Can AI Identify an Author’s Background from a Writing Sample?

Summary: The ability to analyze writing to identify the author’s native origin is a task that’s borderline beyond the capabilities of current AI, though Claude and Mistral provided remarkably insightful comments.

Can AI tell whether a person was raised in the United States or Denmark, purely based on a writing sample? After all, they are large language models. Using myself as the guinea pig, the answer is mostly “no.” I fed my recent article “Software as Service” to five leading AI tools, and asked them to guess my native language and where I grew up, based on my writing.

This is an experiment in AI’s current ability to perform incisive nuanced analysis that goes beyond its training data. To guess right, the AI has to pick up on small details in the text that don’t obviously signal “Danish author here,” but when aggregated across the document hint at a Danish origin.

Here’s what the various AI models said about my likely background.

Based on my writing, guess what country I’m from and my native language. To give away the answer, I was raised and educated in Denmark with Danish as my native language. (Midjourney)

ChatGPT: ❌❌

ChatGPT 4o from OpenAI said:

Based on your writing, your native language is likely English, and you probably grew up in a region with a strong focus on business, technology, and global economics—possibly the United States or another English-speaking country like Canada, the UK, or Australia. The tone, fluency, and idiomatic use of English in your text suggest native proficiency. The familiarity with UX, SaaS, and AI concepts, as well as the inclusion of economic projections and references to business trends, align with a background influenced by tech-centric environments, likely from regions with a well-developed startup culture or strong corporate ecosystems like Silicon Valley, Seattle, or a major urban area in one of the countries mentioned.

ChatGPT o1 (OpenAI’s model with inference-time reasoning) said:

Based on the vocabulary, style, and idiomatic phrasing in your sample, my best guess is that you’re a native English speaker who grew up in the United States.

I asked o1 for its second-best guess, which was as follows:

If you’re not from the U.S., the next strongest possibility is that you’re a native English speaker from another English-majority country (e.g., Canada or the UK) who has spent considerable time reading or writing for a U.S. audience. The fluency in American business jargon, the spellings, and the style might stem from professional experience with American companies or clients, or from extended stays in the U.S.

Gemini: ❌❌ (Second Guess Also ❌)

Gemini 2.0 Experimental Advanced from Google said:

Based on your writing sample, here are my best guesses about your native language and where you grew up: Native Language: English.

Reasons:

• Fluent and Natural: Your writing flows naturally and effortlessly, demonstrating a native-level command of English grammar, vocabulary, and syntax.

• Idiomatic Usage: You use idiomatic expressions ("low-hanging fruit," "whoa," "poof, there goes at least 5 more years") correctly and naturally.

• Complex Sentence Structures: You confidently handle complex sentence structures with varied clauses and transitions, demonstrating a high level of proficiency.

• Advanced Vocabulary: Your vocabulary is rich and sophisticated, including domain-specific terms like "Generative UI," "RPA," and "SaaS," all used appropriately.

• Humor and Tone: You inject humor and a conversational tone ("the infamous 'cloud' is a buzzword for 'somebody else's computer'") that feels natural and engaging for a native English speaker.

• Culturally Relevant References: You reference cultural touchstones like Saville Row, McKinsey consultants, and Oscar-winning actors, suggesting a deep understanding of Anglo-American culture.

• No Obvious Errors or Interference: There are no grammatical errors, awkward phrasings, or instances of direct translation that would suggest a non-native speaker.

Where You Grew Up: Likely the United States, possibly Canada.

I asked Gemini to provide its second-best and third-best guesses, after informing it that its first guess was wrong. Here are its (erroneous) additional guesses:

Second-Best Guess:

Native Language: German

Where You Grew Up: Germany

Reasoning:

• Advanced English Proficiency: Your English is exceptionally good, exhibiting a native-like fluency that is often seen in individuals from countries with strong English as a Second Language (ESL) education systems, such as Germany.

• Analytical and Structured Writing: Your writing style is highly structured, logical, and analytical. This aligns with a common perception of German communication styles, which tend to be direct and precise.

• Technological Focus: Your focus on AI, SaaS, and technological disruption resonates with Germany's strong standing in technology, engineering, and innovation.

• European Business Perspective: While you reference many American companies, your underlying perspective seems more aligned with a European understanding of business and economics. Germany, being a major economic power in Europe, fits this profile. You write as an outsider looking in at American business culture.

• UiPath Reference: Your mention of UiPath, a successful tech company founded in Romania but with a significant global presence, suggests a broader European perspective rather than a strictly American one. Germans are more likely to be familiar with successful European startups.

