When OpenAI launched its broadly known ChatGPT back in 2022, and a couple of other companies released their own takes on generative artificial intelligence, it was clearly a big deal for many people, a deal that promised to bring many changes along the way. Yet, for students, it created a dilemma that hadn’t been there before.

“To generate or not to generate?” – With the rise of AI, this is one of the most prominent questions college and university students are asking themselves. While AI looks like a simple, fast, and effective solution, there are still many discussions concerning the practical and ethical sides of using it. This guide is aimed to compare AI vs human writing to give students an idea of what is the best way to handle their academic essays and offer tips on how they can avoid plagiarism in papers.

Why Are Students Looking for AI or Human Writing Solutions?

Everyone who has been to college knows that the academic load is tense. Often, students get so pressured by their assignments, tests, extracurriculars, and other undertakings that they end up basically on the verge of burnout. That’s why looking for extra help, especially with voluminous and time-consuming tasks like academic writing, isn’t new or rare for them.

Students are seeking help to:

  • save time;
  • submit their assignments on time;
  • handle complex tasks and topics;
  • get more time for work or other top-priority tasks;
  • simply relax and restore their energy.

Just a couple of years before, seeking such help would take them straight to professional online services that produce high-quality human written text for them, for example, PaperWriter, which was used for this comparison. Now, however, AI seems to start becoming a popular alternative.

What Is AI Generated Writing?

In a nutshell, generative artificial intelligence is a subset of AI (intelligence demonstrated by a machine) that can create content based on user prompts.

Generative writing, in turn, is the process of generating human-like content produced by such systems. A well-known example of a tool that can do that is ChatGPT. It is thought to produce human-like content in less time, which clarifies why students consider it as an alternative. However, comparing the generated text to human writing produced by PaperWriter, as well as with Paper Writer reviews from across the web, it becomes clear that AI still can’t compare.

How Does AI Writing Work?

The ease and fast speed of use are some of the primary reasons why students tend to consider AI as a solution to their academic matters. These tools work the following way:

  1. A user enters a customized prompt into the relevant box.
  2. The tool leverages natural language processing (NLP) principles to interpret prompts and generate content based on it. Typically, it takes seconds.
  3. A user can ask for changes and additional pieces of information, and give other prompts to refine the result.

While it all sounds simple and fun, the big trap of AI is that it still lacks sufficient contextual understanding, meaning that lazy or untrained use of such tools will likely result in sloppy text. This becomes clear when AI writing vs human text is being compared.

The Consequences of Using AI in the Academic Sector

For students considering using AI for essays or those already using it, it’s important to understand the possible downsides of this decision. Although it doesn’t fit into the traditional image of plagiarism, AI promotes it and, thus, creates breaches in academic integrity.

Essays generated by a machine lack original thought. When left as is, these papers don’t complete the very core goal of academic writing – to help students process and retain the studied material, while encouraging them to leverage their critical thinking, analytical skills, and original ideas.

Simply put, AI is just a learning shortcut that undermines the educational process just as much as if a student simply downloads an essay from the web and submits it. The majority of educational facilities take this stance and leverage anti-AI policies, which can get students in trouble for using it, including:

  • an accusation of plagiarism;
  • decreased grade;
  • ruined academic reputation;
  • harsher penalties, including suspension and expulsion.

Even if students don’t get caught, the use of AI in academic writing can still hinder learning outcomes. Namely, comparing AI versus human, it’s clear that generated content is typically more superficial and inconsistent in terms of quality.

Plagiarism-Management Techniques: 6 Tips to Use in Academic Essays 

The core tips for avoiding plagiarism in essays include:

  1. Understanding plagiarism as a form of academic cheating rather than explicitly using others’ ideas.
  2. Citing and attributing all used sources of information properly.
  3. Paraphrasing and reworking other people’s (or AI’s) work for originality.
  4. Adding a personal touch and original thought to every piece.
  5. Being transparent about AI usage.
  6. Adhering to plagiarism policies of a specific institution.

Human vs AI: A Detailed Comparison

Using AI for academic purposes might look like a fast shortcut. However, it’s known to offer quite a few challenges in terms of integrity and originality. Moreover, it’s known to have the potential to lead to a range of serious consequences, which typically makes it not worth the trouble.

From both ethical and academic points of view, using professional writing services remains a better alternative to AI. The sample service used for this comparison – PaperWriter, has been in the industry long before tools like ChatGPT appeared and has a reputation as a trusted helper. It connects students with real independent writers – all people with BA, MA, and Ph.D. degrees who have experience in producing quality academic work. The big benefit of this service compared to AI is that it brings tailored assistance. Students who order from it can specify their needs, expectations, and requirements in detail to get a custom paper. Additionally, experienced writers can bring creativity and their own expertise to content, which is something AI is not capable of.

So how do ChatGPT vs human content compare? Below is a comparison of a generated essay introduction and an intro written by an expert from PaperWriter to answer this question.

A sample by ChatGPT is snappy yet rather blurred. Instead of capturing the reader’s attention from the first line and offering engaging insight into the topic, it uses generic phrases and repetitions. It clearly lacks original thought and engagement. And it seems to use abstruse and vague words to make up for the fluff it generates.

Human-generated content from PaperWriter reads more naturally. The writer captures the reader’s attention with a quote that sets a double-sided view on the topic. Then the intro provides context and a bit of background information on the topic. It looks more thoughtful, creative, and analytical. And it gives an interesting topic-related twist that clarifies that there is no one-sided stance on the matter and thus, makes it more interesting for readers to continue reading.

The Bottom Line

So, how to tell AI from human content in an essay? While AI content tends to sound more stilted and mechanical, human content is more natural and creative. It also wins over AI in terms of personalization, critical assessment of the topic, validity of data, and depth of thought.

In terms of academic writing, using AI that writes like a human is akin to plagiarism. And though it may be a faster solution, it can’t compare to human writing, which is why writing services like PaperWriter remain a much more reliable alternative for students.