Grammarly drops AI impersonation tool after class action lawsuit
Grammarly is disabling its AI 'Expert Review' tool after a lawsuit alleging it impersonated experts without consent.Summary
Grammarly is discontinuing its AI-powered 'Expert Review' feature following a class action lawsuit and significant backlash. The tool allowed users to receive text revisions seemingly written by subject matter experts, including journalists and authors, for a monthly fee. Investigative journalist Julia Angwin filed a lawsuit against Grammarly, claiming the company violated privacy and publicity rights by exploiting individuals' identities for profit without their consent. Grammarly CEO Shishir Mehrotra apologized and stated the feature will be reimagined to give experts control over their representation, offering an opt-out option. The company acknowledged the valid criticism and emphasized that such scrutiny improves their products. This move comes as standalone writing assistants face increasing competition from powerful large language models like Claude, ChatGPT, and Gemini, prompting Grammarly to diversify through acquisitions like Coda and Superhuman.
(Source：Siliconrepublic.com)