Openai/6951bbde-3e94-8004-8806-32d66e8e6e16

This conversation was exported from ChatGPT

gpt-5-2

User: I'm noticing chatgpt produces a lot of tropes common across many social posts its produced.

I'm noticing chatgpt produces a lot of tropes common across many social posts its produced. List the top ten turns of phrase I should look for in your outputs to edit when I post something

Assistant: Good instinct.

Good instinct. There are very recognizable “AI tells” that show up in social posts. Here are the top ten tropes / turns of phrase I’d actively scan for and either delete or rewrite before posting, plus why they’re giveaways and what to do instead.

1. “Let’s unpack this”

Why it’s a tell: Overused opener that signals “thread incoming.”

Edit move: Delete entirely or replace with a concrete claim.

❌ “Let’s unpack why…”

✅ “The real issue is…”

2. “At the end of the day”

Why it’s a tell: Vague summative filler with no content.

Edit move: Cut it. If you need emphasis, state the conclusion directly.

❌ “At the end of the day, X matters most”

✅ “X matters most because…”

3. “It’s not about X. It’s about Y.”

Why it’s a tell: Classic rhetorical flip that’s become AI boilerplate.

Edit move: Collapse into a single sentence or add specificity.

❌ “It’s not about speed. It’s about alignment.”

✅ “Speed fails without alignment across teams.”

4. “Here’s the thing:”

Why it’s a tell: Throat-clearing phrase that delays the point.

Edit move: Delete and start with the thing. Always.

5. “In today’s fast-paced / ever-evolving world”

Why it’s a tell: Empty context padding, especially on LinkedIn.

Edit move: Replace with actual context (industry, role, timeframe).

❌ “In today’s fast-paced world…”

✅ “In Series B biotech, decisions compound fast…”

6. “This isn’t just about…”

Why it’s a tell: Abstract framing without commitment.

Edit move: Force yourself to finish the sentence with a concrete noun.

❌ “This isn’t just about innovation”

✅ “This is about killing bad programs earlier.”

7. “Why this matters”

Why it’s a tell: Meta commentary instead of substance.

Edit move: Delete the heading and state the consequence directly.

❌ “Why this matters: teams burn out”

✅ “Teams burn out when…”

8. “Actionable / impactful / meaningful”

Why it’s a tell: Generic adjectives that signal abstraction.

Edit move: Replace with verbs or outcomes.

❌ “Actionable insights”

✅ “Decisions that change funding, hiring, or timelines”

9. “Three takeaways” / “Key lessons”

Why it’s a tell: Thread-ified content structure screams AI or consultant.

Edit move: Either:

• Remove numbering, or
• Make one point sharp enough to stand alone.

10. “If you’re X, you should Y”

Why it’s a tell: Broad advice to a hypothetical audience.

Edit move: Narrow the audience hard.

❌ “If you’re a leader, you should…”

✅ “If you run a 5–10 person research team…”

Bonus high-confidence AI tells

Scan aggressively for these and delete on sight:

• “Nuanced”
• “Leverage”
• “Holistic”
• “Unlock”
• “Navigate”
• “Optimize”
• Excessive em dashes — like this — everywhere

A simple editing heuristic (use this every time)

Before posting, ask:

1. Did I state a specific opinion that could annoy someone smart?
2. Did I name a real constraint (time, money, org size, risk)?
3. Could a human who disagrees quote me and argue back?

If the answer is “no” to any of those, the post probably still sounds AI-smoothed.

If you want, next time you draft a post, paste it here and I’ll brutally de-AI it without softening your point.