Productivity Giants Grammarly and Superhuman Face Scrutiny Over AI's Use of Names

An investigation has revealed that Grammarly and Superhuman, two major productivity platforms, have been using real people's names within their AI-generated suggestions without obtaining permission. This practice, which involves referencing experts and public figures to lend authority to automated writing and email tips, raises significant questions about consent and reputation in an industry built on trust.

The issue centers on features that surface real names, attaching them to generated text or attributed expertise. Individuals were not notified their identities were being used, discovering it only by chance. For companies marketing themselves as essential for credible professional communication, the lack of transparency is notable.

Legally, the situation occupies uncertain ground. Right of publicity laws protect against unauthorized commercial use of a person's identity. As paid services using names to add perceived value, these tools may be testing those boundaries. The reputational risk is tangible: if an AI attributes poor or incorrect advice to someone, that person's credibility suffers without their knowledge or recourse.

In response to inquiries, both companies indicated they are developing opt-out processes. However, such frameworks require individuals to police the systems themselves. This development arrives as global regulators, particularly in Europe, are imposing stricter transparency rules on AI systems.

For the millions of professionals and enterprise teams using these tools, this serves as a prompt for closer examination. When an AI assistant borrows a person's reputation without asking, it introduces a liability that both users and the companies deploying the software must now consider.

Source: Webpronews