Introduction: Superhuman’s recent use of AI tools, particularly in their writing assistant Grammarly, has stirred significant controversy. Their latest feature, Expert Review, raises ethical questions about authors’ rights and the implications of AI-generated feedback. Here’s a closer look at the situation.
Superhuman has thrown Grammarly into a whirlwind, particularly regarding its stance on artificial intelligence tools. In August, the company introduced a feature dubbed Expert Review, which offers users feedback on their writing by mimicking insights from renowned writers or scholars. The reproductions were allegedly based on “publicly available information from third-party LLMs,” raising eyebrows about the legality of their web-sourcing methods.
Recommended experts varied by topic, spanning from celebrated scientists to best-selling fiction writers and local tech bloggers. Notably, these names appeared alongside the Grammarly tool without the consent or awareness of the individuals involved—be they living or deceased. Superhuman attempted to mitigate backlash by including a disclaimer: “References to experts in this product are for informational purposes only and do not indicate any affiliation with Grammarly or endorsement by those individuals or entities.”
It didn’t take long for the affected writers to express their dissatisfaction, particularly among those still living, as many were unhappy with this development. Indeed, a class action lawsuit is already in progress against Superhuman. In a bid to address complaints, the company initially offered authors the option to opt out of the platform—a move that likely brought some relief, not only to those alive but also to the deceased who may not have known their names were being used.
Recently, Superhuman CEO Shishir Mehrotra announced in a LinkedIn post that the company will temporarily disable the Expert Review feature while it evaluates the situation. He explained, “The agent was designed to help users discover influential perspectives and scholarship relevant to their work while also offering experts an opportunity to forge deeper connections with their fans.” One might wonder if Carl Sagan ever anticipated needing to establish such connections with his admirers from the beyond.
Conclusion: As the debate continues, the implications of AI in writing tools remain profound. Superhuman’s handling of the Expert Review feature is a crucial case study in navigating ethical boundaries and respecting intellectual property. The future of AI tools may depend on how companies address these challenges moving forward.
Update, March 11, 2026, 5:34PM ET: Updated to note pending class action lawsuit filed against Superhuman over this feature.
