While it’s great that ChatGPT is able to humanize its writing through the use of expressions, it would be nice if it changed things up from time to time.
Indeed, this otherwise intelligent AI platform seems to put the same idioms on rotation, which is amusing at first but quickly becomes a source of frustration, especially if you rely on the tool for long-form text generation.
Even though some idioms are quite fun and imaginative, you’ll notice that ChatGPT’s favorite idioms are more suited to professional environments. This might be because the chatbot adopts a formal writing tone by default.
So, let’s see which idioms are driving ChatGPT users crazy with their repeat usage in AI-generated texts!
1. Cut corners
With the amount of people using ChatGPT to help them do something in a way that saves time, effort, or money, it’s no wonder the idiom “cut corners” enjoys such high usage. Maybe if everyone decided to do things properly at the expense of convenience, we wouldn’t be harassed by this phrase.
2. Think outside the box
A popular idiom in business, education, and the creative arts, to “think outside the box” is to approach a problem in an unconventional manner. Thinking outside the box certainly isn’t one of ChatGPT’s strong points, but that doesn’t stop it from constantly telling its users to do it.
3. Break the ice
The figurative meaning for “breaking the ice” is to facilitate social interaction, particularly in a situation where people are unfamiliar with each other or feeling tense or awkward. Since a lot of people use ChatGPT for relationship advice, we only have ourselves to blame for this commonly used idiom.
4. It’s not rocket science
I actually like encountering this expression every now and then because it shows ChatGPT’s sassier side, which is really refreshing given its tendency to keep things formal. It’s also effective for reassuring users that a topic which appears highly complex on the surface is anything but.
5. Snowball effect
When something starts small and becomes larger at a faster and faster rate, the idiom “snowball effect” can be applied. ChatGPT loves using this phrase for the simple reason that it loves talking about topics which involve rapid change—’rapid’ is literally among the most common ChatGPT adjectives.
6. Perfect storm
This chatbot knows all the buttons to press to increase reader engagement, owing to the fact it was trained on every piece of written content ever published on the world wide web! This is why it often reaches for dramatic turns of phrase like “perfect storm” to describe a situation whereby several events combine to form a supersized event.
7. Back to the drawing board
This common ChatGPT idiom has a high probability of showing up in AI-generated texts if the user has established an informal tone in their prior interactions with it. For anyone out of the loop, it’s used to express the need to start over because a previous attempt has failed or been unsuccessful.
8. Raise the bar
Fitness related queries form the basis of one of the most common ChatGPT prompts, which explains why words and phrases that describe personal journeys and progression are deeply ingrained in the chatbot’s vocabulary. “Raise the bar”, which means setting a higher standard, is a prime example.
9. Get out of hand
For good reason, ChatGPT is very cautious when outputting information and advice, especially for topics that demand extra caution. What usually happens is the chatbot will talk about the positives of a particular action before issuing warnings. This procedure has led to “get out of hand” becoming a popular AI expression.
10. Go the extra mile
This large language model is also excellent at giving pep talks, and one can only assume it’s because it was trained on both verbal and written motivational speeches. When ChatGPT tries to motivate its users, or is tasked with producing motivational text in general, don’t be surprised if “go the extra mile” makes an appearance.