The Em-Dash—Why This Line Has Become the Big Tell of AI-Generated Content

You know the one. That loooong dash without spaces. The moment you see it, something goes off in your head:
“This feels like AI.”

I’m definitely not the only one. That em-dash (—) has become a sort of linguistic red flag. Or maybe… just a misunderstood punctuation mark caught in the crossfire of the AI era?

Let’s talk about it.

Of course, the em-dash has been around long before ChatGPT entered the scene. It’s a classic. I’ve seen it in novels, in journalistic writing, and by people who really know their grammar.

But me? I’d never used it. Not once. Until it started sneaking into my AI-assisted drafts, and I couldn’t help but wonder – what does it actually do?

It’s not just a long line. The em-dash has a job:

➡ To interrupt – Like parentheses, but with flair.
➡ To shift thought – When a comma isn’t enough.
➡ To add emphasis – Like a colon or semicolon’s cool cousin.

The Em-Dash (—)

✔ Used for interruptions, breaks, and emphasis
✔ Can replace parentheses, commas, or colons for a more dramatic effect
✔ Typically no spaces around it

🔹 Example:
AI is great—except when it overuses the em-dash.
(More dramatic than a comma, less formal than a colon.)

Here’s how it compares to the other “dashes” out there:

The En-Dash (–)

✔ Used for ranges and connections (think “to” or “through”)
✔ Slightly longer than a hyphen, shorter than an em-dash
✔ Typically no spaces around it

🔹 Example:
Crafting scroll–stop content is half science, half sorcery.

The Hyphen (-)

✔ Used for compound words or hyphenation
✔ Shortest of them all

🔹 Example:
I’m a full-time marketer in a long-term relationship with good copy (and with a love-hate thing with overused dashed).

Technically: yes, it’s incorrect.

However, it’s very common and widely accepted in everyday use, especially in informal writing or platforms where the em-dash is hard to type.

And as with all copywriting, consistency is key.

Maybe. Maybe not.
…
Probably not.

To be honest, I’m still more of a basic dash-girlie – technically incorrect, I know – and I’m fine with that. 😂

Because here’s the thing:
writing is personal.

We all have habits, favorite words, signature rhythms, even quirks in how we use punctuation.

AI, for all its brilliance, still has tells. And the em-dash might be one of them. (Or maybe it’s the overuse of dashes in general. Looking at you, Swedish LinkedIn.)

This isn’t really about grammar. It’s about tone, voice, and authenticity.

When we pick up on these little details—like the em-dash—it’s not because we’re trying to play grammar police. It’s because we’re tuned into something deeper:

Does this feel real? Does this sound like you?

In an AI-saturated world, those questions matter more than ever.