AI slop is changing writers’ style online

Writers posting their content on social media platforms are facing a new kind of anxiety dubbed “imbotster syndrome,” where professionals fear being mistaken for using AI, even when they haven’t.

The likelihood of human-written content being mistaken for AI-generated slop is high, especially on LinkedIn, where the platform estimates that over half of long-form posts are AI-written.

As a result, several writers are avoiding styles that ChatGPT and AI tools frequently use. Ghostwriter Cheril Clarke says she avoids using triplet lists, em dashes, or the “not X but Y” contrast to avoid sounding AI-like, even though she has naturally used them for decades.

Some professionals purposely add typos, slang, or mistakes to prove they’re human, as perfection is increasingly viewed as robotic.

Analysts say the stylistic patterns now seen as AI-written are very similar to corporate and marketing language, and AI bots are simply replicating it.

The fear of AI has reshaped how people write, read, and judge text online. On LinkedIn and beyond, authenticity and imperfection have become new markers of humanity.