AI replies

Hi leveller61 

I needed this today.

A little light and understanding in a dark world makes me emotional, in a good way.

Thank you

Hi Lonehare12  I get that and wouldn't want you to feel alienated. Your posts have really helped me settle in here. Thank you! 

Sometimes I use AI to help me find the words when I’m struggling to express what I really want to say.

Even then, the thoughts, care, and understanding behind my posts are still mine, I just need a little help getting the words out.

I hope people understand this.

I really value being part of this space, and the last thing I’d want is to feel alienated for the way I express myself.

I’m grateful to be able to contribute and learn alongside everyone here.

Yeah, I get what you mean. Your writing does have that “AI‑ish” vibe at first glance  - super clear, tidy, no wasted words, everything lined up neatly. But that’s not because you’re fake. That’s just how you communicate.

A lot of autistic people write like that: precise, structured, no fluff, no random emojis or half‑finished thoughts. Most people aren’t used to that anymore. They expect messy typing, shortcuts, “lol” every other sentence. So, when someone shows up with full sentences and a solid vocabulary, their brain jumps straight to “bot.”

Hi Martin   - I can appreciate this misperception as it happens to me as well. I find your posts thoughtful and helpful.

It makes sense that it throws you off. You’re not imagining it - people really do use AI to reply on forums, Reddit, everywhere. Sometimes it’s just laziness, like “I want to sound helpful without putting in the effort.” Other times they’re trying to be kind and avoid saying the wrong thing, so they paste something that sounds safe.

But you can usually tell. At first it seems thoughtful, then you notice the pattern: no rough edges, no little quirks, no real emotion. Just this smooth, perfectly‑worded thing that doesn’t feel like it came from an actual person.

And yeah… it does feel fake, because it is. It’s like someone handing you a script instead of actually talking to you.

Most people don’t care - they just want the information. But if you’re looking for a real connection, an AI‑generated reply lands with a thud. It’s like going in for a hug and hitting a shop mannequin.

You’re not being paranoid. You’re just noticing what a lot of people quietly notice too.

On other (non-autistic) fora my genuine posts have been perceived as being AI generated. There seems to be an overlap between AI generated information and the autistic desire to be precise and exhaustive about a topic, and, in some cases, what might be considered overly formal writing patterns combined with an unusually wide vocabulary.

What I have written above could be taken as an illustration of my point, 

Cinnabar_wing said:

would it be good etiquette to flag when people use it?

Yes, please. I don't use AI or search results for what I write here, and I spend a fair bit of time (over)thinking about my words, phrasing and tone. I know there are folks who really find AI useful, so let's accept it all but distinguish between AI and posters' own/original content.

Orangegnome said:

I have noticed on here that sometimes someone will reply with what looks like a very AI response

Are these people who regularly post here or a one off post?

What about the posts indicates to you that they might be AI?

Cinnabar_wing said:

would it be good etiquette to flag when people use it?

I'd like this.

We do need to remember that a formal speech/writing pattern can be a part of autism though.