№ 5 The State of AI Writing on Hacker News · August 2026

August's front page averaged 20% AI-generated.

Pangram flagged 20% of the month's 599 analyzed stories as AI-generated. That's 3pp higher than the month before.

Issue №5 Analyzed 599 stories Across 31 days From 402 distinct domains By HN AI Detector

1 in 5

front-page stories was AI-generated

Pangram flagged 118 of 599 analyzed stories as AI this month.

+3pp

change versus the previous month

The front page ran more AI than July 2026.

45%

of github.com was AI-generated

Of domains with at least three stories this month, github.com had the highest AI share.

— The trend

AI % on the HN front page, every day of Aug

31 days · daily rolling avg

Prev. avg: 17% · this month: 5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

prev avg · 17%

Aug 01Aug 08Aug 15Aug 22Aug 31

Below 17% 17–20% 20% and above Highest day: 25% on Aug 04

— Trending up

vs. previous month

— Steady

vs. previous month