Nicole Livelong

As a writer who writes Big Important Corporate Business things, AI is both my dearest friend and my most loathed foe. While I would never allow Gen AI anywhere close to my personal writing process (unless it was directly included to and referenced in the text itself for observation purposes, of course), I’ve come around to it having its uses in corporate content.

See, corporate communication is not too far off from the average AI chatbot.

Both are littered by vague jargon with wafer-thin premises that are presented as deep knowledge, instead of what they are: an aggregation of parroted expressions. Both are so sanitized that even a Miss Universe contestant guilty of defaulting to “World peace” for every answer, would think they’re lacking personality. Chalk this lack of edge to an obsession with not offending anyone.

Not because they care about hurting others’ feelings, but because they don’t want to lose a dime.

All this to say: I dabble in ChatGPT. And the more I dabble, the more I realize that there are some words and phrases that it loves.

I still want what I’ve written to sound vaguely human. To do that, I need to ruthlessly edit away the words and phrases that scream THE INTELLIGENCE THAT WROTE THESE WAS ARTIFICIAL. While I’ll allow sloth to guide me to the ChatGPT prompt, I can let it go no further.

For that, I made a list of what to avoid.

Any of you looking to CTRL+F your way out of sounding like a robot, here it is. My list of words, phrases, and formatting that ChatGPT loves a little too much. All based on own experience, academic research, and some online corroboration.

Some of these words overlap with everyday business-ese so it might be difficult to avoid them completely. But, if you use them, do so sparingly and with intention. Although if you do avoid them, your writing will be light years better.

Oh, and if you use these without ever using AI….maybe reconsider how you write.

What’s in a name title?

Watch out for the over-use of colons in lengthy titles and subtitles with wordplay. E.g: Avoiding AI Overload: Words and Phrases Commonly Used by our AI Overlords

The Generative AI introduction starter pack

From the get-go, these are the phrases and words that will give your AI assistant away:

• Delve(d)
• Let’s dive into
• In today’s world of [noun]
• In the fast-paced environment of
• In the dynamic [noun] of [noun]
• In the realm of
• In the annals of
• In the [noun/adjective] landscape
• Master the art of
• When it comes to
• Understanding the

Help, somebody told the AI about storytelling metaphors

Even the AI knows humans find it hard to pass up a good story. Keep an eye out for:

• (Embark on a) journey
• Explore
• Navigate
• Evolve
• Elevate
• Emerging
• A tapestry of
• The fabric of
• A treasure trove of

Words that sound impressive until you realize they are actually unsubstantiated vague nothings

The edible gold leaf of the English language: it looks dazzling, but has no purpose except to get you to think more of what it’s adorning than it’s actually worth.

• Important
• Commendable
• Notable
• Innovative
• Pivotal
• Paramount
• Invaluable
• Meticulous
• Intricate
• Crucial
• Groundbreaking
• Testament
• Robust

Right at home in a medieval court

You’ll find these appellations betwixt modern-day parlay. Heed them.

• Bespoke
• Forthcoming
• Beacon

Self-important business jargon

Words to look out for:

• Leverage
• Seamless
• Ethos
• Supercharge

Toxic positivity for the digital age 🙂

AI is all about the communal good vibes.

• Embrace
• Foster
• Vibrant

S U P E R L A T I V E S ! ! !

I’m usually a fan of doing the most. Going by the overuse of these words, an area where Gen AI and I seem to agree.

• Very
• Extremely
• Significantly

Nothing can ever be only one thing

Every sentence is a compound sentence. Every issue complex. Every idea has many sides. Nothing can simply be. At least not for Generative AI.

• Beyond. E.g: This recipe goes beyond making brownies, it’s about creating memories with your loved ones.
• Not only is it x, but also y
• Multifaceted
• Versatile
• Interplay
• Comprehensive

Transition phrases. Transition phrases everywhere.

As a general rule of thumb, Gen AI relies heavily on all types of transition words and phrases (Consequently, In addition to, Furthermore, Moreover, etc.).

Everything must be written like a high schooler who’s just been taught that transition words are absolutely necessary for every single paragraph. Otherwise, how will your teacher know how ideas are connected if not made entirely explicit every time?

The Generative AI concluding words and phrases starter pack

Words to look out for:

• In conclusion
• In summary
• Finally
• Due to the fact

… followed by a long paragraph

And remember, Generative AI has the memory of a goldfish

Ever know someone who covers their own faults by using “we” liberally? Gen AI has a bad memory. To compensate, it’s reminding you to remember things constantly.

• Remember/Remember that