AI text detectors tend to flag text from non-native speakers as AI generated

hardware26@discuss.tchncs.de to Technology@lemmy.world – 275 points –
AI’s Dirty Little Secret: Stanford Researchers Expose Flaws in Text Detectors
scitechdaily.com

In a study recently published in the journal Patterns, researchers demonstrate that computer algorithms often used to identify AI-generated text frequently falsely label articles written by non-native language speakers as being created by artificial intelligence. The researchers warn that the unreliable performance of these AI text-detection programs could adversely affect many individuals, including students and job applicants.

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Most AI-generated texts are grammatically perfect. That's not a characteristic of non-native speakers.

According to the article grammatical errors are not the reason. The reason is that AI uses simpler vocabulary to mimic a regular conversation of average people.

A lot of non-native speakers can show higher command of the language, because they took the time to study its rules. Just look at how people type on social media.

I must be one of the lazy ones who didn't take enough time to study English grammar. (͡•_ ͡• )

Yeah I get your point, many non-natives pay more attention to grammar when they write.

Completely disagree - a lot of non-native speakers have excellent grasp of grammar, precisely because they have learnt the rules. Native speakers rely on stuff sounding right, rather than necessarily knowing the rules. But following grammatical rules rigidly is exactly what I would expect both from a genAI and a non-native speaker (as well as avoiding figurative speech and idioms).

Sorry I might have overly generalised based on my personal experience. I have been a non-native English speaker for over 30 years, and I keep making grammatical mistakes.

Everyone is different and it depends heavily on how the person learned/acquired the language.

As a non native am keenly aware of every mistake i make. Sometimes, i fix the same text 4 or five times in row.

I count 4 mistakes. Conclusion: AI generated

Where ? You got me anxious about my writing skill dude...

Not OC but you forgot the “I” before “am”. I should be capitalized twice. It should say in a row. It’s also a bit weird that you used 4 and then five. Plus it really should be non-native I guess. And since you didn’t specify what you aren’t native to/of, it can only be assumed at this point that you are not a native human. The reason for that? Definitely a bot.

Also honestly don’t worry about any minor errors in your writing. Especially on the internet. Just blame autocorrect.

I didn't specify what I'am not native to because it can be understood from the context. Capitalizing the 'I' feels weird and I juste saw the "in a row" mistake.

In English, I is always capitalized when referring to the self. The “not specifying” comment was me making a joke and calling you a bot. It was just tying the context of the post into my comment.

I usually see mistakes in comments as being caused by crappy phone keyboards, as mine seems to be extra trash recently.

Lol. No big deal. It's the sort of thing your eyes skip over when checking your grammar.

As a non native am keenly aware of every mistake i make. Sometimes, i fix the same text 4 or five times in row.

Should be

As a non native I'm keenly aware of every mistake I make. Sometimes, I fix the same text 4 or five times in a row.

Two of the mistakes were just capitalization of 'I'. You should probably also use either digits or spelling for both numbers, not a mix.

hey just to give some validation, I'm an esl teacher and this doesn't stick out as non-native at all. They're all just taking the piss, correcting anything they can find for the joke of it.

maybe saying "am" instead of "I am" but that's kinda just meme speech right

As a non native am keenly aware of every mistake i make. Sometimes, i fix the same text 4 or five times in row.

As a non-native, I am keenly aware of every mistake I make. Sometimes, I fix the same text 4 or five times in row.

FTFY.

I have been using ChatGPT to proofread most of my formal written communications.

I'm a college instructor and encourage my students to use ChatGPT this way.