Grammarly is using our identities without permission
TL;DR
Grammarly's 'Expert Review' feature generates AI writing feedback supposedly inspired by real subject matter experts, including recently deceased professors and living journalists.
Key Points
- The Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel, editor-at-large David Pierce, and senior editors Sean Hollister and Tom Warren appeared as 'experts' without ever giving Grammarly permission.
- The feature launched in August 2024 and claims to channel feedback 'inspired by' real professionals.
- Wired first reported on deceased professors being used; The Verge then discovered active staff members were included too.
Nauti's Take
Grammarly has steered itself into a legal and ethical minefield with this feature. No one gave a writing tool permission to attach their name to AI-generated advice – and 'inspired by' is not a legal get-out-of-jail-free card.
The fact that deceased professors are included makes it even more disturbing, since they literally cannot object. This exposes how loosely some AI products treat personality rights until a lawyer calls.
Grammarly should pull the feature immediately and build a proper opt-in consent process – anything less is reputational self-destruction.
Context
Grammarly has crossed a clear line: real identities, including those of deceased individuals, are being used without consent for commercial AI outputs. This isn't an edge case – it's a fundamental consent and reputation risk. When AI systems borrow the names of known professionals to simulate credibility, it further erodes trust in digital content.
This case will likely attract regulatory scrutiny around personality rights and data protection laws.
Sources