Turnitin AI Detector Review 2024: How Accurate is Turnitin AI Detector?

With the rise of AI-generated content through tools like ChatGPT and other AI writers, I've had a deep interest in understanding how effective Turnitin's new AI detection capabilities are.

Turnitin, a long-standing stalwart in this arena, has consistently adapted to meet the challenges posed by technological advancements, particularly in the realm of artificial intelligence. The question arises: can Turnitin accurately detect AI-written text?

What is Turnitin AI Detector?

For those unfamiliar, Turnitin is a plagiarism detection software widely used in academic institutions worldwide. Its primary function is to compare submitted papers against a massive database of published content, identifying instances of plagiarism. Over the years, Turnitin has expanded its capabilities to include originality reports, grammar checking, and, more recently, AI writing detection.

The Turnitin AI Detector is a tool introduced by Turnitin in response to the growing use of AI-generated content from tools like ChatGPT and other AI writers. This detector is designed to identify text that may have been produced by AI, helping educators, institutions, and content creators maintain academic integrity by ensuring that submitted work is original and not computer-generated.

Testing How Accurate Is Turnitin AI Detector

We will test the Turnitin AI detector by generating AI content using the most popular AI models: ChatGPT , Gemini , and Claude . After generating the content, we'll run it through Turnitin's AI detection tool to assess how accurately it identifies AI-generated text.

Testing AI Content Generated by ChatGPT:

We first asked ChatGPT to write a 300-word piece on the topic of budget travel:

Here's how Turnitin's AI checker evaluated the text

Turnitin gave a 100% AI-generated content score, indicating that the entire submission was likely written by AI.

Testing AI Content Generated by Gemini:

Next, we prompted Gemini to write a brief passage about Abraham Lincoln. Here's the result we received:

And here's the evaluation provided by Turnitin's AI detector

Turnitin'AI checker successfully recognized the text as AI-generated once again.

Testing AI Content Generated by Claude

Finally, we asked Claude to create a brief piece on overcoming the fear of flying.

Here's how Turnitin AI checker evaluated that text.

Turnitin maintained its consistency and delivered a highly accurate final assessment as well.

Test Result of Turnitin AI Detector

We tested the above three pieces of AI-generated content, and Turnitin AI Detector successfully identified each as non-human-written with perfect accuracy.

However, based on user feedback from Reddit and other online forum, Turnitin's AI detector is generally accurate but not infallible. While it has shown significant efficiency in detecting AI-generated text, it's important to note that no tool is perfect.

Pros of Turnitin AI Detector

• Pattern Recognition : Turnitin's AI detection tool analyzes linguistic patterns, sentence structures, and phrasing that are often typical of AI-generated content. It can detect AI-written text by recognizing these patterns, making it effective at identifying many forms of content generated by AI writing tools such as ChatGPT .
• Regular Updates : Turnitin's AI detection system is frequently updated to keep up with advancements in AI technology. This ensures that it can detect newer and more sophisticated AI outputs, which enhances its overall accuracy.

Cons of Turnitin AI Detector

• False Positives and Over-flagging : In some cases, Turnitin may flag human-written content as AI-generated, especially if the writing has a formal or overly structured tone. This can happen with well-researched academic papers or technical writing that may resemble AI-produced text patterns.

• Heavily Edited AI Text : If a user edits AI-generated content to a significant degree, the tool may not always detect it. This means that heavily modified AI content might bypass the detector.

• Access Issues : Turnitin is not universally accessible, as it requires institutional licensing, which means individuals or smaller institutions might not be able to afford or access the tool. This can lead to an uneven playing field across different educational settings.

In general, Turnitin remains a leading solution for academic institutions seeking to detect both plagiarism and AI-generated text.

How to Use Turnitin AI Detector

Turnitin's AI detection is typically integrated into the platform used by educational institutions. If you're a student or instructor, you'll likely access it through your school's learning management system (LMS).

Let's see how to use it:

• Upload the document: Once you're in the Turnitin platform, locate the option to upload a document. This could be a paper, essay, or other written assignment.

• Submit for analysis: After uploading, submit the document for analysis. The AI detector will scan the text for indications of AI-generated content.

• Review the report: Once the analysis is complete, you'll receive a report detailing the results. This report may include:

• A percentage indicating the likelihood that the text was generated by AI.
• Specific sections of the text that were identified as potentially AI-generated.
• Suggestions for further investigation or clarification.

Availability

Turnitin's AI detection feature is only available to institutions with the Turnitin Originality license and can be accessed through platforms like Turnitin Feedback Studio .

Alternatives to Turnitin AI Detector

Here is a recommended list of AI detectors similar to Turnitin AI detection.

Originality.AI

• Key features: Offers a high accuracy rate, detects various AI models, and provides detailed reports.

• Strengths: Known for its ability to detect even sophisticated AI-generated content.

GPTZero

• Key features: Free to use, provides a simple interface, and offers a general assessment of AI-generated content.

• Strengths: A good starting point for quick checks, especially for those on a budget.

Quillbot AI Detector

• Key features: Detects AI-generated content from various sources, including ChatGPT and Jasper.

• Strengths: User-friendly interface and provides a clear indication of AI-generated content.

Copyscape

• Key features: Primarily known for plagiarism detection, but also offers AI content detection capabilities.

• Strengths: Can be useful for detecting AI-generated content that might be plagiarized from other sources.

Conclusion

In 2024, Turnitin's AI Detector has proven to be an effective tool for identifying AI-generated content. While it performs well in detecting AI-generated text, particularly from tools like ChatGPT and GPT-based models, it is not without limitations.

It occasionally flags human-written content as AI-generated, and it may struggle with text that has been heavily edited after being generated by AI.

Overall, Turnitin offers a reliable solution for educators and institutions looking to stay ahead of the growing presence of AI in writing.