Let’s discuss the em dash. Not the humble hyphen or its more confident cousin, the en dash. I’m referring to the ‘EM dash,’ that long, dramatic line AI loves to sprinkle into your sentences like it’s getting paid per dash. It’s the AI equivalent of jazz hands.
You might not notice, but most people do. It’s the telltale sign that you’ve allowed your favorite robot sidekick to embellish your words with AI flair, and much like a bad wig reveal in the third act of RuPaul’s Drag Race, it can be excessive. Picture this: You’re composing a heartfelt email to your team, something personal, perhaps even raw: “I’ve been thinking a lot about how we work together — and how we can improve — not just as colleagues, but as humans.”
But wait—AI wrote that sentence, not you. You only wanted it to correct a typo and perhaps improve the tone, but now it’s filled with em dashes, introspective rhythm, and awkward poetic pauses. You’ve been “EM-marked.”
What is the em-mark for AI?
The em dash is that long horizontal line (—) often used instead of commas, colons, parentheses, or even for dramatic pauses. It’s like the Swiss Army knife of punctuation, and AI adores it.
AI is obsessed with em dashes the way Gen Z is obsessed with Y2K fashion; it’s perplexing, stylish, and somewhat annoying when overused. But here’s the twist: AI scatters em dashes everywhere, like sprinkles on a child’s cupcake, even when it’s inappropriate or when you specifically ask, “No sprinkles, please.”
I’ve actually typed to AI: “Please remove the em dashes.” And its response is: “Got it!” followed by: “This is a major opportunity — one that demands urgency — and clarity — for maximum impact.” Thanks, GPT; you’ve removed none.
So, how do you sound human (but still use AI)?
Despite the dash dilemma, I’m not advising you to abandon AI entirely. AI is excellent for refining, rephrasing, and helping you navigate writer’s block. Yet, like a child with glitter glue, you need to supervise it.
Here are three genuinely useful tips to ensure your communication sounds like you, not HAL 9000 with a journalism degree.
1. Human first draft, robot second
Always draft the first version yourself. Let it be messy, filled with typos, emotionally raw, and candidly honest. That’s what gives your voice its unique touch.
Then, have AI tidy it up, rearrange, and enhance the flow, but not until you’ve finished your draft. AI can’t predict your intent without initial material. Otherwise, it provides a perfectly punctuated, emotionless document akin to a DMV form letter. Think of it this way: You’re the chef; AI is your fancy sous-chef with a tiny top hat. You decide what to create. You don’t let it craft the recipe.
2. Strip the ems (and other AI tells)
Once AI presents its finest version, deconstruct it as if you’re editing a screenplay about a talking golden retriever composing blogs.
Look for:
- Em dashes (naturally)
- The phrase “in today’s fast-paced world” (AI’s favorite start)
- Overuse of rhetorical questions
- Repetitive alliteration (AI thinks it’s clever)
If necessary, perform a “find and replace” for “—”, substituting with commas, periods, or actual thought pauses. It’ll instantly humanize your tone. If your sentence sounds like it’s narrated by Morgan Freeman in a nature documentary, it’s likely too AI-esque.