chances of the essay being AI-generated are extremely high.

So, to answer, can AI be detected in essays? Yes, even to an expert writer, without the use of tools, AI content may be obvious. However, this may not be the right method, as humans are prone to errors.

• Automated Detection Methods

AI tools are now more popular than ever, and automated AI detection tools have been developed to combat them. These tools check patterns and metrics to detect AI. Some popular AI detection tools for essay writing are:

• ZeroGPT

This tool has been designed specifically to identify AI text. ZeroGPT evaluates content based on its structure and statistical properties. It provides detailed insights into text predictability and is used very commonly nowadays.

• Originality.ai

It combines AI and plagiarism, which means that it is an even more comprehensive tool for academic writing and professional use. It can help you identify both AI text and content copied from other sources.

• Turnitin

Regarded as one of the most reliable tools for plagiarism detection in academia, Turnitin recently added AI detection features in its suite as well. Since it was established, many institutions have relied on the tool for AI detection as well.

• Copyleaks

Copyleaks have become a favourite not only for students but also for content and copywriters. Even with its free version, you are able to detect several documents and it shows relatively reliable results.

Limitations Of Automated Tools

Automated tools do seem like a good option for detecting AI, and the answer to the question, can AI-generated essays be detected?, is yes. However, these tools are built using AI and may not be as reliable as they seem.

• At times, these tools flag human written content as AI, especially when you have written a polished essay. This leads to frustration and bad grades when you do not even deserve that.
• These tools also may struggle to identify content that is partially written by a human and AI.
• The tools are only as effective as the data and algorithms they are based on.

Conclusion

To answer our initial question, can AI be detected in essays, is yes. Universities employ various techniques to make sure that students adhere to academic integrity. Essay authenticity checks for UK universities like Cambridge, Oxford, St Andrews, Imperial, and LSE, are even harder. Some even employ AI detection services in the UK for the purpose. So, be safe from these and take assistance from professional services instead. They can provide consultation and proofreading and editing services to help you better.

FAQs