The AntiSlop
A comprehensive AI writing pattern detector and fixer. Combines patterns from Wikipedia's Signs of AI Writing with advanced structural detection and an editor mode that actually fixes problems.
The 30-Second Test
The Horoscope Test:
"Could anyone have written this, for anyone?"
If yes, it's slop. Like a horoscope -- technically applicable to everyone, resonant with no one.
What fails:
- Vague claims without specific examples
- Advice that applies universally without context
- Content missing the author's distinct perspective
- Writing that could have any byline
What passes:
- Specific tools, dates, outcomes mentioned
- Personal observations grounded in experience
- Opinions that not everyone would agree with
- Details only this author would know
Usage
/antislop
[paste your text here]Or ask Claude to check text directly:
Please run antislop on this: [your text]How It Works
- Run the Horoscope Test - Could anyone have written this for anyone?
- Scan for patterns - 45+ known AI tells across 6 categories
- Calculate slop score - Tiered severity with quantifiable scoring
- Apply fixes - Editor mode rewrites problems, not just flags them
- Report changes - Before/after for every fix applied
Detection Patterns (35+)
Tier 1: Almost Always AI (Remove Immediately)
These phrases are so strongly associated with AI that their presence alone suggests unedited output.
| Pattern | Example | Fix | |---------|---------|-----| | Delve | "Let's delve into..." | Remove or replace with direct statement | | Game-changer | "This game-changing approach..." | Describe the actual impact | | Revolutionary | "A revolutionary new method..." | State what it actually does | | Unlock potential | "Unlock your potential..." | Remove entirely | | Leverage (as verb) | "Leverage these insights..." | "Use" | | It's worth noting | "It's worth noting that..." | Just state the thing | | Moreover/Furthermore | "Moreover, this approach..." | Remove or use "Also" | | Today's digital landscape | "In today's digital landscape..." | Remove | | Cutting-edge | "Cutting-edge solutions..." | Remove | | Pivotal moment | "Marking a pivotal moment in..." | State what happened | | Tapestry (abstract) | "A rich tapestry of influences..." | Remove or be specific | | Intricate/intricacies | "The intricacies of..." | "Details of" or remove | | Showcase (as verb) | "Showcasing their commitment..." | "Shows" or describe what happened | | Vibrant | "A vibrant community of..." | Remove or use specific detail | | Interplay | "The interplay between X and Y..." | "How X and Y affect each other" | | Garner | "Garnering attention from..." | "Got attention from" or be specific | | Align with | "Aligning with broader trends..." | State the actual relationship |
Research evidence:
- Finnish study (56,878 essays): "delve" usage increased 10.45x post-ChatGPT
- Georgia Tech (168.3M articles): "delve" went from 0.31 to 7.9 per 1,000 papers in Q1 2024
- Biomedical study: co-usage of "delve," "realm," "underscore" increased up to 85x in 2023-2024
Tier 2: Suspicious When Repeated
Problematic when overused or clustered.
| Pattern | Example | Fix | |---------|---------|-----| | Here's the thing | Used repeatedly | Keep first, vary subsequent | | At the end of the day | "At the end of the day..." | Remove | | The bottom line | "The bottom line is..." | Just state it | | Let's dive in | "Without further ado, let's dive in" | Remove | | Comprehensive and thorough | Paired adjectives | Pick one | | Simple and straightforward | Paired adjectives | Pick one | | In this post, we'll cover | Template opening | Remove | | By the end of this article | Promise opener | Remove |
Tier 3: Watch for Clusters
Fine individually, problematic together.
| Pattern | Example | Fix | |---------|---------|-----| | However/But | Every paragraph starts this way | Vary transitions | | Firstly/Secondly/Thirdly | Enumerated points | Use natural flow | | Moving forward | "Moving forward, we'll..." | Remove | | Robust/Seamless/Scalable | Corporate buzzwords | Use specific terms | | Stakeholder | "Key stakeholders..." | Name them or say "people" |
Content Patterns
| # | Pattern | Before | After | |---|---------|--------|-------| | 1 | Significance inflation | "marking a pivotal moment in the evolution of..." | "was established in 1989 to collect statistics" | | 2 | Notability name-dropping | "cited in NYT, BBC, FT, and The Hindu" | "In a 2024 NYT interview, she argued..." | | 3 | Superficial -ing analyses | "symbolizing... reflecting... showcasing..." | Remove or expand with actual sources | | 4 | Promotional language | "nestled within the breathtaking region" | "is a town in the Gonder region" | | 5 | Vague attributions | "Experts believe it plays a crucial role" | "according to a 2019 survey by..." | | 6 | Formulaic challenges | "Despite challenges... continues to thrive" | Specific facts about actual challenges | | 7 | Outline-like conclusions | "Challenges" section ending with optimistic outlook | Remove or replace with actual analysis |
Language Patterns
| # | Pattern | Before | After | |---|---------|--------|-------| | 7 | Copula avoidance | "serves as... features... boasts..." | "is... has..." | | 8 | Negative parallelisms | "It's not just X, it's Y" | State the point directly | | 9 | Rule of three | "innovation, inspiration, and insights" | Use natural number of items | | 10 | Synonym cycling | "protagonist... main character... central figure..." | "protagonist" (repeat when clearest) | | 11 | False ranges | "from the Big Bang to dark matter" | List topics directly | | 12 | Clinical formality | "individuals" / "utilize" / "implement" | "people" / "use" / "do" |
Style Patterns
| # | Pattern | Before | After | |---|---------|--------|-------| | 13 | Em dash overuse | "institutions--not the people--yet this continues--" | Use commas or periods | | 14 | Boldface overuse | "OKRs, KPIs, BMC" | "OKRs, KPIs, BMC" | | 15 | Emoji headers | "Target Goal / Lightbulb Key Insight / Check Action Item" | Remove emojis | | 16 | Title Case Headings | "Strategic Negotiations And Partnerships" | "Strategic negotiations and partnerships" | | 17 | List addiction | Everything becomes bullets | Convert to prose where appropriate | | 18 | Curly quotes | Use straight quotes consistently | | 19 | Unnecessary tables | 3-row table that should be a sentence | Convert to prose |
Structural Patterns (Critical)
These bypass phrase-based detection but are major tells.
Staccato Fragment Spam
Three or more consecutive short declarative sentences stating facts in parallel structure. AI's version of bullets pretending to be prose.
Before:
The model is impressive. Complex code ships fast. Documentation writes itself. Problems get solved quickly.
After:
The model is impressive -- complex code ships in a single session, documentation practically writes itself, and problems that would have taken a weekend now take an afternoon.
Detection rule: 3+ consecutive sentences that are all under 10 words, all declarative, following parallel structure, and could be bullet points.
Sentence Uniformity
Every sentence 10-15 words. Short. Punchy. Exhausting.
Real writing has rhythm -- mix 5-word sentences for impact with 25-word sentences that explore implications.
Comparator Sentences
Before:
This isn't theoretical. It's practical.
This isn't a feature. It's a philosophy.
It's not about X. It's about Y.
After:
Here's how it works in practice:
[Just state what it is]
AI loves this rhetorical pattern. It sounds punchy but wastes words telling you what something isn't.
Over-Balanced Sections
Every section same length.