How to Get the AI Out of Your Writing: A Practical Guide from Our Business Writing Course 

Key Takeaways:

• AI writing sounds polished but robotic—edit for clarity and authenticity.
• Cut parallel constructions and hackneyed openings.
• Add human touches: real examples, personal pronouns, concrete detail.
• Vary list lengths and limit em dashes.
• Use AI for planning, not for final drafts

In our Business Writing courses, we teach professionals how to use AI as a writing assistant, not a ghostwriter. AI is brilliant at planning, outlining, and editing. But when it takes over the writing itself, it leaves a distinct fingerprint: polished but impersonal, formulaic, and oddly robotic.

If you want your writing to sound authentic, you need to recognize AI’s signature moves and know how to edit them out. This guide walks you through the most common AI tells and shows you how to replace them with clear, confident business writing.

1. Watch for the Parallel Construction Trap

AI loves fancy parallel structures like:

• “It’s not just X—it’s Y.”
• “Not only this—but also that.”

These patterns aren’t wrong, but they rarely appeared in business writing before AI. They sound polished, but also artificial. We used to teach participants how to use these constructions correctly in our business writing course, but because they rarely appeared we dropped that lesson. Now they’re suddenly everywhere, and we need to teach you how to remove them.

Edit AI-style parallelism into direct statements:

Instead of:  Having actionable intelligence isn’t just helpful—it’s essential.  
Use:  Having actionable intelligence is essential.

Instead of:  We don’t just know our content—we know how to bring it to life in ways that stick.  
Use:  We are experts in our content and know how to teach lessons that stick.

Instead of:  We’re not here to protect turf—we’re here to elevate your brand.  
Use:  Our mission is to elevate your brand.

Why this works:

• It removes the rhetorical flourish and replaces it with something more conversational.
• It sounds more like a person speaking, less like a machine performing.
• It aligns with modern business writing principles: direct, purposeful, and reader-focused.

2. Add the Human Touch

AI writing often lacks warmth, specificity, and emotion. It excludes real-life examples, personal pronouns, and concrete detail. That’s where you come in.

In our business writing course, we teach learners to inject their personality, perspective, and evidence. Whether you’re writing a proposal, email, or training module, your audience wants to hear from you—not a generic bot. Developing your own voice is essential, and AI can help you refine it by offering suggestions and helping you identify your unique style.

Replace generic AI phrasing with concrete detail:

Instead of:  This tool streamlines workflow efficiency.  
Use:  This tool saves your team from switching tabs and chasing approvals.

Instead of:  You should be clear and concise when talking to others.  
Use:  Replace vague verbs like “handle” or “do” with precise actions such as “resolve” or “implement.”

How to humanize your writing:

• Add personal pronouns: “we,” “you,” “our team.”
• Add your own real-world examples, anecdotes, or client stories.
• Include sensory detail and emotional impact.

3. Break the Rule of Threes

AI loves the rule of three’s. It’s a classic rhetorical device: three items in a list feels complete and balanced. But AI overuses it, so its writing has a monotonous feel that puts the reader to sleep.

In our business writing course, we teach learners to vary their rhythm. Sometimes a pair is punchier. Sometimes four items add nuance. The key is intentional variety.

Mix up your list structures:

AI-style:  We’ve trained thousands of professionals across industries, roles, and geographies.  
Human-style:  We’ve trained professionals from tech startups to global banks—each with unique goals and challenges.

AI-style:  We know how to make communication training engaging, practical, and fun.  
Human-style:  Our training is engaging and practical, with just enough fun to keep learners energized.

AI-style:  Communication training companies exist for one reason: to help professionals communicate more clearly, confidently, and persuasively.  
Human-style:  Communication training helps professionals speak with clarity and lead with confidence.

Why this matters:

• It keeps your writing fresh and unpredictable.
• It mirrors natural speech patterns.
• It shows intentionality—not automation.

4. Watch the Em Dash Overload

AI loves the em dash. It uses it to add punch, interrupt flow, or replace commas and semicolons. But too many em dashes can make your writing feel breathless or overly stylized.

