Resource · The Digital Guide · Updated July 2026

AI words to avoid.The list that makes writing sound human again.

If you have ever read a paragraph and thought that sounds like ChatGPT wrote it, you already know the feeling this page is about. The stiff phrasing. The words no real person uses out loud. The AI tells that give it away in the first sentence.

This is a working list of the words and phrases to avoid if you want AI writing to sound human. Copy it into your tool. Scrub your drafts against it. Watch your content stop reading like a machine and start reading like you again.

Skip to the ready-to-paste block →

Built on the road, tested on real client work, kept current as the models change.

Hand with a green highlighter crossing out AI buzzwords on a handwritten list, with plain-English replacements written beneath, including AI-driven becoming human-led

START HERE

How to use this list

Copy any section, or the full word block at the end, into your AI system prompt with this instruction:

Never use any of the following words or phrases in any variation, including singular and plural, tense changes, hyphenated forms, or suffixes like -er, -ing, -ity, -ful.

A key for the list: New marks a word added in the July 2026 update. Fading marks a word still worth watching but losing its flag strength as the models mature.

A note before you start

This is not about policing your vocabulary. If you naturally use a word on this list, use it. Words are not the enemy. What we are watching for is the cluster effect: the telltale combination of AI defaults that signals to a reader your content was made without much human input.

Here is the good news. The more you work with your AI tools, sharing examples of your writing, building custom instructions, uploading tone guides and giving feedback, the closer they get to sounding like you. This list shortens the editing loop. It does not replace the relationship you build with your platform over time.

When the banned word is yours, keep it.

You will notice guardrails and reimagine on this list. They are also the names of Tracy’s own frameworks: Guardrails is the first pillar of GIST and REIMAGINE is her nine-step change framework. Named brand language stays. The generic buzzword use goes. If a word on this list is part of your brand, your product names or how you genuinely speak, keep it and cut the rest. Intent beats default.

Think of it this way. You would not hand a new team member a script and expect them to nail your voice on day one. You coach them. You share examples. You correct the drift. Your AI is the same. Feed it your voice consistently and it learns, and the edits you make today get fewer.

Section 01

Core AI offender words

Power, hype and innovation words

Accelerate
Agile
AI-powered
Best-in-class
Breakthrough
Captivate
Catalyse / Catalyst
Cutting-edge
Disruptive
Dynamic
Elevate
Empower
Enable
Enhance
Excels
Foster
Future-proof
Game-changer
Groundbreaking
Harness
Holistic
Impactful
Innovative
Intuitive
Leverage
Next-generation
Optimise
Paramount
Pioneering
Pivotal
Powerful
Proactive
Reimagine
Redefine
Revolutionise
Robust
Scalable
Seamless
Streamline
Supercharge
Synergy / Synergise
Tailored
Trailblazer
Trailblazing
Transform / Transformative
Turbocharge
Unleash
Unlock / Unlocking
Unprecedented
Visionary
Amplify / AmplifyingNew
Bolster / BolsteredNew
Catapult / CatapultingNew
Skyrocket / SkyrocketingNew
Surge / Surging, used abstractlyNew
Unpack, used figurativelyNew

Classic AI tell words

Adept
Aforementioned
Augment
Bespoke
Burgeoning
Cognisant
Commendable
Comprehensive
Crucial
Deep dive / Dive
Delve / Delved / Delving
Embark / Embarked
Enlightening
EsteemedFading
Exemplary
Facilitate
Foray
Garner
Glean
Granular
Herein / HeretoforeFading
Holistically
Indispensable
Intricate / Intricacies
Invaluable
KaleidoscopeFading
Landscape
Linchpin
Manifold
Meticulous / Meticulously
Multifaceted
Navigate / Navigating
Notable
Notwithstanding
Nuanced
Paradigm / Paradigm shift
Pervasive
Plethora
Profound
Realm
Relentless
Remarkable
Resonate / Resonates
Shed light / Shedding light
Showcasing
Significant
Tapestry
Testament
Treasure trove
Underscore / Underscores
Unparalleled
Utilise / Utilisation
Valuable
Vibrant
Vital
Whilst
BeaconNew
Cadence, overused in business writingNew
Compound, abstract useNew
Craft / Crafting, as a verb meaning write or createNew
Hone / HoningNew
Illuminate / IlluminatingNew
Quietly, as in quietly buildingNew
Signal, as a nounNew
Symphony, as in a symphony of featuresNew

Fading: Kaleidoscope, Herein / Heretofore and Esteemed have largely dropped out of AI outputs as the models matured. Worth keeping for older content audits, rarely seen in mid-2026 writing.

