The editing tool Grammarly has turned off its controversial “Expert Review” feature, which presented suggestions mimicking the writing styles of real journalists, authors, and academics.
The brand didn’t obtain any of the authors’ consent, including that of writers, including Neil deGrasse Tyson and Stephen King. The feature used details of multiple tech writers, as spotted by The Verge, including some of the publication’s own staff and others from Bloomberg, Digital Foundry, IGN, Tom’s Guide, Rock Paper Shotgun, and others.
Grammarly’s parent company was hit with a class-action lawsuit on Thursday from one of the authors quoted as an expert in its tool. As reported by Wired, Julia Angwin, an investigative journalist and author, filed the lawsuit against Grammarly’s owner, Superhuman.
The lawsuit reads, “Grammarly never sought or obtained consent from Ms. Angwin or the other ‘Experts’ whose names and identities Grammarly misappropriated in the Expert Review tool. The suit alleges that this conduct violated New York and California laws that require a person’s consent before using their name for commercial purposes.”
The legal case seeks a court order prohibiting Grammarly from using these people’s names and identities without consent. This may stop Grammarly from reintroducing the feature or similar tools in the future.
It also asks Superhuman for compensation for the time the feature was live, which first launched in August 2025. Angwin wrote on LinkedIn, “I’m taking this action on behalf of not just myself, but everyone who spent years and decades refining their skills as a writer and editor, only to find an AI impersonating them.”
Recommended by Our Editors
A Superhuman spokesperson told Wired, “We built the agent to help users tap into the insights of thought leaders and experts and to give experts new ways to share their knowledge and reach new audiences. Based on the feedback we’ve received, we clearly missed the mark. We are sorry and will do things differently going forward.”
After coverage of the controversial feature picked up steam, Grammarly introduced an option for experts to opt out of their inclusion in the future. None of these experts were contacted directly about the AI tools mimicking their work, but they could email to remove themselves if they discovered their inclusion.
Get Our Best Stories!
Your Daily Dose of Our Top Tech News
Thanks for signing up!
Your subscription has been confirmed. Keep an eye on your inbox!
About Our Expert
Experience
I’ve been a journalist for over a decade after getting my start in tech reporting back in 2013. I joined PCMag in 2025, where I cover the latest developments across the tech sphere, writing about the gadgets and services you use every day. Be sure to send me any tips you think PCMag would be interested in.
