Grammarly is an AI-powered writing tool that helps you improve your writing. It uses artificial intelligence to check grammar, enhance clarity, and suggest better wording.
Some users need to know if Grammarly counts as AI for academic submissions, while others want to understand what they’re getting with free versus paid plans. The AI features also affect how Grammarly handles your data and privacy.
This article will explore how Grammarly’s AI has evolved, what features require a paid subscription, how it differs from other AI tools, how the technology works, and how to use its generative AI features effectively.
Key Takeaways
- Grammarly is fundamentally an AI-powered writing tool from the start.
- Free users get limited AI features with daily usage restrictions.
- Grammarly’s AI improves existing text rather than generating complete content.
- Universities may allow editing features but restrict generative AI capabilities.
- Grammarly cannot fully turn off its AI technology.
Grammarly’s Evolution Of AI Technology
Grammarly started as an advanced spell-checker but has grown into a full AI writing assistant. Since 2009, they’ve added AI features step-by-step.
Early versions just fixed simple grammar errors. Today, Grammarly helps with style and tone, and you can write paragraphs. Their AI mixes rule-based systems with machine learning to spot writing patterns.
A team of linguists and engineers works to improve the system. What started as simple error detection has become a tool that can understand and help enhance the meaning behind your words.
Grammarly launched its generative AI features, initially called Grammarly GO, to help users compose text and create content more efficiently.
AI-Powered Grammarly Features
Grammarly has evolved from a simple grammar checker to a comprehensive AI writing assistant. Below are seven key AI-powered features that make Grammarly a valuable tool for writers of all levels.
- Grammar and Spelling Correction: Grammarly’s AI identifies and corrects grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and punctuation issues in real time as you type your content.
- AI-Powered Rewriting: The AI can rephrase sentences and paragraphs to improve clarity, flow, and readability while preserving your original meaning and intent.
- Tone Detection: Grammarly’s AI analyzes your text to determine its emotional tone, helping you adjust your writing to match your intended audience and purpose.
- Full-Paragraph Writing: Advanced AI can generate entire paragraphs based on your instructions, helping overcome writer’s block and speeding up the drafting process.
- AI Content Detection: Grammarly offers an AI detector that can identify content created by AI tools like ChatGPT, helping maintain authenticity in your submissions.
- Plagiarism Detection: The AI compares your writing against billions of web pages to identify potential plagiarism issues, protecting your academic and professional integrity.
- Authorship Feature: Grammarly’s AI categorizes text based on its source (written by you, AI-generated, or from online sources), promoting transparency in your work.
Do You Need A Paid Grammarly Subscription To Use Grammarly Generative AI Features?
Grammarly offers limited generative AI features in its free plan. Free users can access basic writing suggestions and some generative capabilities.
You need a paid subscription for full access to all AI writing features without restrictions. You can get unlimited access to paragraph rewriting, full-length content creation, tone adjustments, and more advanced AI-powered tools that free users cannot access.
If you are looking for a risk-free way to try these AI features, access the free plan, as there is no Grammarly free trial option available for students and professionals.
Remember, the free plan has limitations, so you can always consider Grammarly Cyber Monday or Black Friday deals to save 50% on the annual plan at year-end by unlocking the advanced Grammarly AI features. However, there is a permanent annual discount of 60% on the Grammarly Pro yearly plan, which best suits all users interested in upgrading from the free plan.
Differences Between Grammarly Generative AI and Other AI Tools
Grammarly focuses on improving your existing writing, while tools like ChatGPT create content from scratch. This key difference shapes how each AI serves different writing needs.
| Feature | Grammarly | Generative AI (like ChatGPT, Claude) |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Function | Improves existing text | Creates new content from prompts |
| Input Required | Needs your text to work on | Can generate content from minimal input |
| Creative Ability | Limited to improving/rephrasing your writing | Can create original stories, essays, and other content |
| Writing Process | Acts as an editor for your work | Can function as both writer and editor |
| Content Ownership | Your ideas remain yours, with suggested improvements | May generate ideas and content |
| Academic Acceptance | Generally allowed for editing in many institutions | Often restricted or banned for academic submissions |
| Learning Approach | Trained specifically on writing patterns and rules | Trained on diverse internet content across many domains |
| User Control | You decide which suggestions to accept | You may have less control over the generated output |
| Primary Use Case | Polishing and perfecting your writing | Generating drafts or content from scratch |
When choosing between these tools, consider your goals and needs. Grammarly enhances your voice while generative AI creates content for you.
How Grammarly’s AI Works?
