Plain Language in the Age of AI: Why Simplicity Will Outperform Automation

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Ok, if you’ve spent any time at all lately trying to write with AI tools, you’ve probably noticed a few things - it’s quick, it can be very clever, and sometimes…it sounds a little bit too polished. That’s because AI learns from us. It learns all of the good habits and the not-so-good ones as well. When we tend to write in complex ways, the machine copies that level of complexity right back.

In healthcare writing especially, clarity matters more than ever. Patients don’t need paragraphs that sound highly academic or overly formal. What they need is information that feels human, relatable, warm, and (perhaps most importantly) easy to understand. Writing in plain language helps to make all of this possible.

As AI starts to fill up more and more of the internet, crystal clear communication is becoming one of the best ways to stand out from the crowd. Words that are simple, friendly, and to-the-point are going to help create trust, and this trust builds connection. In the age of automation, plain language equals simplicity, and simplicity is the new competitive advantage.

Why We Write the Way We Do

The truth is, most of us write the way that we read, and that can vary a lot. If you spend your days reading research papers, clinical notes, or highly detailed academic articles, your writing will naturally start to sound like that. It’s almost like your brain picks up a “writing accent” from whatever you read the most. Those particular habits are going to play a role in shaping things like the length of your sentences, your tone, and even the specific words that you choose.

A lot of us also want to sound smart, which usually means reaching for bigger words or more difficult phrasing. It’s a natural instinct…and yes, we all do it sometimes (there might even be a name for it, but we’ll leave that to the psychologists!).

The truth is, writing takes practice, and clarity takes even more. When we focus less on sounding impressive and more on just being properly understood, our writing is going to become stronger, warmer, easier to comprehend, and a lot more human. Because plain language isn’t as simple as it sounds - it’s a skill that has to be learned and developed.

The Overuse of Flowery Language

Let’s leave the flowers in the garden where they belong. Flowery language has its place (like in poetic masterpieces, with the literary legends, and maybe in the next great American novel!) but definitely not in patient education or healthcare communication. When we trade simple, clear words for more difficult ones, we create a wall between ourselves and the reader.

Take this classic example: utilize versus use. One feels formal, but it doesn’t communicate any better. In fact, it can slow the reader down, especially when they’re already trying to understand something that is unfamiliar to them, and when it comes to healthcare, that brief pause can make a big difference.

Flowery or overly formal writing can alienate readers, especially those patients who might already feel anxious or overwhelmed about a diagnosis, or treatment plan. For people with lower levels of health literacy, complex language goes beyond being just confusing, in fact, it can actually lead to information being missed, uncertainty about their care, and even poorer health outcomes.

Plain language, on the other hand, keeps everyone on the same page. It removes that extra bit of friction, builds up patient confidence, and invites a greater level of understanding. It says, “You belong in this conversation.” And that connection - between a writer and a reader, a clinician and a patient - is something that automation simply can’t replicate. Clear words make complex care feel more human, and that’s exactly where trust begins.

A Sense of Sameness

If you’ve ever read three different articles, from three different sources, all on the same topic and felt like they all sounded identical, you’re not imagining it! AI-generated writing tends to create a sense of sameness because it learns from the internet where it studies all of the existing patterns, then repeats them. Instead of building an original voice, it just stitches together everything that’s already out there.

Even when you try to make your content feel original, it can still start blending in. That’s especially true in healthcare, where so many hospitals, clinics, and different health brands are using the same automated tools to talk about the same conditions and services. The result is that the pages may look different but the information sounds pretty much exactly the same, and this is when the readers stop paying attention.

As humans, this gives us an edge. We understand tone, emotion, phrasing, and exactly what a real person might need to hear in a vulnerable moment. We can make intentional language choices that reflect a higher level of empathy and care.

Plain language helps you stand out because it helps people understand the information you are giving them, instead of just skimming it over. It gives your writing a voice that feels genuine, and human, and in a world full of AI-generated sameness, that human touch is what readers are going to remember.

Human Nature + Hallucinations

AI hallucinations - we’ve all heard of them, right? They’re those false or completely made-up facts that somehow sneak into our machine-generated content. They happen when the system fills in the gaps with its best guess. But here’s the catch - as humans, we do it too. We “hallucinate” a certain level of clarity when we assume that our audience already understands the jargon or complicated phrasing that we use every day.

I caught myself doing exactly that while writing an article on OB/GYN care. I was so curious about the topic that I loaded it with all of these unnecessary details and intricate nuances. It was fascinating…but not exactly patient-friendly, plain language. It definitely didn’t get to the point very quickly, it skipped over what the patients actually wanted to know, and it stretched way longer than anyone would reasonably read.

When I took a second look over it (this time with a patient-centered lens), everything changed. I made the sentences shorter, got right to the point with my answers, and used a tone that felt more like a conversation instead of a lecture. Suddenly all the pieces fit together and it connected.

That’s the beauty of plain language! It protects the meaning of your words from both human and AI confusion. It keeps your message clear, your readers confident, and your communication focused right where it should be…on patient care.

How to Practice Plain Language in an AI World

I’m not going to lie to you and tell you this is easy. Practicing plain language takes some intention. It’s a habit that you have to build up over time, and isn’t something that just happens automatically. But the good news is that with a bit of practice it can be easier than you think.

First off, start by swapping out those big, jargon-y words for simpler ones. Choose use instead of utilize, and help instead of assist. Next up, be sure that you always put the reader first. Ask yourself what is it that they really want to know and get to that answer as quickly as possible. Keep your sentences short, in the active voice, and crystal clear. And one of the best tricks is to read your writing out loud. If you trip over a phrase, your reader probably will too.

But don’t misunderstand me here - writing clearly doesn’t mean that you have to dumb anything down. It just means that you have to care enough to make your message easy to understand. If you’re looking for a bit of guidance, the Plain Language Guidelines is a really great place to start. Just remember this…when your words are simple, your message becomes a lot more powerful.

Clarity Is the Real Connection

In this sometimes cold world of automation, it’s warmth, human-ness and clarity that truly connect us. While AI might be able to generate words, it can’t replicate things like intention, empathy, or the human touch that turns information into understanding. Simplicity is what helps complicated healthcare ideas reach real people, like the patients, families, and communities who need them most.

So, take a moment to think about your own writing habits. Are you writing to inform, or to impress? When your main focus is on providing understanding, your words naturally become more powerful.

If you’re ready to bring more clarity and better connection to your healthcare content, let’s talk. Together, we can create patient-centered writing that builds greater trust, clearly communicates your message, and feels authentically human.