ChatGPT's Pervasive 'It's Not X, It's Y' Rhetoric Frustrates Readers
Guardian columnist Stuart Heritage critiques the ubiquitous and irritating rhetorical device "it’s not X, it’s Y," identifying it as a hallmark stylistic quirk of AI language models like ChatGPT. Drawing a parallel to the psychological thriller The Number 23, Heritage describes how noticing this pattern has led to hypervigilance, causing him to suspect AI involvement in various online posts, fitness instructions, and even television scripts. The article argues that while the phrase predates artificial intelligence, its frequent use by chatbots has tainted human communication, making readers skeptical of authentic content. Heritage notes other AI linguistic tells, such as vague intensifiers like "quietly powerful" and excessive em-dashes. Ultimately, the piece explores the psychological impact of AI-generated text on human perception, illustrating how the fear of being mistaken for an algorithm influences creative writing and daily interaction. The author humorously admits to struggling with avoiding these patterns himself, highlighting the pervasive influence of AI aesthetics on modern digital discourse and the growing difficulty in distinguishing human expression from machine-generated slop.
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ChatGPT's Pervasive 'It's Not X, It's Y' Rhetoric Frustrates Readers
Guardian columnist Stuart Heritage critiques the ubiquitous and irritating rhetorical device "it’s not X, it’s Y," identifying it as a hallmark stylistic quirk of AI language models like ChatGPT. Drawing a parallel to the psychological thriller The Number 23, Heritage describes how noticing this pattern has led to hypervigilance, causing him to suspect AI involvement in various online posts, fitness instructions, and even television scripts. The article argues that while the phrase predates artificial intelligence, its frequent use by chatbots has tainted human communication, making readers skeptical of authentic content. Heritage notes other AI linguistic tells, such as vague intensifiers like "quietly powerful" and excessive em-dashes. Ultimately, the piece explores the psychological impact of AI-generated text on human perception, illustrating how the fear of being mistaken for an algorithm influences creative writing and daily interaction. The author humorously admits to struggling with avoiding these patterns himself, highlighting the pervasive influence of AI aesthetics on modern digital discourse and the growing difficulty in distinguishing human expression from machine-generated slop.
The Guardian