AI and Microsoft grammar checking... a crevasse waiting for you to fall in.
BACKGROUND
On my new computer I hadn’t turned off grammar checking in Microsoft Word yet. I finished a report for a city government yesterday, evaluating a wireless carrier’s request to build a new cell site on an existing tower on city property. (Because of my background as Director of National System Development for a major wireless carrier, now that I’m self employed, one of the things I do is consult with city governments on issues related to wireless communications systems).
When I finished the report, it was five pages long, and I did what I always do: I hit F7 to run spell check one last time. But since I hadn’t turned off grammar checking yet, it did that, too.
Holy guacamole! It found 17 things it thought I should change. Everything from comma placement to “use a different word.”
The problem is that if I made the changes Microsoft was recommending, my report would sound like it was written by an AI. Because it would, in fact, reflect Microsoft’s AI’s style.
THE OUTCOME
For the spell checker, I added a couple of technical terms to the custom dictionary. (I know how to import the custom dictionary from my old computer, but I never do).
For the grammar checker, I ignored all recommendations. Then I went into settings and disabled all grammar checking.
Full disclosure, I use an AI pretty much every day, for quick research. Just like Google or Wikipedia, you have to validate the results, but it’s way faster because the inquiry can be more targeted, more specific.
But as a writing style guide. Just no, full stop.