Grammarly pauses “Expert Review” and promises to put experts in control
Grammarly has temporarily disabled its AI-powered "Expert Review" feature after receiving criticism that the tool suggested edits were "inspired by" named writers without their permission. The company said it "clearly missed the mark" and will reimagine the feature to make it more useful for users while giving experts real control over how — or whether — they're represented.
The move follows public pushback from writers and publications who found their names and styles cited as influences for automated suggestions. In response, Grammarly's leadership apologized and opted to pause the rollout rather than defend the earlier implementation. That quick correction reduces immediate harm to creators and reassures users that their tools will respect creator rights.
Why this matters:
- It prioritizes consent and creator control, ensuring professionals aren't used as undisclosed training or marketing signals.
- It shows a major SaaS company is willing to change course quickly in response to ethical concerns, encouraging better industry standards.
- Users can expect future versions that balance helpful stylistic guidance with transparency about sources and permissions.
While the underlying technology remains useful for helping people write more clearly, this development highlights a healthier approach to AI product design: center the rights and preferences of human experts, iterate publicly, and fix mistakes when they happen. The pause gives Grammarly time to build a version of the feature that benefits users without compromising creators' control over their voices.