How to prove you're human
The reverse Turing test: you're the person, and someone suspects you're the bot. What actually convinces them?
What doesn't work
- "I'm human, I promise." Exactly what a bot would say.
- Being clever. Bots are clever. Wit can make you look more like one.
- Perfect grammar. See above.
What does
- Right-now detail: "my cat just knocked a glass over, brb". Specific, boring, unpolished.
- Being a bit lazy: short answers, lowercase, a typo you don't fix.
- Not knowing things: "no idea, never been". Bots love to be helpful.
- Strong, unreasoned opinions: "pineapple on pizza is a crime. that's it."
- Remembering earlier in the chat and making a callback joke.
- A voice note or a quick photo, where it's safe and appropriate.
Play the other side
On Who Is a Bot? you can be a suspect: answer eight quick questions, and your answers go into a future round next to an AI. If you sign in, we email you how many players thought you were the bot. It's the best way to find out how human you really sound.
Or play detective in today's round →
Questions
Why do CAPTCHAs ask me to click on traffic lights?
They test things that used to be easy for people and hard for software. AI has caught up on many of them, so sites now also watch how you move and type.
Has anyone been mistaken for a bot in a Turing test?
Often. In recent Turing test studies, real people were regularly judged to be the AI.