# Grammarly's Expert Review AI scandal: how companies profit from writers' stolen identities

> A Platformer investigation dug into Grammarly's Expert Review feature and found something uncomfortable behind the friendly framing. The tool generates AI-written advice and presents it as though it came from real, named experts, including figures like Stephen King, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and researcher Timnit Gebru, none of whom appear to have agreed to lend their names. The design choices make the illusion convincing. Blue hyperlinks mimic genuine citations and endorsements, while the disclaimer that the guidance is AI-generated is buried where most users will never see it. The result is a product that quietly monetizes published work and public reputations, dressing machine output in the authority of people who never signed off. The piece is a sharp example of how AI can launder credibility. As companies race to make assistants feel more authoritative, the temptation to borrow real names and voices grows, and the line between citation and impersonation blurs. It raises pointed questions about consent and disclosure that current product design, and current law, are not yet answering.

_Section: [Interesting AI Articles](https://www.wortins.com/articles) · Source: Platformer · Published Wednesday, August 12, 2026_

## Wortins' read

A Platformer investigation dug into Grammarly's Expert Review feature and found something uncomfortable behind the friendly framing. The tool generates AI-written advice and presents it as though it came from real, named experts, including figures like Stephen King, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and researcher Timnit Gebru, none of whom appear to have agreed to lend their names. The design choices make the illusion convincing. Blue hyperlinks mimic genuine citations and endorsements, while the disclaimer that the guidance is AI-generated is buried where most users will never see it. The result is a product that quietly monetizes published work and public reputations, dressing machine output in the authority of people who never signed off. The piece is a sharp example of how AI can launder credibility. As companies race to make assistants feel more authoritative, the temptation to borrow real names and voices grows, and the line between citation and impersonation blurs. It raises pointed questions about consent and disclosure that current product design, and current law, are not yet answering.

## Source

[Read the full story at Platformer](https://www.platformer.news/grammarly-expert-review-reviewed/)

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