this post was submitted on 16 Mar 2026
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39
AI is making us think and write more alike: Large language models are standardizing human expression — and subtly influencing how we think (dornsife.usc.edu)
submitted 6 hours ago by Beep@lemmus.org to c/technology@lemmy.world
12 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Research Opinion Article.

LLM-mediated homogenization of expression and thought: Individuals differ in how they write, reason, and view the world. When these differences are mediated by the same LLM, their distinct linguistic, perspectival, and reasoning signals become homogenized, producing standardized expressions and thoughts across users. LLM: large language model.

Within groups and societies, cognitive diversity bolsters creativity and problem-solving, say the researchers. However, cognitive diversity is shrinking worldwide as billions of people are using the same handful of AI chatbots for an increasing number of tasks, they add. When people use chatbots to help them polish their writing, for example, the writing ends up losing its stylistic individuality, and people feel less creative ownership over what they produce.

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[–] Filetternavn@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 4 hours ago (3 children)

Honestly, should I stop using em dashes? Or at least stop using them in academic settings? I really don't want to have to deal with the "I wanted to see you after lecture because your essay sounds like it was written by AI" talk. I never use LLMs, and I've been using em dashes since long before ChatGPT was released, but I keep hearing people talking about identifying AI writing because of em dash use. I suppose it doesn't help that most of my serious writing sounds incredibly academic—much like I imagine an LLM would talk. But no, I'm not using AI to write; I'm just autistic.

[–] MoogleMaestro@lemmy.zip 1 points 1 hour ago

I had to stop using them as much. I used to like using them but now the AI alarms are too high.

Now I write like a maniac, go reflect my souls better. Also, I'm making more friends with the semicolon.

[–] Telorand@reddthat.com 6 points 3 hours ago

No. If people think em-dashes are a "surefire sign" of LLMs, they're just as dumb as the people who take LLM output uncritically. Sometimes, you need to separate a thought with something other than a period, semicolon, or parenthesis, and a hyphen or double hyphen is simply not correct grammar. LLMs can pry my em-dashes from my cold, dead fingers.

[–] blimthepixie@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

Just adapt the ~

[–] Filetternavn@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago)

I've never seen a tilde used in formal writing beyond indication that a given number is an estimate. I feel like it'd make more problems than it would solve (lower marks for improper grammar). Besides, if I used them in place, it would just look like I was covering up em dash use—which wouldn't work anyway, as the sentence strurure remains the same. I can get around them with commas, semicolons, and structural changes to sentences, that just requires a conscious effort to alter my writing style.

[–] Dirk@lemmy.ml 7 points 6 hours ago 
Well—that is certainly a meticulous observation 👍
[–] eager_eagle@lemmy.world 5 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

so is social media [citation needed]

[–] vacuumflower@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

Good and bad. Just like having language standards.

Bad - it's already been said why.

Good - because uniformity does help understanding each other, and because conversational interfaces are more efficient and less error-prone with less diversity.

[–] Iconoclast@feddit.uk 4 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

So much confusion could be avoided if people didn't use the same words to mean different things.

[–] vacuumflower@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 4 hours ago

Well, say, in VAEs confusion is one of the reasons it even works. I mean, it's the mathematical confusion and not what we mean in language, but there might be a parallel.

[–] db2@lemmy.world 1 points 4 hours ago

"We"