{"id":207530,"date":"2023-03-14T16:30:03","date_gmt":"2023-03-14T08:30:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/seo-hacker.com\/?p=207530"},"modified":"2024-10-03T09:24:50","modified_gmt":"2024-10-03T01:24:50","slug":"google-detect-ai-generated-content","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/seo-hacker.com\/google-detect-ai-generated-content\/","title":{"rendered":"AI Bust: Can Google Detect AI Generated Content?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AI<\/a><\/p>\n

Just when we thought that we could use everything AI to write all of our content, developers went and dropped AI writing detectors on us, too.<\/span><\/p>\n

The creators of <\/span>ChatGPT<\/span><\/a> themselves released one <\/span>just a few weeks ago<\/span><\/a>, amidst new Google statements and updates on the whole issue of generative AI and content.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s looking hard out there for these writing tools\u2014but can engineers really develop a way to detect whether text has been by AI writers and conversational chatbots? Can Google detect AI-generated content? And, should you be worried about penalization if you\u2019ve been using these tools yourself?<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s get into what this all means for your content production, and what you can do to avoid getting hit by Google\u2019s algorithm.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Is AI Content Bad for SEO?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Yes, AI-written content <\/span>can<\/span><\/i> be bad for your SEO.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Google has said multiple times in the past that <\/span>purely AI-written content goes against its guidelines<\/b>. We\u2019ll get into why and how it can be a problem for you later on.<\/span><\/p>\n

Google also has a long, long history of <\/span>using and developing AI tech<\/span><\/a>. So, it\u2019s safe to say that they do have ways to tell if your articles are written by an AI tool.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why AI-Generated Content Goes Against Google\u2019s Webmaster Guidelines<\/span><\/h2>\n

Is using AI assistance in writing explicitly prohibited by Google\u2019s Webmaster Guidelines? No. But, there <\/span>are<\/span><\/i> guidelines that strongly condemn \u2018spammy automatically-generated content.\u2019 Specifically, they <\/span>call out<\/span><\/a> any article written by AI for the \u201c<\/span>primary purpose of manipulating ranking in search results<\/span><\/i>,\u201d which they state is a violation of our spam policies.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Google's<\/span><\/p>\n

This is a mistake you can commit if you\u2019re trying to churn out the most content simply to climb the ranks as fast as possible.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So, it\u2019s not that AI-generated content is, by default, something that Google will punish you for. But, if you\u2019re just mass publishing content using AI, then it may ultimately hurt your rankings, rather than help.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Danny Sullivan\u2014a renowned SEO expert <\/span>and<\/span><\/i> representative of Google\u2014made this clear in a past <\/span>statement<\/span><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>We haven’t said AI content is bad. We’ve said, pretty clearly, content written primarily for search engines rather than humans is the issue. That’s what we’re focused on. If someone fires up 100 humans to write content just to rank, or fires up a spinner, or a AI, same issue\u2026<\/span><\/i>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

How Can Google Detect AI Content?<\/span><\/h2>\n

To understand how Google can detect AI content, it\u2019s important to understand how AI writing tools work.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jasper<\/span><\/a>, ChatGPT, and other similar AI use a process called Natural Language Generation (NLG) to generate copies and responses. NLG uses algorithms, trained on a large corpus of data, to generate human-like text.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Google on the other hand can use machine learning algorithms to learn the different signals in content\u2014such as text structure, grammar, and syntax in the text. This will help it detect patterns in the content that are indicative of AI generative writing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In short, if it falls within a structure that is noticed by the algorithm, <\/span>Google can flag it<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is entirely possible because AI writing is missing the natural variation, nuance, and complexity found in human writing. Plus, AI writing tends to be repetitive, and the facts and data they present may also be outdated or misinformative.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So, Can Google Detect AI Content?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Yes, even if it\u2019s been run through your AI tools a couple of times. It can possibly even detect it if it reads naturally. <\/span><\/p>\n

However, even if Google recognizes some of your content being AI-generated, it may not affect your rankings, so long as the content is primarily designed to be\u00a0helpful, useful, and valuable<\/strong> for users. That means, your AI-written content may only be penalized if Google feels that you’re using it simply to manipulate your rankings.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s not to say that Google\u2019s algorithm is 100% accurate, though. When asked in an <\/span>interview<\/span><\/a> if Google was able to automatically detect the difference between human and AI content, Google\u2019s John Mueller responded \u201c<\/span>I can’t claim that. However, if the web spam team sees anything that is automatically generated, they will take action.<\/span><\/i>”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So, it\u2019s clear that there is no foolproof way of detecting AI-generated content, at least not yet. As AI technology and machine learning continue to develop, it\u2019s safe to say that they will develop a highly reliable way to detect and penalize it.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Other AI Writing Detectors<\/span><\/h3>\n

