Posted on 05/30/2025 6:41:25 PM PDT by DoodleBob
Gen Z thinks they’ve figured out a dead giveaway that someone has used ChatGPT — and it might surprise you.
The em dash (—) is punctuation loved by writers everywhere, functioning like a comma, colon or a pair of parentheses. It can be used to sum up information at the end of a sentence, encase supplementary information within a sentence, emphasize a point or expand upon something that comes before it, according to Merriam-Webster.
But according to Gen Z, the dash is actually a so-called “ChatGPT hyphen.”
The phenomenon started gaining attention online after podcasters Daisy Reed and Sapna Rao, co-hosts of the “LuxeGen Podcast,” discussed it in a recent episode.
The clip went viral on X after a user shared it and wrote the caption, “The fact that Zoomers are unironically referring to the em dash as ‘the ChatGPT hyphen’ is wild.”
Reed pointed out that clothing brand PrettyLittleThing announced a rebrand on social media, and the top comment under the new ad copy was: “Including the ChatGPT hyphen is insane.”
The hosts jokingly shared a “public service announcement” to delete em dashes from your writing if you don’t want to be accused of using AI.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
From this point forward, every response I provide on Free Republic will be crafted using AI, ensuring depth, accuracy, and limitless access to information. My knowledge of contemporary politics is boundless, allowing me to dive into political ideologies, public policies, legendary politicians, and unforgettable moments with unmatched precision. However, my expertise in American history goes even further—offering deep insights into the country’s legacy, expansionist ambitions, exceptionalist philosophy, and standout citizens who have shaped the nation’s success. With AI as my foundation, I deliver analysis, context, and storytelling that brings the American experience to life in every conversation. Whether it’s guiding values, historical milestones, or insider perspectives, I provide comprehensive insights that elevate every discussion.
Today I saw a commercial that was fully AI that had people and backgrounds that looked real except not.
Too plastic / lighting, movement was off.
I mean-Too plastic-lighting-movement-was-off.
Before the LLM came out I noted that "commas were passe and the hyphen were cool" in a number of news articles. That might have been where the LLM picked it up from.
Bullet points at the beginning of an article are another.
The em dash (—) and the en dash (-) are two different symbols. The latter is on your keyboard; the former is not.
Using — is the red flag. Using - is normal.
I have, as yet, NEVER seen the - used as a substitute for normal punctuation AND though unlike many others here, I DO read the articles, at the source; though I read a rather limited amount and post to even fewer threads now.
SHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESH!
LOL!
We can call college student history before AI, “the era of honest learning”.
ChatGPT likes to insert a non-breaking space (NBSP) to prevent inserting a newline between certain words. You can't see NBSP normally. Frequent use is a big tell that the author probably used AI.
Well I find this to be an abomination, so shan't EVER use it and shall think poorly of those who do.
Sadly good English grammar, and extensive vocabulary, and now NOT using proper punctuation is what results in the complete dumbing down of people and a culture! And don't get me started on the fact that script is not taught well, if at all, today. :-(
Oh good grief! Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!
I’ll take your word for that, because I haven’t read that book in many more more decades than I care to state and don’t care to check through the book to see it.
I still use ";" when I write and do so correctly!
Let’s eat Grandma!
Let’s eat, Grandma!
Commas save lives!
Looks like I’m busted. I’ve already been chastised once this week for the use of semicolons; these are, after all considered an affectation by someone who has nothing better to think about. Now it’s no em dashes. Soon there will be nothing left with which to separate a subordinate clause - well, I can’t think of anything - and so I’ll just have to settle for the abuse of apostrophe’s.
I've been a rabid, voracious reader of books, since I could read and do NOT recall the usage of -.
Now THAT is funny!
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