The Best AI Content Detector: Free vs Paid

Here is a list of AI content checkers currently available and my pick of the best AI content detector after trialling them.  These tools can be used by editors who want to check content that has been submitted to them for publication, and by content creators themselves who want to check if they have ‘humanised’ the content they have generated with an AI content writing tool before submitting it for publication or publishing it themselves.

What are AI Content Detectors?

AI content detectors are software or systems that use artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to analyse and classify the content of a given text, image or audio into predefined classes.

In plain English, they provide a quick and easy way to check if a body of text was written by a human being or an AI tool like ChatGPT.  The result is usually presented as a percentage e.g. 87% human or 100% AI. 

They work by breaking down the content into smaller pieces and using algorithms to identify patterns and classify the content based on predefined categories. To do this they use a variety of techniques, including natural language processing, computer vision, and audio analysis, to analyse the content and make predictions.

Who might use AI Content Checkers?

• Content managers and editors: to check the content submitted for publication
• Content creators & writers: to check their work before publishing or submitting
• Teachers & educators:  to check the work of their pupils

Best AI Content Detectors

Here’s a list that I have tested and used.  The interfaces vary so try a few.  I’ve also noticed that they’re not always working so you might want to bookmark a few of them for future reference. 

Content at Scale (free)

• Copy and paste in the text
• 2500 character limit
• No registration required
• Try this tool

Copyleaks (free)

• Copy and paste in the text
• 2500 character limit
• No registration required
• Offers Chrome extension
• Try this tool

Sapling (free)

• Copy and paste in the text
• No registration required
• Try this tool

Writer.com (free)

• Copy and paste in the text or a URL
• 1500 character limit
• No registration required
• Try this tool

Write Cream (free)

• Copy and paste in the text or a URL
• No registration required
• Try this tool

OpenAI (free)

• Copy and paste in the text (minimum of 1,000 characters/ approx. 150 – 250 words)
• Registration required
• Try this tool

Crossplag (free trial)

• Copy and paste in the text (up to 1,000 words)
• Registration required
• Currently in Beta
• Try this tool

Originality (paid)

• Copy and paste in the text ($0.01 per credit, 1 credit scans 100 words)
• Registration required
• Try this tool

Why AI Content Detectors are becoming popular

AI content detectors have become important in parallel to the rapid rise in the increase of AI content generation tools.   They have applications in a variety of industries, including media, advertising, and e-commerce, and can be used for tasks such as sentiment analysis, content moderation, and image and audio classification.

Human vs AI Content – Why the debate?

The debate about human-generated content versus AI-generated content centres around the accuracy and authenticity of the content produced by each.

With a variety of new tools on the market and more arriving all the time, AI-generated content can be generated quickly and at a lower cost compared to human-generated content, but there are concerns about the accuracy and reliability of AI-generated content, as well as the potential for biases in the algorithms used to produce it.

Human-generated content is seen as more trustworthy and authentic, as it is produced by a person with their own unique experiences, perspectives, and writing style. This type of content is also more likely to be accurate, as it is reviewed and edited by other humans, although it too can contain biases. 

Editors and readers still prefer human-generated content because it often has a more personal touch and provides a deeper level of understanding and insight into a subject. Human-generated content is also less likely to contain errors, as it goes through a review and editing process.

As well as all that, human-generated content can be more engaging and easier to read, as it is written in a way that is designed to be consumed by humans.

In Summary

While AI-generated content has its own advantages, such as speed and cost, the preference for human-generated content still persists due to the authenticity and accuracy it offers.

As time passes, AI content generators are likely to improve their speed and accuracy, and perhaps they will learn to lose their biases.  They will also proliferate as the industry evolves.