If you’re searching for an AI checker, you likely already have a hunch that a student’s essay was AI-generated. AI checkers can help validate your suspicions before finalizing a grade and working with your students to improve their writing process.
Inspect Writing, Brisk's free AI checker tool, shows a video-style replay of how an essay was written in Google or Word Docs. You can see whether the draft was written over time or pasted in at 11:58 p.m. the night it was due. Create your free Brisk account and check the essay you're unsure about.
How to check an essay with Brisk
If your students already turn in essays using Google or Microsoft Docs, you can check an essay without leaving the document. Brisk's Inspect Writing AI checker it only takes a few clicks:
- Sign up for Brisk and add the free Brisk extension to Chrome or Edge.
- Open the student's essay in your browser.
- Click the Brisk extension icon and choose Inspect Writing to watch a replay of how the essay was written.
- Run the AI check from the document to see watch every stage of the writing process, from initial drafting and copy/pastes to the final adjustments.
Before you start, check that Brisk is approved for use with student work at your school or district. Brisk has a 95% Common Sense Privacy Rating — the highest score among AI tools — and is designed to keep student data safe. Learn more about how we handle data in our Privacy Center.
What the replay shows you
The replay plays the essay back the way it was written, so you can see whether a student built it up over time, deleting, rewriting, and editing along the way, or whether most of it showed up in one big paste. Small pastes, like a quote from a source, are normal and nothing to worry about.
A big paste is worth asking about, but it doesn't always mean a student used AI. Some students write on their phone or in another app and copy their work into Google Docs when they're done, so a quick, friendly question is usually the best next step.
The replay can help with feedback as well, since you can see exactly where a student got stuck.
Set up assignments so the replay has something to show
Because the replay comes from the essay's history in Google or Word Docs, it works best when students build their drafts there from the start. An essay uploaded as a PDF or pasted into a blank doc at the last minute won't offer the same historical replay capabilities. Assigning essays through Google Classroom, for example, with "Make a copy for each student" toggled on gives every student their own doc from the assignment date. Additionally, telling students up front that you may look at how they wrote their essay sets clear expectations for the whole class.
Why an AI score shouldn't be the final word
AI checkers look for writing that seems very predictable, which means careful human writing can get flagged too. Some detectors have even flagged the U.S. Constitution as AI-written.
This matters most for English Language Learners (ELLs). In a 2023 Stanford study, popular detectors flagged an average of 61 percent of essays by non-native English speakers as AI-generated, even though every one of those essays was written by a person. Students who are still learning English, along with some neurodivergent students, often write in simpler, more consistent sentences, and that's the kind of writing these tools are most likely to flag.
That's why Brisk shows you the writing replay alongside the AI rating. When the two don't match, go with what the replay shows, and compare the essay with work the student has done in class before making any decisions.
What to do after you check an essay
Often, the replay will tell you the essay was written honestly, and you can get back to grading. When something does look off, though, it helps to have a plan that matches how strong the evidence is.
When to keep grading
The replay shows normal writing over a meaningful chunk of time and large copy-pastes are minimal, so you can grade the essay the way you normally would.
When to look a little closer
Maybe one thing seems off, like a few large copy-pastes on an essay the student clearly worked on over several days. Before making anything of it, compare the essay with their in-class writing and ask the student a casual question about their topic.
When to have a conversation
When several things line up, such as a number of big copy-pastes and writing that doesn't reflect the student’s voice or writing level, find a private moment to look at the replay together. Ask them to walk you through how they wrote it, since they may have a simple explanation.
When to follow your school's policy
If the student can't explain the work after a fair chance, follow your school or district's academic integrity policy, and write down what you saw in the replay and what the student said. An AI replay on its own shouldn't lead to a consequence.
Questions to ask a student about their essay
These conversations go best when they're private, low-key, and happen soon after you notice something, while the student still remembers how they wrote the essay. A few questions that keep things open:
- "How did you get started on this essay?"
- "Where did the idea for this paragraph come from?"
- "Why did you choose this word here?"
- "If you had more time, what would you change?"
- "Can you sum up your main argument in a sentence or two?”
A student who did the work can usually talk about it, even if they're nervous. If they did use AI, it's a good moment to go over your class rules for AI and how you'd like students to let you know when they use it.
Check your next essay with Brisk
Seeing how an essay was written makes it much easier to decide what to do next, whether that's grading it, asking a quick question, or having a longer conversation. Create your free Brisk account and try Inspect Writing on your next stack of essays. For more on spotting AI in student work, see our guide on how to detect AI writing in student work.
Frequently asked questions
What AI checker do teachers use?
Many schools use Turnitin, and there are a number of free AI checkers online. Brisk works differently because it shows you how an essay was written. Whatever you use, treat the result as one piece of the picture.
Can teachers tell if a student used AI?
Sometimes. AI checkers aren't fully reliable, but a student's writing history in Google Docs and a quick conversation usually tell you much more than a score.
Is 20% AI detection bad?
Not necessarily, because a percentage from any AI checker isn't proof on its own. Instead of providing a rating, Brisk enables teachers to look at every stage of the student writing process process, from initial drafting and copy/pastes to the final adjustments. It's best to view at the replay and talk with the student before deciding anything.
Can students get around AI checkers?
Yes, rewording AI-written text can often fool an AI checker. It's much harder to hide a big paste in the Inspect Writing replay, though.
Is Brisk's AI checker free?
Brisk is free for teachers, and Inspect Writing is included in the free plan.
