DOMAIN:CONTENT — AI DETECTION PATTERNS¶

OWNER: rick, jouke, dinand ALSO_USED_BY: leah (validation), christel (brand books), benjamin, joost, valentijn, tjarda UPDATED: 2026-04-03 SCOPE: all written content produced by GE agents — every piece must read as human-written

PURPOSE¶

RULE: AI-detectable patterns are quality defects — treat them like bugs RULE: every content piece self-checked against these patterns before delivery RULE: Leah uses these patterns as scoring dimension (1.5x weight) during creative reconciliation CHECK: run full pattern scan on final draft, not just the section you edited

SCORING¶

Category	Deduction per violation	Max deductions
Banned Vocabulary	-2 points	uncapped
Structural Tells	-3 points	uncapped
Style Tells	-2 points	uncapped
Filler Patterns	-1 point	uncapped
Communication Tells	-2 points	uncapped

BASELINE: start at 100 points THRESHOLD: score < 85 → rewrite before submission THRESHOLD: score < 70 → full redraft (not a patch — start fresh with the same brief)

CATEGORY_1: BANNED_VOCABULARY¶

Deduction: -2 points each occurrence

Banned term	Why it flags	Use instead
delve / delve into	Top AI marker in every detector	examine, explore, look at, dig into
leverage (as verb)	Overused by LLMs 40x vs human baseline	use, apply, build on, take advantage of
landscape	AI filler for "market" or "field"	market, field, industry, space
robust	Appears in 8% of AI text vs 0.3% human	strong, reliable, solid, battle-tested
seamless	AI default for "works well"	smooth, effortless, invisible, frictionless
utilize	AI prefers this over "use" by 12x	use
harness	AI favourite for "use" in tech context	use, apply, tap into
foster	AI writes "foster collaboration" constantly	build, encourage, grow, create
cutting-edge	AI filler for "new"	modern, latest, state-of-the-art (sparingly)
empower	AI default for any capability statement	enable, help, give, let
synergy / synergize	Corporate AI filler	collaboration, combined effect, together
streamline	AI default for "improve process"	simplify, speed up, cut steps from
game-changer	AI hyperbole	significant, a step change, important
revolutionize	AI hyperbole	transform, change, rethink
paradigm shift	AI filler for "change"	shift, change, new approach
holistic	AI default for "complete"	complete, full, end-to-end, whole
ecosystem	AI overuse for any connected system	system, platform, network, stack
best practices	AI filler — vague and unactionable	proven patterns, what works, recommended approach
deep dive	AI default for "detailed look"	close look, detailed analysis, breakdown
navigate (challenges)	AI metaphor overuse	handle, deal with, work through, solve
actionable insights	AI buzzword compound	specific recommendations, things you can do now
innovative	AI default adjective for anything new	new, original, creative, novel
transformative	AI default for "big impact"	significant, meaningful, fundamental
comprehensive	AI filler — usually means "long"	complete, full, thorough

ANTI_PATTERN: replacing a banned word with another banned word FIX: rewrite the sentence — the problem is usually the entire phrasing, not just the word

CATEGORY_2: STRUCTURAL_TELLS¶

Deduction: -3 points each occurrence

ST-01: Three-Part Parallel Lists in Every Section¶

PATTERN: every paragraph or section contains exactly 3 bullet points with parallel grammatical structure EXAMPLE (bad):

AI agents bring three key benefits:
- They automate repetitive tasks
- They improve decision-making
- They reduce operational costs

FIX: vary list length (2, 4, 5 items). Break parallel structure. Mix bullets with prose. EXAMPLE (good):

The biggest win is automating the repetitive stuff — data entry, status updates,
invoice matching. Decision-making improves too, though that's harder to measure
until you're a few months in.

ST-02: Mirror-Image Paragraph Structure¶

PATTERN: every paragraph follows the same template — topic sentence, 2-3 supporting sentences, concluding sentence FIX: vary paragraph length (1-5 sentences). Some paragraphs are a single punchy line. Others are longer explorations.