Business jargon overused by AI

Actionable insights
Adoption rate
Bandwidth
Best practices
Brand awareness
Capacity building
Change management
Cloud-based
Competitive landscape
Continuous improvement
Corporate social responsibility
Cost optimisation
Customer-centric
Data-driven
Decision-makers
Deliverables
Digital transformation
Domain expertise
Driving innovation
Efficiency
Emerging technologies
Ethical considerations
Governance framework
High-level
Implementation strategy
Industry best practices
Iteration
Key performance indicators (KPIs)
Knowledge transfer
Market penetration
Market share
Market trends
Mission-critical
Operational excellence
Organisational efficiency
Pain point
Performance optimisation
Process optimisation
Quality assurance
Regulatory compliance
Resource allocation
Roadmap
ROI (Return on Investment)
Root cause analysis
Scalable infrastructure
Stakeholders
State-of-the-art
Strategic alignment
Subject matter experts
Sustainability
Thought leadership
Thought leaders
Touchpoint
Value proposition
Value-added
User engagement
User experience
Built different / Built for XNew
Earn, abstract use such as earn trustNew
Hold, abstract use such as hold spaceNew
Land / Landing, non-literalNew
Pull, abstract use such as feel the pull ofNew
Shape, vague impact languageNew
The work, as a standalone phraseNew

Adjective and descriptor overuse

Arena
Arsenal
Boosts
Captivating
Compelling
Cornerstone
Critical
Engaged / Engaging
Essential
Fantastic
Formidable
Imaginative
Indispensable
Key
Magic / Magical
Marvellous
Mind-blowing
NimbleFading
ScrappyFading
Seamless
Significant
Stellar
Substantial
Thought-provoking
Transformative
Undeniable
Undoubtedly
Vast
Well-crafted
Widely recognised
Actually, as an intensifier such as actually mattersNew
Deeply human, and other deeply plus adjective constructionsNew
Real, as vague emphasis such as the real questionNew
Unwavering, rising fast in mission and values copyNew

Fading: Nimble and Scrappy were peak GPT-4 tells back in 2023. They still show up occasionally but are far less common now. Keep them in place for legacy content audits.

Section 02

Transition and connector words

These show up at disproportionately high rates in AI-generated content and make writing feel stiff.

Accordingly
Additionally
As a result
As such
Consequently
Furthermore
Generally speaking
Hence
However, when overused
Moreover
Namely
Nevertheless
Nonetheless
Notably
On the contrary
On the other hand
Simply put
Subsequently
That being said
Thereby
Therefore
Therein
Thus
To clarify
To summarise
Ultimately

Section 03

AI opening and closing phrases

Openers to avoid

As we navigate the complexities of…
As we stand at the dawn of this new era…
Certainly, here is…
In a world where…
In the digital age…
In the dynamic world of…
In the era of…
In today’s fast-paced world…
In today’s modern age…
In today’s rapidly evolving market…
In today’s world…
Let’s dive in…
Picture this…
Welcome to the world of…
When we harness the power of…
At its core…New
Here’s the breakdown…New
Here’s the part most people miss…New
Honestly,… which implies everything before it was less candidNew
Let me be clear… / To be clear…New
No one is talking about… which is almost always untrueNew
This is where it gets interesting…New

Closers to avoid

As we look to the future, it’s clear…
At the end of the day…
Ever wondered…
In conclusion…
In essence…
In summary…
Stay tuned…
The bottom line is…
Let that sink in.New
Sit with that.New
That’s the difference, as an isolated closerNew
That’s the real work.New

Section 04

Full phrases and clichés

Hype and marketing phrases

A game-changing solution
A testament to…
Best-in-class solutions
Bridging the gap between…
Chaos into clarity
Comes to the rescue
Cutting-edge technology
Deep dive into…
Designed to enhance…
Driving meaningful impact
Elephant in the room
Ever-evolving digital landscape
Ever-evolving landscape
Harness the power of…
Here’s the deal
Here’s the truth
Here’s the kicker
Hits different
In the realm of…
Lay the groundwork for…
Let’s explore…
Master the art of…
Mind-blowing results
Moves the needle
Navigate the complexities of…
Navigate the landscape
Next frontier
On this rollercoaster ride of…
Perfect storm
Push the boundaries of…
Reaching new heights
Real deal
Revolutionise the way…
Secret sauce
Secret weapon
Shed light on…
Significant milestone
Sneak peek
Spearhead the initiative
Supercharge your…
Take your business to the next level
The future of…
The power of…
The road ahead
Treasure trove of insights
Uncharted waters
Unlock the potential of…
Unleash the power of…
Unveil…
Unlock value
Built for the bold / Built to lastNew
Cannot be overstated…New
Marks a significant shift in…New
Moments that matterNew
Pave the way for…New
Plays a crucial role in…New
Reflects a broader trend toward…New
Shapes the conversation…New
Unpack this… / Let’s unpack…New

