Superhuman to shut down Grammarly's 'Expert Review' AI tool after backlash

The feature was criticized for using journalists' names without permission to provide writing feedback.

Published on Mar. 11, 2026

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The San Francisco tech company Superhuman is shutting down the 'Expert Review' feature on its Grammarly app after facing backlash from journalists whose names and identities were used without permission. The tool had suggested writing feedback credited to high-profile reporters like Kara Swisher and Emily Chang, sparking outrage from those whose names were used. Superhuman CEO Shishir Mehrotra apologized and said the feature will be disabled as the company reimagines it to give experts more control over how they are represented.

Why it matters

This case highlights the growing tensions between AI companies and the individuals whose work and identities are used to train and promote these technologies. As AI becomes more advanced, there are increasing concerns about the ethical use of personal data and the lack of consent or compensation for those whose intellectual property is leveraged.

The details

Superhuman's 'Expert Review' feature on Grammarly allowed users to get writing feedback supposedly from well-known journalists and authors. However, reporters like Casey Newton and Kara Swisher were not actually involved in reviewing the content, and they criticized the company for 'monetizing the identities of real people without involving them.' After the backlash, Superhuman said it would disable the feature and 're-imagine' it to give experts more control over their representation.

  • On March 11, 2026, the 'Expert Review' feature was still active, crediting advice to journalists and authors.
  • On Wednesday, journalist Julia Angwin filed a class-action lawsuit over the tool, saying she was 'shocked and horrified' to find her name and identity had been appropriated.

The players

Superhuman

A San Francisco tech company that owns the Grammarly app, which had the 'Expert Review' feature that used journalists' names without permission.

Shishir Mehrotra

The CEO of Superhuman, who apologized for the 'Expert Review' feature and said the company will disable it while reimagining the tool to give experts more control.

Kara Swisher

A famed tech reporter whose name was used by the 'Expert Review' feature without her permission.

Emily Chang

A Bloomberg host whose name was also used by the 'Expert Review' feature without her involvement.

Julia Angwin

A journalist who filed a class-action lawsuit over the 'Expert Review' tool, saying she was 'shocked and horrified' to find her name and identity had been appropriated.

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What’s next

Superhuman has said the 'Expert Review' feature will be disabled this week as the company works to reimagine it in a way that gives experts more control over how they are represented.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ethical challenges facing AI companies as they seek to leverage personal data and intellectual property to enhance their products. It underscores the need for greater transparency, consent, and compensation when using individuals' work and identities to train and promote AI tools.