DeGPT
Guide·4 min read

Why Your Boss Can Tell You Used ChatGPT (And How to Fix It)

You spent 30 seconds generating a "perfect" email with ChatGPT. Your boss spotted it in 5 seconds.

The Tell-Tale Signs

Your boss receives dozens (maybe hundreds) of emails a week. By now, they've developed an unconscious pattern recognition for AI-generated content:

The Opening Gambit

"I hope this email finds you well! I wanted to reach out regarding the quarterly report..."

No human writes like this. We say "Hey" or "Hi" or just dive in. The overly formal, overly polite opening is a dead giveaway.

The Perfect Structure

Human emails are messy. We forget things. We add P.S. notes. We ramble. ChatGPT emails have three neat paragraphs, each making exactly one point.

The Hedge Parade

"It's important to note that..."
"It's worth considering that..."
"As you may be aware..."

Your boss knows you don't talk like this in meetings. Why would you write like this?

The Sycophantic Close

"Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. I look forward to your feedback and am happy to discuss further at your convenience."

Nobody writes 34 words when "Let me know your thoughts" would do.

Why It Matters

You might think "So what? The content is good." But here's what your boss is thinking:

  1. "Did they actually think about this?" — AI shortcuts suggest shallow engagement
  2. "Can I trust their other work?" — If they shortcut emails, what else?
  3. "Are they being authentic?" — Professional relationships need authenticity
  4. "Do they think I can't tell?" — This feels slightly insulting

Fair or not, AI-detection affects how your work is perceived.

The Fix: A 3-Step Process

1

Generate (Use AI)

ChatGPT is genuinely useful for breaking writer's block, structuring complex ideas, and first drafts. Use it.

2

Clean (Remove AI Artifacts)

Use DeGPT to automatically strip boilerplate openings/closings, remove hedging phrases, and normalize weird punctuation.

3

Personalize (Add Your Voice)

Add a reference to a previous conversation, your actual opinion, or the way you'd naturally phrase something.

Before & After Example

❌ Raw ChatGPT Output:

"Sure! Here's a draft for your email: I hope this email finds you well! I wanted to follow up on our discussion regarding the Q3 marketing budget. After careful consideration, I believe we should allocate an additional 15% to digital channels, as the data suggests this would yield a significant return on investment. Please let me know if you have any questions or would like to discuss this further. I hope this helps!"

✅ After DeGPT + Personalization:

"Following up on our Q3 budget chat — I think we should bump digital by 15%. The numbers support it, and honestly, our current split feels outdated. Want to walk through my reasoning Thursday?"

Same message. Half the words. Zero AI smell.

The Real Competitive Advantage

Here's the thing: everyone is using AI now. The differentiation isn't in whether you use it—it's in how well you hide it.

The professionals who'll succeed aren't avoiding AI. They're using AI + cleaning tools + personal touch to produce work that's:

  • Fast to create (AI)
  • Professional in presentation (cleaned)
  • Authentically theirs (personalized)

Your boss can't tell if you don't let them.

Try DeGPT free →