Ahrefs just dropped a major update and this time it is not an average SEO feature. The “AI Content Detector” is now live, fully integrated inside the Ahrefs Site Explorer.
Yes, you read that right. One of the most trusted tools in the SEO world now helps you detect whether a piece of content was written by a human or an AI.
The announcement came via Tim Soulo, CMO of Ahrefs, who revealed the rollout on X, calling it a practical way to help users “detect AI-generated content and rewrite it to sound human.”
As AI-generated content continues to flood blogs, landing pages, and even social media feeds, the timing of this release couldn’t be more urgent. So, what exactly does this tool do and is it the ultimate answer to the rising tide of AI-generated content flooding the internet?
How to Access and Use Ahrefs’ AI Content Detector Step-by-Step
On June 4th, Tim Soulo, CMO of Ahrefs, took to X to share the news. With an excited tone, Tim revealed the AI Detector tool is now live inside Ahrefs. And the SEO community? Well, they were quick to notice.
“AI Detector” tool just went live in @Ahrefs! 🔥
Here’s where to find it:
1. Open Site Explorer
2. Go to the “Top pages” report.
3. Look for the last column on the right called “Inspect” and click on 🔍
4. Click the “AI Detector” tab.…
5. Have fun! 😉
P.S. As usual,… pic.twitter.com/xf2weIa3dc
— Tim Soulo 🇺🇦 (@timsoulo) June 4, 2025
Ahrefs has made it incredibly simple to access its new AI Content Detector and the best part? It is integrated right into the tools you are probably already using every day inside Ahrefs. Here is how you can find it:
Step 1: Open Site Explorer
Start by logging into your Ahrefs account. Then, from the main dashboard, navigate to Site Explorer. This is one of Ahrefs’ core tools where you can analyze any website’s traffic, backlinks, top content and more.
Go to the ‘Top Pages’ Report
Once you are inside the Site Explorer for a domain, look at the left-hand navigation menu. Click on the report labeled “Top Pages” this section displays the highest-performing pages on the domain based on organic traffic.It shows:
- URLs
- Keywords each page ranks for
- Traffic metrics
- Estimated value
- And now… content quality via the AI Detector
Step 3: Look for the ‘Inspect’ Icon in the Last Column
Scroll across the columns in the “Top Pages” table.
On the far right, you will see a small magnifying glass icon (🔍) labeled ‘Inspect’. This button is your gateway to deeper content analysis. It allows you to examine specific page details and now includes the AI Detector feature.
Step 4: Click the ‘AI Detector’ Tab Inside the Inspect Panel
Once you click the Inspect button, a new panel or tab opens up.
Here, you will see a tab named “AI Detector.”
Click this tab and Ahrefs will begin scanning the content of that specific page for signs of AI-generated writing.
Step 5: Interpret the Results and Have Fun
Once the scan is complete, you will get an analysis report showing how likely the content is to have been generated by AI.
Why Did Ahrefs Build an AI Detector in the First Place?
Let’s face it. AI content is everywhere. Tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Jasper and Copy.ai have made content creation faster than ever. Google has deindexed over 200,000 AI-generated pages flagged as low-quality or spam since early 2023.
In short, AI content is saturating the web and platforms like Google are starting to care about originality again.
But Wait — Can AI Detect AI?
That’s the million-dollar question.
Chris Closset who is a well-known entrepreneur and AI critic, was quick to comment on Tim’s post: “Cool idea, but a tough nut to crack as even OpenAI can’t predict with certainty if content is AI or not. Looking forward to seeing the data.”
Chris is not wrong. Even OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, discontinued its own AI text classifier earlier in 2023 due to poor accuracy.
And let us be honest — AI detectors often produce false positives and false negatives. A human writer using predictable patterns might be flagged as AI. Conversely, a cleverly prompted AI might fool the system entirely.
So, what makes Ahrefs think they can do better?
The Technology That Powers the Detector
According to Ahrefs, their AI Content Detector is built on a language model trained on vast datasets which enables it to understand grammar, syntax, word distribution and writing rhythm.
Essentially, it looks for patterns commonly found in machine-generated content repetitive phrases, unnatural coherences and lack of emotional nuance.
This model reportedly combines both pattern recognition and semantic understanding, offering users a probability-based analysis of how “AI-like” the content is.
Is it foolproof? Probably not. But it is one of the few tools deeply embedded into an SEO platform, which makes it immediately valuable for content strategists, SEO agencies and publishers.
What’s Next?
So, should you rely 100% on the Ahrefs AI Detector? No. But should you use it as part of your content quality assurance workflow? Absolutely. It is a tool, not a judge.
Use it to flag content, not to discard it outright. Then apply human judgment, edit where needed and preserve your voice. Want to check your content now? Head to Ahrefs’ Site Explorer, follow the steps and try the AI Detector.
Dileep Thekkethil
AuthorDileep Thekkethil is the Director of Marketing at Stan Ventures, where he applies over 15 years of SEO and digital marketing expertise to drive growth and authority. A former journalist with six years of experience, he combines strategic storytelling with technical know-how to help brands navigate the shift toward AI-driven search and generative engines. Dileep is a strong advocate for Google’s EEAT standards, regularly sharing real-world use cases and scenarios to demystify complex marketing trends. He is an avid gardener of tropical fruits, a motor enthusiast, and a dedicated caretaker of his pair of cockatiels.