Editorial illustration for Journalist Julia Angwin sues Grammarly over alleged identity‑stealing AI
Grammarly Sued: Journalist Fights AI Identity Theft
Journalist Julia Angwin sues Grammarly over alleged identity‑stealing AI
Julia Angwin, a veteran investigative reporter, discovered that Grammarly’s new “Expert Review” tool listed her as a source for AI‑generated edits. The feature, rolled out earlier this year, pulls publicly available writings to train a model that claims to offer “expert‑level” suggestions. Angwin says she never consented to have her bylines or commentary harvested for that purpose.
After consulting with counsel, she filed a class‑action suit alleging that the company’s practice amounts to identity theft. The complaint argues that Grammarly misrepresented how it sources material and that the AI‑driven service blurs the line between editorial assistance and unauthorized appropriation of a journalist’s voice. As the case moves forward, it raises questions about the legal responsibilities of AI developers who rely on publicly posted content.
The lawsuit also spotlights how platforms that promise “expert” feedback might be leveraging the very work of the professionals they claim to emulate.
One of Grammarly's 'experts' is suing the company over its identity‑stealing AI feature.
One of Grammarly's 'experts' is suing the company over its identity-stealing AI feature Journalist Julia Angwin has filed a class-action lawsuit after learning she was included in Grammarly's 'Expert Review' AI editing feature. Journalist Julia Angwin has filed a class-action lawsuit after learning she was included in Grammarly's 'Expert Review' AI editing feature. Angwin says she found out her identity was used by way of Casey Newton, who is also one of the experts that The Verge uncovered being used by Grammarly when we tested the feature this week.
Several current Verge staff members popped up attached to Grammarly's AI-generated suggestions, too, including editor in chief Nilay Patel. Superhuman announced earlier Wednesday that it's disabling the feature, after initially launching an email inbox earlier this week where writers and academics could ask to opt out.
Julia Angwin’s filing puts Grammarly’s “Expert Review” feature under legal scrutiny. For months, the company has drawn on the names and personas of real journalists, including Angwin, to power AI‑generated editing suggestions, according to the class‑action complaint. The suit alleges that Grammarly—referred to as “Superhuman” in the filing—breached privacy and publicity rights by using those identities for commercial purposes without consent, a claim that hinges on whether existing statutes cover this particular AI application.
Wired previously reported the practice, but the lawsuit now forces the issue into court. If the plaintiffs succeed, Grammarly may have to reassess how it sources “expert” data for its algorithms. Yet, the complaint does not detail how many other individuals are implicated or what remediation might look like.
The case also leaves open whether the alleged misuse was systematic or limited to a subset of content. Until a judgment is rendered, the legality of leveraging real‑person identities in AI‑driven tools remains uncertain, and the broader implications for similar services are still unclear.
Further Reading
- Grammarly turned me into an AI editor against my will and I hate it - Platformer
- Structural and Ethical Challenges in Deploying AI in Law - The Academic
- Artificial Intelligence and Law | Legal Currents & Futures series - Colleges of Law
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Common Questions Answered
What specific legal action has Julia Angwin taken against Grammarly?
Julia Angwin has filed a class-action lawsuit against Grammarly over its 'Expert Review' AI feature. The lawsuit alleges that Grammarly used her identity and bylines without consent to generate AI-powered editing suggestions, potentially breaching her privacy and publicity rights.
How did Angwin discover her identity was being used by Grammarly's AI tool?
Angwin found out about her identity being used in Grammarly's 'Expert Review' tool through journalist Casey Newton, who was also identified as one of the 'experts' in the feature. The tool pulls publicly available writings to train a model that claims to offer expert-level editing suggestions.
What are the key legal claims in Angwin's lawsuit against Grammarly?
The lawsuit claims that Grammarly (referred to as 'Superhuman' in the filing) breached privacy and publicity rights by using journalists' identities for commercial purposes without their consent. The legal action hinges on whether existing statutes cover the use of personal identities in AI-generated content.