Original Source
AI is changing how we write and speak, increasing standardized expression
AI Reduces Language Unpredictability
While AI was trained to write like humans, these large language models (LLMs) are eroding the unpredictability of our writing and shifting the way we talk. Researchers found that AI pushes users toward a more standardized speaking and writing style, reducing variations in sentence structure and vocabulary. A study by the University of Southern California (USC) analyzed scientific journals, local news articles, and social media, observing a sharp drop in writing style diversity after ChatGPT's release.
Increase in Specific Vocabulary and Concerns Over Authenticity
Researchers at the Max-Planck Institute for Human Development reviewed over 740,000 hours of content and found that ChatGPT's favored words—such as 'delve,' 'meticulous,' 'boast,' and 'comprehend'—are appearing more in everyday conversation. Morteza Dehghani, a USC professor who oversaw the study, explains that people get used to this idealized, very predictable form of language, and even those not using AI start writing more like LLMs to achieve powerful, influential writing. Alex Mahadevan, chief AI instructor at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies, notes that AI writing is noticeably 'soulless' and 'mediocre,' despite being grammatically correct, lacking any 'art in it'.
*Source: Axios (2026-05-02)*
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