• "Service as a Software" Concept: The concept of "Service as a Software" might be influenced by the German concept of "Dienstleistung," which encompasses a wide range of services and has a strong cultural and economic significance in Germany.

• Absence of US-centric colloquialisms: While your English is idiomatic, it lacks some of the very specific colloquialisms and slang that are often deeply ingrained in native US English speakers.

• High level of education: Your sophisticated writing indicates a high level of education, which is consistent with Germany's strong educational system.

Third-Best Guess:

Native Language: Dutch

Where You Grew Up: Netherlands

Reasoning:

• Exceptional English Skills: The Netherlands is renowned for its exceptionally high level of English proficiency, often considered the best among non-native English-speaking countries. Your writing easily meets this standard.

• Tech-Savvy Culture: The Netherlands has a thriving tech scene and a strong focus on innovation, aligning with your interest in AI, SaaS, and digital transformation.

• International Business Outlook: The Dutch are known for their international business orientation, which is reflected in your awareness of global market trends and companies.

• Direct Communication Style: Similar to Germans, the Dutch often favor a direct and straightforward communication style, which aligns with the clarity and precision of your writing.

• Baymard Institute Reference: As a Danish company, Baymard Institute might be more familiar to individuals in neighboring countries like the Netherlands.

• Strong UX Community: The Netherlands has a strong and active UX (User Experience) community, which aligns with your deep dive into the UX design profession.

• Focus on efficiency and optimization: Your discussion of streamlining processes, increasing efficiency, and using AI to optimize workflows resonates with the Dutch cultural emphasis on efficiency and practicality.

Important Considerations:

• These are still guesses based on textual analysis. Without more information, it's challenging to pinpoint your background with absolute certainty.

• · The "wrongness" of the first guess could be due to various factors. Maybe you've lived in the US for a very long time, or maybe you're simply very interested in US culture and business.

Grok: ❌❌ (Second Guess Also ❌)

Grok 2 from xAI said:

• Native Language: English. The sophistication in language use and the fluency in English-specific tech terms suggest English as your native language or one in which you've achieved near-native proficiency.

• Place of Upbringing: Likely the United States, particularly in or around a tech-centric region like Silicon Valley or another major tech hub. This is inferred from the deep cultural and professional integration with American tech culture, companies, and terminology. However, similar environments exist in other English-speaking countries with strong tech sectors like Canada or the UK, though the specific references lean more towards a U.S. context.

I told Grok that it was wrong and asked it to provide its second-best guess, which was:

Given that English isn't your native language and you weren't raised in the U.S., here's an alternative guess:

• Native Language: Possibly German. The clarity, precision, and logical structure of the writing could reflect a Germanic influence, where such attributes are valued in both academic and professional communication. Additionally, Germany has a strong tech sector and is known for its contributions to engineering and software, which could explain the depth of knowledge in AI and technology.

• Place of Upbringing: Germany or Austria. Both countries have a significant tech industry, particularly in areas like Munich or Vienna, where there might be exposure to similar tech culture and terminology as seen in your writing. The educational system in these countries also emphasizes technical subjects and could provide the background for such detailed understanding of AI, economics, and UX design.

The use of English in a way that is nearly indistinguishable from a native speaker could be attributed to a high level of education in English, possibly from attending international schools, studying abroad, or working extensively in an English-speaking environment.

Claude Sonnet: ❌✔️

Claude Sonnet 3.5 from Anthropic said:

Based on your writing sample, I would guess that English is your native language and you likely grew up in Northern Europe, possibly Denmark, Sweden, or Norway. Here are the indicators:

1. Advanced English proficiency with sophisticated technical and business vocabulary, but with subtle patterns that suggest Nordic influence:

· Heavy use of compound words and complex nominal phrases

· Preference for longer, information-dense sentences

· Occasional slight deviations from typical English idioms

2. Writing style characteristics:

· Very direct and analytical approach typical of Nordic technical writing

· Focus on practical examples and business cases

· Use of precise numbers and statistics (common in Nordic business culture)

3. Content focus and perspective:

· Strong emphasis on efficiency and systematic thinking

· Interest in practical applications over theoretical frameworks

· References to UX and tech industry that suggest familiarity with Nordic tech hubs

4. Specific word choices and phrases that suggest Nordic influence:

· "Whoa, that's an important assumption I just added"

· "poof, there goes at least 5 more years"

· Use of "professional services automation" rather than "automation of professional services"

