Can AI detectors detect ChatGPT?

Sometimes, but not consistently, especially after editing.

Is it safe to accuse someone based on a detector?

No. A false accusation can be unfair and, for staff, could lead to a grievance.

Are AI detection tools accurate?

Last checked: 17 October 2026 · The AI Till, UK

Short answer

Not reliably. AI text detectors give a probability, not proof, and can flag human writing as AI, especially from non-native English speakers. OpenAI withdrew its own AI text classifier in July 2023 because of its "low rate of accuracy". Use detectors as a prompt for a conversation, never as the only evidence for a decision.

Why detectors struggle

Edited AI text and human text look alike.
Plain, formal writing gets flagged more often.
Different detectors give different scores for the same text.

OpenAI said that in its tests the classifier correctly flagged 26% of AI-written text and wrongly flagged 9% of human-written text.

For a small business

Hiring: don't reject a candidate on a detector score. Ask them to talk through their application.
Suppliers and freelancers: agree in writing whether AI use is allowed and must be disclosed.
Your own content: Google doesn't penalise content for being AI-written. See does AI-written content rank on Google?

Better than detection

Labels and provenance. Under the EU AI Act, providers must mark some AI-generated content in a machine-readable way. See what is the EU AI Act?

Sources

OpenAI: new AI classifier for indicating AI-written text (with July 2023 update)

Checked 17 October 2026. Rules and prices change, so check the source before you rely on it. This is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice.

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