'My Work Task Is Removing Em-Dashes': PhD Economist Goes Viral For Editing AI Text, Netizens React

The rapid rise of artificial intelligence in writing is quietly transforming even the most scholarly professions, and not all reactions are positive. A recent viral post by an American economist has highlighted how AI is changing the nature of intellectual work and the day-to-day tasks of highly trained experts.

Marshall Steinbaum, a PhD economist from the University of Chicago, shared on X that a large part of his current work involves editing AI-generated content rather than conducting research or analysis.

In his now widely circulated post, he explained, “I have a PhD in economics from the University of Chicago and my main work task these days is removing em-dashes from Claude output so it’s not overly obvious.”

The remark struck a chord online,

with professionals across fields recognising the challenge of making AI-written material appear authentically human. Many found it ironic that stylistic elements like em-dashes, often a hallmark of well-crafted prose, must be removed to avoid giving away the text’s automated origin.

Users weighed in with both humour and critique. One commented on the broader implications, while others joked about the quirks of academic economics, suggesting that Chicago PhDs often hide complex ideas behind formulas and appendices, a task now seemingly complemented by ‘de-AI-ing’ text.

The conversation extended beyond economics. A PhD in electrical engineering shared that editing AI-generated corporate reports and presentations has become part of their workflow, indicating that this unusual practice is spreading across disciplines.

Amid the banter, some users raised deeper questions about originality and authenticity. “Create a Claude.md file and tell it to never use em dashes,” one user suggested, highlighting the technical adjustments now necessary to maintain human-like style.

“You’re removing em-dashes so that casual readers won’t think it’s AI,” noted one user, pointing out that any serious reader would encounter such punctuation in standard prose.

“That’s a prompt problem. Just tell it not to use em-dashes,” a third user said.

“The annoying part of this is that you’re removing em-dashes from your work so that people who hardly ever read won’t think it’s an AI. When, in fact, if you read any non-fiction written by humans of any reputable prose style you’ll find em-dashes on the first page, another user noted.