Em Dash (as an AI Thing)
And remembering the Dash Inn
In college, we frequently visited the Dash Inn — a mere skip and a hop from campus and the dorms. The above photo looks like it was from that era (from here).
I’d like to say we spent our time there discussing AI, but most of those conversations happened years later, in dives further north, on the other side of campus. So I don’t actually remember what was said at the Dash Inn — which is probably for the best. It was likely silly, or at least, better left forgotten.
Which brings me to the present. Lately, I’ve come across all kinds of posts and articles claiming that AI-generated writing can be spotted by counting em dashes — as if the AIs just can’t resist them.
That’s pure indignation bait. I’ve always used em dashes — liberally, zealously. They’re perfect for holding space where cadence carries meaning.
If I tried to reconstruct the rambling half-thoughts we tossed around at the Dash Inn, especially now. I’m pretty sure they’d — borrowing from Laura Kennedy — land best in the staccato rhythm of a page full of dashes. The content may be fragmented, but the beat will be all there, like only an em dash could.