Journalist Julia Angwin is leading a class action lawsuit against Grammarly, alleging the company violated privacy and publicity rights by using real authors' identities and likenesses in its "Expert Review" AI feature without consent. The feature presented editing suggestions as if they came from established writers and academics, when they were actually generated by AI.

Grammarly shut down the Expert Review feature following the lawsuit announcement. This case highlights emerging legal territory around using real people's identities for AI-generated content and represents a potential precedent for similar lawsuits against other companies using public figures' likenesses in AI products.

What This Means for Your Business

Any company using real people's identities, likenesses, or professional reputations in AI-generated content faces significant legal exposure. This extends beyond Grammarly to any business using customer testimonials, influencer partnerships, or expert endorsements in AI-augmented products. Organizations should conduct immediate audits of how AI features use real identities and obtain explicit consent. This case also signals that regulators and courts are taking identity and publicity rights seriously in the AI context, making this a critical compliance area moving forward.