Editing the AI out of your own writing
The clearest signal is not vocabulary but that every sentence concludes on the reader's behalf. Delete first, smooth second, verify last; in the other order you only hide the problem.
How to do it
Delete the template phrasing before touching sentences
Paste the whole piece into “Strip the AI voice” and ask for deletions only: the not-X-but-Y antithesis, first/second/finally lists, three-part parallel structures, phrases like “it is worth noting.” Have it list every cut with a reason. Where an argument breaks after the cut, the sentence was holding up a claim it never supported.
Then smooth what survives
Use “Make the draft read smoothly” on the sentences: split the long ones, fill in the pronouns, turn “carry out an optimization of” back into “fix.” State clearly that no content may be added — one invented explanation and you have to check every line against the original, which costs more than writing it yourself.
Compare each claim's strength with its evidence
“Check whether claims match their evidence” hunts for “significantly better,” “dramatically improved,” “everyone agrees,” and asks what evidence of the same strength sits behind it. It flags without rewriting, so you get a list: downgrade the claim to “in our tests,” add the data, or cut it.
Check the facts and the contradictions
“Fact and consistency check” covers a different class of problem: numbers, dates, names, quoted words. The thing most likely to have expired in an old piece is a percentage from three months ago that was correct then and is not now. Keep this separate from the previous step: one asks whether a claim is too strong, the other whether it is wrong.
Test it on a reader at the end
Have “Play the reader who will close the tab” read the piece and answer one question: at which sentence did it want to leave, and why. If that sentence is the part you are proudest of, resist defending it — try cutting it and see whether the piece tightens. A reader's patience is not allocated by how hard you worked.
Prompts used
FAQ
What exactly is the AI voice, and why can't I see it in my own draft?
It is a set of habits: the antithesis, the three-point list, summarizing the last paragraph before starting the next, abstract nouns where a verb belongs, and an ending that escalates for no reason. You miss it because you read for meaning, not shape. Read only the first sentence of each paragraph: if they are all conclusions and transitions, the structure is a template.
Is a full rewrite better than editing paragraph by paragraph?
It depends on whether the problem is structure or sentences. If the order is wrong and arguments repeat, rewriting is faster. If the structure holds and only the sentences loop, editing paragraph by paragraph is safer and keeps your voice. Test it: copy out the first sentence of every paragraph and read them in a row. If they form the whole argument, edit.
It still doesn't sound like me after editing. What now?
Read the revision aloud; the places where you stumble are usually words someone else chose for you. Put your own phrasing back, even if it is less elegant. Voice is the one thing that cannot be delegated — better one clumsy sentence that is yours than a smooth one anyone could have written.