Grammarly’s AI technology works through several integrated systems that analyze your text and provide helpful suggestions. Here’s how the technology functions behind the scenes:
- Natural Language Processing (NLP): Grammarly uses advanced NLP technology to analyze and understand text patterns and language structures.
- Machine Learning Algorithms: The system is trained on millions of sentences from research corpora to learn writing patterns and rules.
- Deep Learning Models: Grammarly employs deep neural networks as part of its sophisticated AI technology stack.
- “Translation” Approach: According to tech journalist Alex Kantrowitz, Grammarly treats writing like a translation task – translating “bad English to correct English.”
- Human Expertise Integration: Grammarly’s team of computational linguists and engineers designs the algorithms that power the service.
- Context-Aware Analysis: The AI considers the larger context of your document to provide relevant suggestions.
- Continuous Learning: The system improves based on user interactions with suggestions and learning which recommendations are most helpful.
How To Use Grammarly Generative AI Features?
Grammarly’s AI features are easy to access and can help with everything from fixing simple errors to writing entire paragraphs. Here’s how to use these tools effectively:
Using The Grammarly website
The Grammarly website offers the full range of AI tools in an easy-to-use interface. Follow these steps:
Step 1: Create an account or log in to the Grammarly website.
Step 2: Then click the Grammarly icon in the bottom right corner.
Step 3: Write your text in the document, and Grammarly will suggest words, correct errors, and rewrite the sentence if it is wrong.
Step 4: You can also use Grammarly’s AI Detector.
Step 5: It detects the text and gives the percentage of AI-generated Text.
Via Grammarly Extension
The browser extension brings Grammarly’s AI features to your favorite websites and applications. Here’s how to use it:
Step 1: Install the Grammarly extension for your browser.
Step 2: Look for the green G icon when writing online.
Step 3: Click the icon to see writing suggestions while writing in your doc or any other app or software. Grammarly is suitable for use with programs such as Microsoft Word, Gmail, Safari, etc.
How To Use Grammarly AI Responsibly?
As Grammarly integrates more AI features into its platform, using them responsibly becomes increasingly important. Here are key guidelines to help you use Grammarly’s AI tools ethically:
1. Maintain Your Authentic Voice
Always review and personalize Grammarly’s AI suggestions before accepting them. Your unique writing style is valuable, so use AI to enhance rather than replace your voice.
2. Cite AI Assistance When Required
In academic or professional settings where disclosure matters, mention that you used Grammarly’s AI tools to help with your writing, especially for significant rewrites or generated content.
3. Verify Factual Content
Grammarly’s AI might occasionally introduce inaccuracies when rewriting or generating content. Always double-check facts, statistics, and claims before submitting your work.
4. Use The AI Detector When Needed
If you’re concerned about how much AI influence is in your writing, use Grammarly’s AI detector to assess the content and ensure it maintains the appropriate level of originality.
5. Balance AI Efficiency With Learning
While Grammarly can fix mistakes instantly, take time to understand the corrections so you can improve your writing skills rather than becoming dependent on AI assistance.
Future Of AI In Grammarly
Grammarly continues to expand its AI capabilities while focusing on responsible innovation. You can expect more context-aware writing suggestions that understand not just grammar but the meaning behind your words.
Unlike competitors who focus only on their own ecosystems, Grammarly will be available wherever you communicate. With their linguistic expertise and technology, Grammarly aims to deliver the next generation of AI communication assistance.
As more companies enter this space, Grammarly is pushed to work faster, improve, and innovate. Future updates will balance powerful assistance with maintaining your authentic voice, making communication more effective across all 500,000 supported apps and sites.
Conclusion: Grammarly Is An AI-Powered Writing Assistance
Grammarly uses AI technology at its core. From basic grammar corrections to advanced writing suggestions and generative features, AI powers everything Grammarly offers.
The tool has evolved significantly since 2009, becoming more intelligent and helpful with each update. While free users get limited access to AI features, paid subscribers enjoy the full range of capabilities.
As AI technology advances, Grammarly will continue expanding its features while prioritizing responsible innovation.
FAQs
AI detectors can sometimes flag Grammarly-edited text as AI-generated, but these tools are unreliable and often produce false positives on human writing.
Grammarly’s core AI technology cannot be turned off as it’s integral to the product. However, the optional generative AI features are only available on demand when you choose to use them.
Most universities allow Grammarly for editing, but may have policies against using its generative AI features for creating original academic content.
Grammarly can help personalize AI-generated text by suggesting style adjustments, but complete “humanization” isn’t guaranteed. Its AI detector can also identify AI content.
Grammarly uses AI to help students improve their writing, offering grammar correction, style suggestions, and optional generative features for brainstorming and outlining their work.