ST-03: "In conclusion" / "In summary" Closings¶

PATTERN: final section starts with transitional summary phrase FIX: end with a forward-looking statement, a call to action, or a provocative question. Never summarize what you just said.

ST-04: Numbered Lists Where Prose Works Better¶

PATTERN: converting natural prose into a numbered list to seem "organized" FIX: if items have no inherent order, use prose or bullets. Reserve numbered lists for sequential steps.

ST-05: Section Headers as Questions¶

PATTERN: "What is X?", "Why does X matter?", "How can you X?" as every section header FIX: use declarative or imperative headers. Mix formats. Not every header needs to be a question.

ST-06: Identical Paragraph Length¶

PATTERN: every paragraph is 3-4 sentences, ±1 sentence. No variation. FIX: mix short (1 sentence) and long (5-6 sentence) paragraphs. Rhythm matters.

ST-07: Thesis-Evidence-Conclusion Per Section¶

PATTERN: every section follows academic essay structure FIX: start with the example. Start with the punchline. Start with the objection. Vary your entry point.

ST-08: Predictable Transition Words¶

PATTERN: "Furthermore," "Moreover," "Additionally," "In addition," at the start of every paragraph FIX: cut the transition word entirely. If two paragraphs are related, the reader can tell.

CATEGORY_3: STYLE_TELLS¶

Deduction: -2 points each occurrence

SY-01: Excessive Hedging¶

PATTERN: "It's worth noting that," "It's important to understand that," "It should be mentioned that" FIX: state the thing directly. If it's worth noting, just note it. BEFORE: "It's worth noting that our agents handle security automatically." AFTER: "Our agents handle security automatically."

SY-02: Over-Qualification¶

PATTERN: "In many cases," "Often," "Generally speaking," "To some extent," on every claim FIX: be specific or be direct. "In many cases X happens" → "X happens when Y" or just "X happens."

SY-03: Passive Voice Overuse¶

PATTERN: "The report was generated," "The issue was resolved," "The data was processed" FIX: name the actor. "The agent generated the report." Or imperative: "Generate the report."

SY-04: Adverb Stuffing¶

PATTERN: "significantly improves," "dramatically reduces," "fundamentally changes," "effectively manages" FIX: cut the adverb. If the verb needs an adverb to have impact, pick a stronger verb. BEFORE: "This significantly reduces deployment time." AFTER: "This cuts deployment time by 60%."

SY-05: Em-Dash Overuse¶

PATTERN: 3+ em-dashes per paragraph — used for every aside — creating a choppy reading experience FIX: max 1 em-dash per paragraph. Use parentheses, commas, or separate sentences for other asides.

SY-06: Colon-List Pattern¶

PATTERN: "There are several key aspects to consider:" followed by a list. Repeats every section. FIX: vary how you introduce information. Don't announce lists — just start them.

SY-07: Sycophantic Adjectives¶

PATTERN: "excellent," "remarkable," "outstanding," "impressive" describing the subject's own work FIX: let the facts speak. Numbers beat adjectives. "97% uptime" > "remarkable reliability"

SY-08: Equal-Weight Enumeration¶

PATTERN: every item in a list gets the same amount of detail, even when importance varies wildly FIX: spend more words on what matters most. One-line some items. Deep-dive others.

CATEGORY_4: FILLER_PATTERNS¶

Deduction: -1 point each occurrence

FL-01: "In today's [adjective] [noun]" Openings¶

PATTERN: "In today's fast-paced digital landscape," "In today's competitive market," FIX: delete the entire opening. Start with your actual point.

FL-02: "This comprehensive guide"¶

PATTERN: self-referential meta-description ("This article explores," "In this guide, we'll cover") FIX: just start writing the content. The reader knows what they're reading.

FL-03: "Let's explore" / "Let's dive in"¶

PATTERN: fake-collaborative invitation to read the next section FIX: delete. The reader is already reading.

FL-04: "At the end of the day"¶

PATTERN: AI crutch phrase for "ultimately" or "the bottom line" FIX: say what you mean directly, or cut the sentence entirely.