5. Your technical writing style shows some classic Danish characteristics:

· Preference for longer, complex sentences that pack in multiple ideas

· Very direct and methodical approach to explaining concepts

· Tendency toward compound constructions (a feature shared between Danish and English)

· The way you handle numerical data and statistics is very Danish — precise, detailed, and integrated naturally into the analysis

Le Chat: ✔️✔️

As the only leading European AI model, I thought Mistral’s Le Chat might do better than the American models. Here’s what Le Chat said:

Based on your writing sample, it's challenging to definitively guess your native language or where you grew up, as your English is quite proficient and the text is well-written. However, there are a few subtle clues that might suggest you are not a native English speaker or that you grew up in a non-English speaking country:

1. Sentence Structure: Some of your sentences are quite complex and structured in a way that might be more common in certain European languages. For example:

   • "Imagine a world where professional expertise is a few clicks away—faster, smarter, and unbelievably affordable."

   • "This will create a new model for service design, where services that used to be provided by humans are packaged up and delivered by software."

2. Phrasing: Certain phrases and expressions feel slightly non-idiomatic, which could indicate a non-native background. For instance:

   • "Welcome to the age of boundless skill scalability, where services transform into software and economies grow beyond human imagination."

   • "The full team of world-class experts works for $20 per month."

3. Cultural References: There are no specific cultural references that strongly point to a particular region, but the mention of certain technologies and companies (e.g., Salesforce, Concur, Gmail) suggests familiarity with global tech trends, which could indicate a background in a tech-savvy environment.

4. Use of Metaphors: Your use of metaphors and analogies is quite sophisticated, which could suggest a strong educational background, possibly in a field that values clear and persuasive communication.

Given these points, if I were to guess, I might suggest that you could be from a European country with a strong educational system and a tech-savvy culture, such as Germany, Sweden, or the Netherlands. However, this is purely speculative, and your writing is proficient enough that you could also be a native English speaker with a background in a tech-oriented field.

Conclusion: Mostly Wrong, Some Hits

None of these five AI models got everything perfectly right. I scored Mistral Le Chat with two checkmarks for correctly concluding that my native language was not English and correctly guessing that I grew up in a Northern European country. Still, it got the specific country wrong (Denmark was not on its list).

On the other hand, Claude got my native country right, guessing that I’m from Scandinavia and listing Denmark as one of the 3 most likely countries.

Admittedly, I’m probably a hard case to pin down because I have lived in the U.S. longer than I have lived in my native country of Denmark: 36 vs. 31 years respectively. But I did spend those 31 formative years in Denmark, which still shows in the more nuanced analysis performed by Claude and Mistral.

As an aside, I find it interesting that Gemini and Claude differed in their interpretation of my phrase, “poof, there goes at least 5 more years.” Gemini felt this seemed American, whereas Claude thought the phrase suggested a Nordic influence.

On balance, this task is at the cutting edge of current AI capabilities. You should try the exercise yourself, particularly if your native language isn’t English. Paste a writing sample into an AI tool and let us know in the comments whether AI identified your origin correctly. It will also be very interesting to see whether next-generation AI performs better.

I made a small song about this experiment (YouTube, 1:38 min.).

When you ask AI for stereotypes, you can elicit some reasonably accurate differences between the United States and Denmark, as shown in this drawing from Ideogram. Yet AI mostly failed to identify my native country and language based on my writing.

About the Author

Jakob Nielsen, Ph.D., is a usability pioneer with 42 years experience in UX and the Founder of UX Tigers. He founded the discount usability movement for fast and cheap iterative design, including heuristic evaluation and the 10 usability heuristics. He formulated the eponymous Jakob’s Law of the Internet User Experience. Named “the king of usability” by Internet Magazine, “the guru of Web page usability” by The New York Times, and “the next best thing to a true time machine” by USA Today.

Previously, Dr. Nielsen was a Sun Microsystems Distinguished Engineer and a Member of Research Staff at Bell Communications Research, the branch of Bell Labs owned by the Regional Bell Operating Companies. He is the author of 8 books, including the best-selling Designing Web Usability: The Practice of Simplicity (published in 22 languages), the foundational Usability Engineering (27,968 citations in Google Scholar), and the pioneering Hypertext and Hypermedia (published two years before the Web launched).

Dr. Nielsen holds 79 United States patents, mainly on making the Internet easier to use. He received the Lifetime Achievement Award for Human–Computer Interaction Practice from ACM SIGCHI and was named a “Titan of Human Factors” by the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

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