Does Turnitin Detect ChatGPT? A Detailed Answer in 2025

You just finished your essay using ChatGPT, and now you’re wondering if Turnitin will catch it. Don’t worry, you’re not the only one thinking about this.

As AI writing tools become more prevalent, so does the concern about detection. Does Turnitin detect ChatGPT? How accurate is it? And is there a smart way to use AI without risking your academic integrity? In this article, TechDictionary will break it all down—how Turnitin works, what it can spot, and how to use AI responsibly. Let’s get started.

Does Turnitin Detect ChatGPT?

Yes, Turnitin can detect ChatGPT-generated content with 98% accuracy by analyzing the writing style and patterns of the submitted work. According to William H. Walters’s research, the three AI text detectors – Turnitin, Originality AI, and Copyleaks – show high accuracy across GPT-3.5, GPT-4, and human-generated papers.

Turnitin AI detection, launched in April 2023, provides instructors with a score from 0% to 100% indicating the similarity between submitted work and AI-generated content. However, this AI detector also mentioned that its system produces false positives, which occur less than 1% of the time.

Can ChatGPT be detected by Turnitin? (Source: Turnitin Feedback Studio)

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Can Turnitin Detect AI-Written Content from Other Tools?

Yes, Turnitin can detect text from other AI writing tools powered by large language models (LLMs). We have already tested whether Turnitin can detect QuillBot, Wordtune, and even Grammarly. The answer is quite the same. However, like any AI detection tool, it’s not flawless. Some rewritten or strongly edited text may still go undetected.

Because Turnitin is only available to institutions, we opted to use Originality AI as an alternative, which offers similar accuracy.

Originality AI detects 100% AI-generated content from ChatGPT-4o

The test results show that Originality AI was able to detect 100% of content generated by ChatGPT-4o. Therefore, ChatGPT-generated content is highly likely to be detected by Turnitin as well.

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How Does Turnitin Work?

Turnitin is a comprehensive tool that not only checks for plagiarism but also analyzes writing patterns to identify AI-generated content. Here’s how it works:

• Database Comparison: Turnitin scans your text against a huge academic database and highlights any matched content. It then gives you a Similarity Report with a percentage that shows how much of your work isn’t original.
• Writing Patterns: Its algorithms can tell the difference between human writing and the writing styles that AI models use.
• Statistical Analysis: By looking at perplexity and burstiness (the structure, word choice, and length of the sentences in the text), mark text that fits the patterns that AI generates.
• Citation and Referencing Analysis: Turnitin checks whether your sources are properly cited and flags any missing or incorrect references, ensuring your work adheres to academic standards.
• Frequent Updates: Turnitin regularly updates its AI detection capabilities to stay current with new AI technologies.

Turnitin’s AI Writing Detection Capabilities (Source: Turnitin)

The Similarity Report has always been a core feature of Turnitin. With the rise of AI, Turnitin introduced the AI detection model in April 2023. Although this model is now part of the Similarity Report, it functions separately with distinct roles.

The Similarity Score indicates the percentage of content that matches other sources, while the AI Writing Detection specifically identifies whether the text was generated by AI. Despite being integrated, these two features operate independently and do not influence each other.

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How Accurate is Turnitin in Detecting AI-Written Text?

Turnitin’s AI detection prioritizes accuracy, with a focus on ensuring that AI writing is correctly identified. While they maintain a false positive rate of less than 1%, there’s still a small chance of misidentifying human-written text as AI-generated.

• False Positives: According to Turnitin’s data, around 1% of human-written content may be incorrectly flagged as AI-generated. This means even original writing can occasionally be misclassified. If you haven’t used AI but get flagged, you can refer to our article “How to Prove You Didn’t Use AI In Writing?” for guidance.
• Detection Gaps: Turnitin might not catch everything. In some cases, up to 15% of AI-written text may go undetected, meaning that if the report indicates 60% AI, the actual number could be closer to 75%. (Source: Best Colleges)

NOTE:

• The system is optimized for long-form content, typically requiring at least 300 words for accurate predictions. 

• Non-standard structures like bullet points and tables are harder to analyze, so AI-generated content in these formats may go unnoticed.

The Ethical Implications of Using ChatGPT

No one can deny the convenience ChatGPT provides, not to mention its easy accessibility. However, along with many benefits, ChatGPT raises many ethical-related questions, as below:

• People can use ChatGPT to spread realistic-looking fake content through news articles, social media posts, and more.
• Cybercriminals can create different cyber attacks by using ChatGPT to create spam emails and phishing messages.
• The text and data given to ChatGPT can sometimes include biased or stereotypical information.
• ChatGPT can be used to collect users’ data.

That’s why it’s essential to use ChatGPT responsibly and with integrity, especially in academic, professional, or public settings. Professors can detect ChatGPT-generated content through tools like Turnitin, so think of AI as a tool to support your work, not a shortcut to bypass effort. Always double-check the content, verify facts, and give proper credit when needed.

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Wrap it up

So, can ChatGPT be detected by Turnitin? The answer is Yes, Turnitin can detect ChatGPT writing with a high level of accuracy. Since launching its AI detection feature in 2023, Turnitin has become one of the most trusted tools for identifying AI-generated content, including text from GPT-3.5, GPT-4, and newer models like ChatGPT-4o. While not perfect, its detection system continues to evolve alongside AI technology.

For students, educators, and content creators, this highlights an important reminder: use AI tools like ChatGPT ethically. Let them support your thinking, not replace it.

Still wondering if ChatGPT is detectable on Turnitin or how to use it responsibly? Leave a comment—we’re happy to help.

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