What's the secret to making AI copy not sound generic?
AI copy sounds generic because it defaults to vague, safe, padded language. The fix is specificity: feed it real details, customer quotes, concrete numbers, sensory detail, and your brand voice, then cut the filler. Ban hype words ('revolutionary,' 'seamless,' 'unlock'), demand examples over adjectives, and edit ruthlessly. AI is a strong first-draft engine, not a finished writer; the human pass that adds proof and trims clichés is what makes copy sound like a person, not a template.
Specificity beats everything. Generic copy says 'boost your productivity'; good copy says 'save the 4 hours a week you spend reformatting reports.' Give AI raw material, real customer pain quotes, actual numbers, product details, and a named audience, so it has something concrete to say. Vague inputs produce vague outputs; the model can't invent specificity you don't supply.
Steer with rules and examples. Provide a brand voice guide and 2-3 in-voice samples (few-shot), and explicitly ban the tells of AI writing: 'in today's fast-paced world,' 'unlock,' 'seamless,' 'elevate,' 'game-changer,' em-dash-heavy throat-clearing, and lists of three abstract benefits. Use proven frameworks (PAS, AIDA, the 4 P's) to structure the draft, then ask AI for variants and pick the sharpest.
Then edit like a human. Cut filler, replace adjectives with evidence, add one sensory or specific detail per section, and read it aloud, if it sounds like a brochure, rewrite it. Audit your recent copy with AI to flag weak spots, but trust your ear on the final cut. The reliable workflow is: specific inputs, voice-guided draft, ruthless human edit. That last step is the actual secret.
Prompts to try
Copy these into ChatGPT or Claude to go deeper.
Teach me 7 techniques to make AI copy sound human, specific, and on-brand with examples.
Rewrite this generic AI copy [paste] using specificity, sensory detail, and brand voice.
Generate copy frameworks (PAS, AIDA, 4Ps) with AI variants and select the strongest.
Audit my last 5 pieces of copy [paste] and tell me what to cut, change, or strengthen.