In our business writing course, we teach you when to use em dashes—and how to cut them.

Replace em dashes with commas or periods:

Instead of:  The city’s residents—often described as reserved yet refined—take pride in their work ethic and aesthetic sensibility.  Use:  The city’s residents, often described as reserved yet refined, take pride in their work ethic and aesthetic sensibility.

Instead of:  In today’s fast-paced work environment, time isn’t just money—it’s momentum.  
Use:  In today’s fast-paced work environment, time isn’t just money. It’s momentum.

Em dash tips:

• Use sparingly—once or twice per page.
• Prefer commas or periods.
• Save em dashes for emphasis or interruption—not routine transitions.

5. Cut the Hackneyed Openings

AI-generated writing often starts with tired phrases like:

• “In today’s business climate…”
• “In today’s competitive environment…”
• “Speed matters more than ever…”

These openings are everywhere, and they scream AI. In our business writing course, we teach learners there are lots of ways to hook your reader: with questions, insights, or bold claims.

Replace generic intros with compelling hooks:

Instead of:   In today’s business climate, speed matters.  
Use:  Speed to market often spells the difference between failure and success.

Instead of:  In today’s competitive environment, having actionable intelligence isn’t just helpful—it’s essential.  
Use:  Your team needs real-time insights, not yesterday’s reports, to make decisions that stick.

Strong openings should:

• Speak directly to the reader’s challenge.
• Create urgency or curiosity.
• Avoid clichés and empty modifiers.

AI Is a Tool—Not a Voice

AI can help you write faster. But it shouldn’t speak for you. In our Business Writing course, we teach professionals how to use AI strategically, without losing their voice, credibility, or connection.

Whether you’re writing a client proposal, internal memo, or training module, your words should reflect your expertise, your audience, and your intent. That’s what makes business writing effective and human.

How to Use AI as a Writing Assistant

When using AI for planning and brainstorming, treat it as a jumping off point for idea generation. Use the AI tool to help with creating outlines or developing an idea, but always bring your own perspective. AI can assist with idea generation and help you overcome writer’s block by suggesting new directions or refining your initial idea.

When editing drafts, review what you or the AI wrote and look for ways to improve what has been written. Don’t hesitate to ask the AI for feedback or suggestions on your draft—sometimes a fresh perspective can make a big difference. Explore different ways to approach the writing process with AI, whether it’s for editing, structuring, or developing your content.

If you’re using AI to clarify concepts, try prompting it to explain ideas in simple terms. Effective prompting is key: use prompt design techniques and focus on crafting effective prompts to get high-quality AI output. Better prompts lead to more relevant and useful responses, so take time to learn what makes a good prompt.

When providing information to AI, always provide context—sometimes just a few sentences or more context can help guide the AI to generate more accurate and tailored responses. The more context you give, the better the AI’s output will match your needs.

AI generates responses based on your prompts, and is capable of generating text for a wide range of purposes. The way you prompt the AI influences both AI's output and AI's behavior, so be intentional with your instructions.

Incorporate AI into your writing process for planning, editing, and creating content. AI work can include drafting, brainstorming, and automating routine writing tasks. You can use AI to help with complex tasks, apply advanced techniques, and even explore more advanced techniques as you become more comfortable. AI tools are increasingly being used in specific fields to tailor content and solve industry-specific challenges.

Remember, some scenarios—like delivering bad news—require a human touch and empathy that AI can’t replicate.

Prompting is a skill, and prompt engineering is becoming an important discipline. As AI systems evolve, the role of a prompt engineer will be crucial for maximizing the effectiveness of these technologies.

Looking to the future, AI will continue to shape how we write, create, and communicate. While it’s a powerful tool, your own voice and judgment will always be essential for authentic, impactful writing.

Ready to sharpen your writing?

Explore our Business Writing course to learn how to:

• Use AI for planning and editing, not for final drafts.
• Write with clarity, confidence, and authenticity.
• Train your team to communicate with impact.

Your writing is your brand. Let’s make it unforgettable.

Jody Bruner is the president of Wavelength, which has been providing communication skills courses to business professionals for over 50 years.