AI detector false positives explained
A false positive occurs when human-written text is classified as generated. Evaluating a detector requires a trustworthy human-text group as well as generated examples; otherwise the cost of false accusations is invisible.
A false positive occurs when human-written text is classified as generated. Evaluating a detector requires a trustworthy human-text group as well as generated examples; otherwise the cost of false accusations is invisible.
Keep a known-human group
Use material with a defensible provenance record. Do not treat an unverified online label as ground truth.
Record the threshold
A detector’s score and the decision made from it are different. Save the threshold so another person can recreate the classification.
Report both error types
False positives affect human writers; false negatives miss generated text. Neither can be replaced by one headline accuracy figure.
Use human review
Review context, drafts and other evidence before making a consequential decision. A detector score alone does not establish authorship.