Hedging and padding filler

Based on the information provided…
Broadly speaking…
It could be suggested that…
It is important to note that…
It is worth noting that…
It should be mentioned that…
It’s important to consider…
It’s important to remember…
It’s worth noting that…
One might argue that…
Particularly in areas…
Specifically speaking…
To put it simply…
With a keen eye on…
With regards to…
Whilst it is true…
From a broader perspective…New
Highlighting the need for…New
One of the most important or significant things…New
This is where X comes in…New
Underscoring the importance of…New
When it comes to…New

AI email and cold outreach phrases

Feel free to reach out
Going forward…
Hope this helps
I hope this finds you well
Moving forward…
Please don’t hesitate to contact us
Reach out if you have any questions
Happy to help with that.New
Just wanted to check in…New
Touching base on…New

Side-by-side comparison of a buzzword-heavy paragraph labelled AI wrote this and a plain-English rewrite labelled a human wrote this, with the words people still make the call circled — The cluster effect in one image. Every flagged word is technically fine on its own. Together they tell the reader no human made the call.

Section 05

Repetitive AI sentence patterns

These structural patterns are the clearest signal of AI-generated text. Avoid these constructions entirely.

It’s not about X, it’s about Y.
Not because X, but because Y.
No X. No Y. Just Z, used as a manufactured pattern rather than a real rhetorical triple.
The result? Followed by a single fragment.
Lists of exactly three adjectives, such as dynamic, innovative, scalable. A deliberate rhetorical triple is fine. Lazy adjective stacking is not.
Overstructured, keyword-stuffed H2 subheadings.

Two structural notes added in July 2026. First, present participial trailing clauses. AI attaches -ing phrases to the ends of sentences at two to five times the human rate, so flag any comma plus -ing construction. Second, the from X to Y range construction. AI defaults to these to imply breadth. Replace with one specific example instead.

Section 06

Context-specific additions

Australia-specific

Australian AI content often defaults to Americanised spelling and phrasing that sounds off to a local reader. Watch for:

Spelling red flags: color, realize, organize. Use colour, realise, organise
Missing local context: no ATO, ASIC, Fair Work or state-specific references
US phrases: reach out (say get in touch), touch base (say check in), circle the wagons, on the same page
Generic metaphors: rocket, superhero, fishing, gardening, none of which land with an Aussie SME audience
Emoji overload. AI defaults to heavy emoji use that mismatches an understated Aussie brand voice
Local expertise, Trusted partner, Community-focused, all generic filler

Small business marketing

Solutions provider
End-to-end solution
One-stop shop
We understand your challenges
We understand the challenges you face in today’s rapidly evolving market
We are committed to…
We strive to…
Your success is our priority
We are passionate about…
Family-owned values

Corporate and enterprise

Signals, as in this signals a shift
Erodes, as in this erodes trust
Narrative
Clarity, used vaguely instead of stating an actual decision
Agentic AI / AI agents, now an overused boardroom buzzword
Digital teammates
Unbossing
Human capital
Unlock human capital potential
Operational synergy generation
Right-sizing
Futureproofing the workforce
Future-ready workforce
People-first environment
Drive cultural transformation
Co-pilot, as a generic AI metaphor, now saturatedNew
Orchestrate / Orchestration, especially AI orchestrationNew
Workforce of the futureNew
Human-AI collaboration, overused in board decks without definitionNew

Governance and compliance

Robust framework
Comprehensive governance framework
Ethical considerations
Responsible AI
Ensure compliance
In line with best practices
Regulatory compliance obligations
Risk management framework
Accountability and transparency
Oversight mechanisms
Stakeholder alignment
Operationalise / Operationalised
Principles-based approach
Strategic intent
Continuous monitoring
Mitigation strategies
This policy seeks to…
It is essential that all parties…
Trustworthy AI, now a regulatory cliché rather than a real commitmentNew
AI safety, when used without specifics, has become a shield phraseNew
Deploying AI responsiblyNew
Human oversight, a valid concept but wildly overused in 2026 board papersNew
Governance maturityNew

One carve-out. Guardrails is a named part of the GIST framework, so it stays when it means the GIST pillar. The generic buzzword use is still out.

