How to Get AI to Sound More Human

Hey Reader—

Making AI sound authentic and human is still a challenge. At Glow Social, we’ve found two strategies that help:

1. Providing a list of words and phrases to avoid, and
2. Setting a clear output goal.

Here’s how these approaches work.

Step 1: Provide a List of Words and Phrases to Avoid

AI’s tone depends on the prompts we give it.

Avoiding corporate jargon, overused phrases, and vague language helps make content feel natural and relatable.

Clear guidance allows AI to produce a more genuine tone.

Here is a list we use at Glow Social to ensure our AI-generated content resonates with real audiences:

• Corporate buzzwords: Cutting-edge, game-changer, revolutionize, innovative, disruptive, synergy, robust, leverage, next-generation, groundbreaking.
• Overused transitions: In today’s digital age, it’s important to note, when it comes to, dive into, unlock the potential, furthermore, moreover, additionally, therefore, indeed, essentially, in conclusion.
• Vague qualifiers: Navigate, navigating, enhance, foster, ensure, vital, complex, journey, embark.
• Dramatic language: Unprecedented, transformative, state-of-the-art, push the boundaries.

By eliminating these phrases, the AI is less likely to produce outputs that feel clichéd or overly polished. Instead, it can focus on creating content that feels relatable and conversational.

Step 2: Define a Clear Output Goal

The second step to making AI sound more human is to set a clear and specific output goal.

This gives the AI a defined target to aim for, helping it produce content that aligns with the intended tone and purpose.

When the desired outcome is ambiguous, the AI may default to overly formal or generic language.

A clear goal keeps the output focused and consistent.

For example, when creating LinkedIn posts inside the Glow Social software, we use the following output goal:

“Produce a single LinkedIn post that sounds like a genuine, engaging conversation between professionals. Avoid corporate jargon, overused expressions, and any unnecessary formatting. The post should be ready to share directly, delivering clear value and encouraging meaningful interactions.”

This type of goal ensures the AI understands both the tone and the format of the desired output. It also reinforces the need to prioritize authenticity and relevance over flashy language or unnecessary embellishments.

Bringing It All Together

By combining these two strategies, you can guide AI to produce content that feels human, relatable, and impactful. At Glow Social, we’ve implemented these practices to improve the quality of our AI-generated outputs, ensuring they align with the expectations of our users and their audiences.

Here’s an example of a prompt we use within our software:

Words and phrases to avoid:

• Corporate buzzwords: Cutting-edge, game-changer, revolutionize, innovative, disruptive, synergy, robust, leverage, next-generation, groundbreaking.
• Overused transitions: In today’s digital age, it’s important to note, when it comes to, dive into, unlock the potential, furthermore, moreover, additionally, therefore, indeed, essentially, in conclusion.
• Vague qualifiers: Navigate, navigating, enhance, foster, ensure, vital, complex, journey, embark.
• Dramatic language: Unprecedented, transformative, state-of-the-art, push the boundaries.

Output Goal: Produce a single LinkedIn post that sounds like a genuine, engaging conversation between professionals. Avoid corporate jargon, overused expressions, and any unnecessary formatting. The post should be ready to share directly, delivering clear value and encouraging meaningful interactions.

Feel free to copy and paste the "words and phrases to avoid" and keep it handy when you're creating content.

That way, you won't need to navigate unprecedented, transformative, state-of-the-art synergies.

Or whatever.

:)

-Kathleen