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Turnitin AI Detector: Common Questions Answered
Turnitin AI Detector: Common Questions Answered
This FAQ guide covers the most common things students want to know, all explained clearly and easily. Let’s break it down together.
Jun 10, 2025
Writing with AI
10 min read
Table of contents
Frequently asked questions
Yes, Turnitin can detect AI-generated writing. It uses a built-in AI detection feature that looks for patterns in sentence structure, word choice, and how predictable the writing is, all common signs of AI-written text.
Yes. As Turnitin is specifically designed to detect AI, hence it can detect Chat GPT outputs. Turnitin does not specifically name Chat GPT as your resource but flags your content as AI-generated nonetheless.
Turnitin uses a proprietary AI-writing detection model that:
- Analyses sentence-level probabilities (how predictable the language is)
- Identifies patterns typical of AI text generation
- Estimates the percentage of AI-written content in a submission
In simple words, Turnitin has a built-in “library” of examples for how AI-generated text looks like and compares your sample against these reference points.
Although none AI detector is 100% accurate in all cases, Turnitin is among the most accurate detectors, used by many universities. The research from the Temple University with 120 sample texts found that:
- Turnitin correctly identified 93% of human-generated texts
- Turnitin correctly identified 77% of AI-generated texts
- Turnitin correctly identified 63% of texts disguised as human written
- In the hybrid texts, partly written by humans and partly by AI, it correctly identified only 43% of the texts.
Therefore, its accuracy depends on the level of AI intervention in the text.
It depends on whether the paraphrasing fixes typical AI markers that detectors check. Turnitin will not detect Chat GPT in your text if you:
- Rephrase sentences with natural, human-like variation
- Change sentence structure and word choice
- Add personal insights
- Remove repetitive patterns or filler content
- Use your own voice and style consistently throughout
Turnitin uses its own proprietary AI-writing detection model, developed in-house and not publicly available. It is not powered by third-party tools like GPTZero or Copyleaks.
No, for sure, because Grammarly simply helps improve grammar, punctuation, and tone; Grammarly simply doesn’t generate full text. Turnitin does not detect Grammarly-improved writing as AI-generated or plagiarized.
Well, it definitely can. If QuillBot is used for basic paraphrasing:
- The similarity score may still be high if the structure remains similar.
- AI detection may also flag the result as partly machine-written.
However, deep manual editing after QuillBot use may reduce detection chances.
The best way to bypass Turnitin is to use AI technologies ethically. In particular, you can:
- Use AI only to generate an initial draft or for self-education purposes.
- Use tools like ChatGPT to suggest your writing direction.
- Rewrite thoroughly any AI-generated input.
No, a 25% score on Turnitin is not considered too high. As of June 2025, Turnitin updated its system and now avoids flagging AI content for scores under 20% to reduce false positives. So while a 25% score may show some signs of AI use, it’s not usually a cause for concern. However, keep in mind that your school, teacher, or university might have their own rules about what’s acceptable, so it’s always best to check their guidelines.
No. Turnitin is not infallible:
It can miss well-paraphrased or hybrid texts
It may flag human-written text as AI, especially if a student's natural way of thinking is very well-structured or if a text is written by a non-native language speaker. This finding is backed up with Stanford 2023 research.
You can only use Turnitin if your school or university gives you access through something called Turnitin Draft Coach. This tool is available in some school accounts and helps with checking plagiarism, citations, and grammar. However, it doesn’t check for AI writing.
Turnitin isn’t something students can buy or use on their own. If your teacher hasn’t set up an assignment for you to submit to, you won’t be able to check your work with Turnitin.
Turnitin can sometimes wrongly mark your work as plagiarized. Here are a few common reasons why:
- Common phrases or definitions might match other sources online.
- Citations or quotes are not properly formatted or are missing quotation marks.
- Group work or past submissions might be flagged if Turnitin detects overlap, even if it’s your own writing.
The similarity report usually shows the exact parts Turnitin flagged. Always review it carefully. To avoid confusion, you may need to explain, rephrase, or fix the formatting in those sections.
Usually, professors are clarifying such details as tools they use and flows of assignment grading within the first lecture of the semester. Alternatively, it may be specified in the institution’s website, learning materials, or introductory guides.
If none of this is the case, the student can ask the instructor directly.
To check Turitin similarity report:
- Make sure that the institution has enabled Turnitin Draft Coach (Usually, school’s admin installs or enables Draft Coach)
- Use Google Docs or Word Online to open an assignment.
- Launch Draft Coach via Add-on > Turnitin Draft Coach or through the Turnitin tab.
- Click “Get Feedback Now” to access the tools and run checks
No. Turnitin analyses text-based submissions only. It cannot scan:
- Images
- Screenshots
- Handwritten PDFs (unless OCR-enabled)
However, submitting images instead of text when text is required could still violate academic policies.
StudyAgent’s AI detector tool tool is a strong alternative to Turnitin. It’s known for being more accurate when checking paraphrased content and doesn’t flag real, original work by mistake.
StudyAgent’s tool uses a large academic database to ensure reliable results and protect your data. Unlike Turnitin, it lets you:
- Instantly edit flagged AI or copied text;
- See clear, easy-to-read reports;
- Access multiple tools in one place for checking and improving your writing.
If you’re looking for a tool that works well and respects your privacy, this is a smart choice.
