Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Human Development have found that after the emergence of ChatGPT, words characteristic of this AI began to appear more frequently in people’s language. They analyzed nearly 280,000 videos on YouTube from academic channels and noticed that words like “meticulous,” “delve,” “realm,” and “adept” were used up to 51 percent more often than in previous years. The authors of the study claim that people do not notice how their speech changes under the influence of AI, and this is becoming a trend.
In addition to changes in vocabulary, researchers noted that AI affects the structure of speech, making it less emotional, yet longer and more organized. The word “delve” particularly stood out, becoming a kind of hallmark of AI use in communication. Lead author of the study Hiromu Yakura noted that this is just the beginning, and such changes may encompass even more aspects of language.
Another study conducted at Cornell University found that the use of features like “quick replies” in chats increases cooperation among participants and promotes a positive emotional tone in communication. At the same time, if people suspect their interlocutor of using AI, they perceive them as less open and more demanding, regardless of actual usage.
Professor Mor Naaman from Cornell Tech highlights the loss of so-called “signals of humanity” in digital communication, which usually indicate sincerity, attention, and individuality of the author. He emphasizes that these signals are important for trust and that their disappearance may shift the focus from personal expression to standardized communication.
A study from the University of California, Berkeley showed that AI systems like ChatGPT prefer standard American English and distort dialects, which can affect the perception of authenticity in communication. Experts believe that the future of communication will depend on the ability of technologies to consider the diversity of speech and the willingness of people to maintain emotionality and unique linguistic features in communication.