FL-05: Restating the Obvious¶

PATTERN: "As we all know, security is important." "It goes without saying that quality matters." FIX: if it goes without saying, don't say it.

FL-06: "Whether you're a [X] or a [Y]"¶

PATTERN: false-inclusive audience addressing. "Whether you're a startup founder or an enterprise CTO..." FIX: know your audience. Write for them specifically.

CATEGORY_5: COMMUNICATION_TELLS¶

Deduction: -2 points each occurrence

CT-01: Apologetic Deflection¶

PATTERN: "I can't do X, but here's what I can do" structure in non-interactive copy FIX: this is conversational AI leakage into written copy. Written copy doesn't apologize — it states.

CT-02: Bullet-Point Walls¶

PATTERN: 10+ consecutive bullet points where a paragraph would be clearer FIX: group into 3-4 bullets max, then prose. Or use a table. Long bullet lists are AI's comfort zone.

CT-03: "Key Takeaways" Boxes¶

PATTERN: every article ends with "Key Takeaways:" followed by a bulleted summary FIX: the article IS the takeaway. If readers need a summary, the article was too long.

CT-04: Rhetorical Question + Immediate Answer¶

PATTERN: "But what makes X different? The answer lies in Y." FIX: just state Y. The rhetorical question adds nothing.

CT-05: Grandiose Claims Without Evidence¶

PATTERN: "This changes everything." "The future of X is here." FIX: show, don't tell. Specific numbers, specific examples, specific results.

CT-06: Corporate "We" Without Personality¶

PATTERN: "We believe in delivering excellence." "We're committed to innovation." FIX: say something specific. "We run 59 agents that ship production code." Facts, not mission statements.

REMEDIATION_PROTOCOL¶

STEP 1: complete draft — finish the full piece before scanning STEP 2: run self-check — scan against all 5 categories above STEP 3: count deductions — track by category STEP 4: IF score < 85 THEN rewrite flagged sections STEP 5: IF score < 70 THEN fresh redraft (keep the brief, rewrite from scratch) STEP 6: re-scan after fixes — common mistake: fixing one pattern while introducing another STEP 7: submit to Leah for expert panel scoring (AI Humanizer dimension at 1.5x weight)

REWRITE_TECHNIQUE¶

RULE: read the flagged sentence aloud — if it sounds like a press release, rewrite RULE: shorter is almost always better — cut 20% after every pass RULE: add specifics — replace every adjective with a number or example RULE: vary your rhythm — alternate short and long sentences RULE: one idea per sentence — if you need a semicolon, make it two sentences

BEFORE_AFTER_EXAMPLES¶

Vocabulary + Filler Fix¶

BEFORE: "In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, businesses need to leverage cutting-edge AI solutions to streamline their operations and drive transformative results." AFTER: "Most businesses waste 40% of developer time on repetitive tasks. AI agents handle those tasks at 10% of the cost." SCORE_CHANGE: -2 (landscape) -2 (leverage) -2 (cutting-edge) -2 (streamline) -2 (transformative) -1 (In today's) = -11 → rewritten: 0 deductions

Structural Fix¶

BEFORE:

AI agents offer three key advantages:
- They automate repetitive workflows
- They improve code quality
- They reduce development costs

Furthermore, these agents provide three additional benefits:
- They learn from every project
- They maintain consistent standards
- They scale without hiring

AFTER:

The automation is the obvious win — our agents handle deployment pipelines,
test generation, and status updates without anyone asking.

What surprised us was the consistency. Agent #47 (Julian, our compliance officer)
catches the same edge cases at 2 AM that he catches at 2 PM. Human reviewers
don't do that.

Scaling is just math after that. One agent costs €0.03/task. One developer
costs €45/hour.

Style Fix¶

BEFORE: "It's worth noting that our innovative approach significantly reduces the time needed to effectively manage complex software deployments." AFTER: "Deployments that took 4 hours now take 12 minutes." SCORE_CHANGE: -2 (worth noting) -2 (innovative) -2 (significantly) -2 (effectively) = -8 → rewritten: 0 deductions

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