Substack adds AI writing detection and a disclosure field as creators push back
404 Media · rss · 2026-07-28
Substack rolled out built-in AI detection and a new “How I make this” disclosure field, letting publishers explain whether they use AI in writing.
- CEO Christ Best said the goal is transparency and more context for readers, not punishment or discovery changes.
- The tool is powered by Pangram, which returns a percentage-style score for how much text appears AI- or human-generated.
- Creators can disable detection before or after publication and can also report/remove mistaken scans on their own work.
- The move drew backlash from some writers who say AI detectors are inaccurate and can wrongly damage reputations, while others welcomed the ability to filter out AI slop.
The debate highlights a broader platform problem: AI-generated writing is easy to produce, but reliable labeling and trust mechanisms remain unsolved.
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