As I mentioned earlier, there are several AI detection tools out there that can catch AI-generated content.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The one developed by Open AI, which they\u2019re temporarily calling \u201c<\/span>AI Text Classifier<\/span><\/a>,\u201d is just the latest in the long line of tools you can use. <\/span>Originality AI<\/span><\/a> is a premium tool that charges you 0.1 cents per credit and checks your content for both originality and AI. Another option is <\/span>AI Content Detector from Writer<\/span><\/a>, which you can use for free\u2014though only for 1,500 characters at a time.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I tried the free tools myself. I first asked ChatGPT to write me an article:<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"ChatGPT<\/p>\n

Then, I put it into the AI detector tools, without any edits:<\/span><\/p>\n

\"ChatGPT's<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what AI Content Detector had to say:<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\"AI<\/p>\n

So, these tools seem pretty reliable in finding purely AI-written content. <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>Should You Stop Using AI for Your Content?<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u201cI\u2019m using an AI writing tool, should I be worried?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A <\/span>lot<\/span><\/i> of people are asking this question now. After all, with the introduction of ChatGPT in late 2022, and the explosion of AI software adoption, we all saw the incredible capabilities of AI. Suddenly, we all had free access to a tool that <\/span>could<\/span><\/i> replace a lot of the legwork and money that usually goes into content writing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How could we <\/span>not<\/span><\/i> use this technology in our SEO strategies, when it was so good?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And now, months later, many are wondering if their AI-written content puts them in danger of a Google penalty.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So, should you be worried if you used an AI writing tool for your site? The answer is\u2014it depends.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The situation as I see it is this: when you use things like ChatGPT to make content, you either publish it as is, or edit it before doing so.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The first puts you in a bad position because you\u2019re putting out bad content. And like I mentioned earlier, it may be downgraded by Google because it\u2019s low-quality content that doesn\u2019t <\/span>provide a helpful, valuable experience for readers<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why? Because tools like this only scrape and remake content that was fed to them. They do not provide anything novel, since you\u2019re not adding your expertise, your thoughts, or your interpretations to the content. When you take the content they spit out and post it without a second thought, you’re essentially doing black hat SEO, spamming users with useless posts with the intent of boosting your rankings.<\/span><\/p>\n

So the name of the game now is knowing how to use these tools efficiently, while still adding quality (and a human touch) to your content. <\/span>Always offer that expertise to it that makes it valuable to readers.<\/b><\/p>\n

How Does This Affect AI-Generated Content?<\/span><\/h2>\n

You might still be skeptical, and feel safer if you\u2019re writing content purely without AI.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, what you should be worried about is choosing the best content writing tools, and making sure to use them properly. After all, given how much time and money you can save with this in your toolbox, it\u2019s worth taking the risk\u2014with a few guidelines set in place.<\/span><\/p>\n

Google even supports this (in a way), in their updated page on AI-generated content:<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Google's<\/p>\n

On the <\/span>same page<\/span><\/a>, they also said this<\/span>:<\/span> \u201cThis said, it’s important to recognize that not all use of automation, including AI generation, is spam. Automation has long been used to generate helpful content […] AI has the ability to power new levels of expression and creativity, and to serve as a critical tool to help people create great content for the web.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

This is in line with how we’ve always thought about empowering people with new technologies. We’ll continue taking this responsible approach, while also maintaining a high bar for information quality and the overall helpfulness of content on Search.<\/span><\/i>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

So no, you don\u2019t have to stop using your tools. But you might have to revisit how you\u2019ve been using them.<\/span><\/p>\n

For starters, I suggest working with the right team. If the people using them are complete novices, then it might do your content more harm than good.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why? Because if they don\u2019t know how to use these tools properly, then they might end up producing low-quality content that will, at best, be ignored by users (and at worst, get penalized by Google). Either way, the result is something you need to avoid.<\/span><\/p>\n

Plus, if they keep churning out that kind of content on your site, you\u2019re probably going to see a dip in your traffic and engagement.<\/span><\/p>\n

On the other hand, if you\u2019re able to train them to use these tools in such a way that creates great content for your audience with less time and effort spent, then it will become an extremely valuable asset for your site. In the right hands, it’s a powerful thing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So if you’re going to use an AI writing tool, invest some time in learning how to use them, and figure out what you should avoid doing with your content creation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What to Do When Using AI for Content Creation<\/span><\/h2>\n

Here are a few things to keep in mind:<\/span><\/p>\n