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.
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