Grammarly, a company best known for helping with spelling and grammar, is now diving deeper into AI. It recently announced a new set of AI tools aimed at students. These tools are designed to give personalized feedback on assignments and even predict grades. But not everyone is happy with how it’s doing this.

How the AI Grader Works

The AI grader claims to analyze student work and predict what grade they might get. It does this by gathering information about the instructor, like their name, school, and class. Students upload their assignment rubrics, and the AI uses this info to tailor its feedback. It then looks up the instructor’s details—at least, according to Grammarly—and uses that to generate a predicted grade.

The company says the AI reviews “publicly available instructor information” and “identifies key grading priorities.” In a demo, the AI even states it’s “reviewing public teaching info” before giving a predicted score. Critics argue that this method feels invasive, especially since it involves potentially tracking or surveilling teachers without clear consent or transparency.

Concerns Over Privacy and Fairness

Many see this as an overreach. It seems to automatically collect and analyze instructor data, which raises questions about privacy. Is it really necessary to look up a teacher’s info just to give a student feedback? Some worry that this feels like surveillance, even if the AI isn’t directly accessing private records.

Grammarly also offers tools for teachers, like an AI Detector to spot AI-generated content and a Plagiarism Checker to identify copied work. These tools are marketed mainly for students, but critics say they could be used to police academic honesty. Grammarly’s AI Humanizer, another tool, helps make AI-assisted writing sound more natural. It’s not about turning students into robots, Grammarly says, but about preparing them for a future where AI is everywhere—at school and work.

Jenny Maxwell, head of Grammarly for Education, explains that these tools aim to help students learn how to work with AI. She says, “Students today need AI that enhances their capabilities without undermining their learning.” The goal is to teach students how to collaborate with AI, which will be a key skill in the future job market.

Timing and Impact of Grammarly’s AI Rollout

Grammarly plans to start offering these new AI features to both free and paid users. They will be available on its new “AI-native writing surface” platform, just in time for the fall semester. This move comes as AI tools become more common in education, prompting questions about how they will shape student learning and privacy.

The rise of these AI tools raises important questions about ethics and privacy. Are students comfortable with their assignments being analyzed this way? Will teachers have control over how their information is used? As AI continues to evolve, balancing innovation with respect for privacy and fairness will be crucial.

In the broader picture, Grammarly’s push into AI shows how tech companies are betting heavily on AI’s role in education. While these tools could offer valuable support, they also come with risks that educators, students, and parents will need to consider carefully.

As AI becomes more embedded in daily life, understanding its limits and implications is more important than ever. Grammarly’s new tools highlight both the potential benefits and the ethical dilemmas that come with AI in classrooms and beyond.

Inspired by

• https://futurism.com/ai-look-up-teachers-info-predict-grades

Sources

• gmpg.org
• businesswire.com
• theverge.com
• grammarly.com
• grammarly.com