So, can you tell the difference between stories written by real people, and those created by AI? The study validates previous research that has shown that people often prefer AI–generated writing in various formats, including short stories, poetry and essays. Speculating on why this might be, Dr Weisberg added: 'AI writing tends to be clearer, more direct and easier to process. Previous suggestions to help spot AI–generated text include looking out for inconsistencies and repetition, such as abrupt shifts in tone or repeated phrases or sentence structures. Finally, quick responses could also be a sign of AI–generated text, as people often take time to think and reply.