Marketing

Data-driven insights
The truth?
Here’s the thing / The thing is
Let that sink in
It’s giving…
Human in the loop
This resonates
Hit home / Hit different
Overstructured keyword-stuffed H2 subheadings
Lists of exactly three
Scroll-stopping, overused in social media AI copyNew
This changes everythingNew
What nobody tells you about…New
The uncomfortable truth about…New
Em dash overuse. AI joins ideas with the em dash at far higher rates than human writersNew

Sales and proposals

We understand the challenges you face…
Best-in-class solutions tailored to your needs
Proven track record
We are uniquely positioned to…
Let’s connect and explore synergies
I wanted to circle back on my previous email
Just following up
Per my last email
As per our conversation
I hope this email finds you well
Don’t hesitate to reach out
Happy to jump on a call
Quick win
Low-hanging fruit
Move the needle
Delivering value at every touchpoint
I’d love to connect…New
Let’s find a time that works for youNew
Excited to share…, as an openerNew

HR and admin

Let’s circle back
Let’s action that
Building a high-performance culture
We’re on a journey
Can we align on this?
Take this offline
Refreshing our values
People are our greatest asset
Empowering our people
Harnessing data-driven intelligence
Adopting an agile mindset
Driving cultural transformation
Future-ready
Psychological safety, a valid concept now often dropped as filler rather than actionedNew
Ways of workingNew
Culture add, replacing culture fit and already feeling templatedNew

Section 07

The ready-to-paste prompt block

Copy this block straight into your AI system prompt or custom instructions. Put it at the top of your prompt for the best result. The July 2026 additions are included.

Do not use any of the following words or phrases, in any form (singular, plural, past tense, present participle, hyphenated, or with suffixes like -er, -ing, -ity, -ful):

delve, tapestry, vibrant, landscape, realm, embark, excels, vital, comprehensive, intricate, pivotal, moreover, arguably, notably, foster, harness, unlock, unleash, revolutionise, transformative, leverage, synergy, innovative, game-changer, paradigm, cutting-edge, groundbreaking, seamless, robust, scalable, streamline, elevate, empower, dynamic, unparalleled, meticulous, underscore, commendable, testament, treasure trove, holistic, optimise, supercharge, turbocharge, accelerate, reimagine, state-of-the-art, future-proof, next-generation, AI-powered, data-driven, disruptive, visionary, crucial, significant, impactful, actionable insights, deep dive, in conclusion, in essence, in today's world, in the realm of, in a world where, at the end of the day, it is important to note, it's worth noting, feel free to reach out, moving forward, going forward, the result?, no X no Y just Z, it's not about X it's about Y, not because X but because Y, great question, certainly here is, I hope this finds you well, best-in-class, thought leadership, stakeholders, value proposition, pain point, roadmap, guardrails, operationalise, responsible AI, ethical considerations, robust framework, proven track record, happy to jump on a call, low-hanging fruit, move the needle, people are our greatest asset, let's circle back, we're on a journey, driving cultural transformation.

July 2026 additions:

quietly, shift (as vague change), matters (as standalone emphasis), shape (vague impact), land / landing (non-literal), actually (as intensifier), real (as vague emphasis), earn (abstract use), compound (abstract use), signal (as noun), built different, unpack, cadence, bolster, beacon, unwavering, amplify, catapult, skyrocket, illuminate, craft (as verb), hone, symphony, at its core, let that sink in, sit with that, that's the difference, this matters because, cannot be overstated, marks a significant shift, moments that matter, pave the way for, plays a crucial role in, shapes the conversation, co-pilot (generic AI metaphor), orchestration (AI use), trustworthy AI, human oversight (without specifics), governance maturity, scroll-stopping, this changes everything, em dash overuse.

BEFORE YOU GO

Practical tips

Upload it as a file

Many AI tools, Gemini in particular, do better when the list is attached as a reference file rather than pasted inline.

Pair it with a tone guide

Combining this list with a sample of your own writing beats the list on its own every time. The more consistently you share your actual voice, the posts, the speeches, the newsletter intros, the faster your platform learns to match it.

Review it every quarter

New overused words appear as the models update. This version reflects research through July 2026.

Human review still required

Even with the list applied, AI content can still flag as AI-made. The list cuts editing time. It does not replace your judgement.

Watch the sentence structure

Single-word bans are only half the job. The repetitive patterns in Section 05 are just as revealing to a trained reader.

Australians, check the spelling every time

AI defaults to US English even when you prompt it in Australian English.

Watch the em dash

AI uses the em dash at far higher rates than human writers. A paragraph with three or more em dashes is a structural red flag, even when no listed words appear.

Human-led. AI-leveraged. The Augmented Workforce.

This list is one small part of how Tracy Sheen guides people and organisations to use AI well, with a human leading every step. Read the manifesto, take the free AI Readiness check, or get in touch about a keynote, workshop or board briefing.

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