AI-Proofing Your Brand Voice: Why Your Biggest Differentiator Is You

We have no problem saying it: LLMs (large language models) that power tools like ChatGPT aren’t all bad. For marketing teams, they can be useful for quick brainstorming, pressure-testing the clarity of a draft, or sourcing facts and stats — which should always be verified. But accompanying the rise of these tools is a question that sends a chill up every writer’s spine:

Was this written by ChatGPT?

AI-generated writing often carries “fingerprints” like repetitive sentence structures and, famously, an overuse of em dashes to create pauses and weight. Since these patterns are borrowed from real writers, even a thoughtful, original piece from your team can get flagged as sounding machine-made. So if AI is learning from humans and imitating them, how do you help your writers diversify and personalize their work so it sounds unmistakably human? Read on.

1. Audit for jargon.

What’s the most pared-down meaning behind your copy? How many $20 words did you use? There’s a reason we make fun of flat, sterile language like “synergy” and “innovation.” Words like these are overused and gutless: they’ve lost meaning, or rather, feeling. AI doesn’t understand human emotion, so it ends up using empty language that doesn’t tell the audience anything about who you are. 

How to fix it: Bring life and humanity into even the most technical writing with specificity and human details. Swap abstractions for specifics, and show what your work does in the real world. If you can’t picture it, your audience won’t either.

Before: We’re spearheading dynamic solutions that foster innovation.
After: Our teams built software that can stop over 2,000 phishing attacks.

2. Break the pattern playbook.

AI leans hard on predictable formulas: Em dashes for dramatic pauses (“She wanted to win — it was her only option”). The rule of threes (“driven, ambitious, and focused”). The classic negative-then-positive construction (“It’s not just learning — it’s immersive discovery”). These techniques don’t equate to bad writing, but when they show up repeatedly, it starts to sound like there’s an LLM behind the scenes.

How to fix it: Break your own rhythm. Cut down on the em dashes. Swap the “it’s not X, it’s Y” pattern for a positive reframe. If you always default to threes, try two — or go rogue with five. Why not? You make the rules, AI just copies them.

Before: It’s not just learning — it’s bold, immersive discovery.
After: Here, immersive discovery is where your education begins.

3. Avoid the adjective pile-up.

AI writing loves to stack up descriptors because it feels detailed and thorough: “Bold, curious, and forward-thinking leaders.” But the effect is hollow. Readers tune out because the words blur together.

How to fix it: Choose one precise adjective and pair it with a clear action or image. The effect will be sharper and more memorable.

Before: Bold, curious, and forward-thinking leaders thrive here.
After: Our daring leaders reject the easy way.

4. Say it like only you can.

The best way to “un-AI” your writing is also the simplest and most obvious: Whatever you’re saying, say it so that it sounds unmistakably like you (or your brand). Aim for original phrasing, nod to your brand’s history, add some humor, and strike a distinctive tone. This will make your writing sound real, not robotic. A strong brand voice will always be the key to differentiating your copy from mass-produced AI slop. (Ready to stand out but need a stronger brand or campaign voice? We can help with that.)

How to fix it: Ask “Could another brand say this the exact same way?” If the answer is yes, rewrite until the line could belong only to you. Pull in references or lean on quirks that align uniquely with your brand.

Before: Our students go beyond the limit.
After: Our students chase opportunity so hard, they create their own.

The takeaway: Your unique voice is sharper than any AI tool.

As Southwest Airlines used to say: “Without a heart, it’s just a machine.” We know LLMs have formidable capabilities for generating writing that mimics authenticity, but they don’t have your nuance, sensitivities, discernment, or human experience. That’s where your brand will win: using voice as your strategic differentiator, not just icing on the cake.

Allow AI to make your life easier, but temper its influence so that you never have to wonder whether you sound like ChatGPT. Because the truth is, it’s ChatGPT that sounds like you.

AI Disclosure: Because we practice what we preach, we want to disclose that, in creating this article, we used AI to check for clarity and grammar mistakes; to ensure accuracy in terminology about ChatGPT, AI, and LLMs; and to measure ease of understanding and reading level. All insights, recommendations, and the final writing output are original.