PodcastsThis Week in StartupsGrammarly CEO Rahul Roy-Chowdhury on the future of user-centric language tools | E1817
Grammarly CEO Rahul Roy-Chowdhury on the future of user-centric language tools | E1817
This Week in StartupsTue Sep 26 2023
Grammarly CEO Rahul Roy-Chowdhury:
- Joined Grammarly in 2021 as the CEO
- Was previously at Google, working on the Chrome team
Mission of Grammarly:
- To improve lives by improving communication
Usage of Grammarly:
- Students use it to improve their writing and boost their confidence
- Professionals use it for more effective communication, especially in remote work settings
Product Features of Grammarly:
- Revision phase: Provides suggestions for improving grammar, punctuation, clarity, and style
- Goals: Allows users to set goals for their writing, such as tone, formality, and audience knowledge level
- Grammarly Go (AI feature): Uses GPT 3.5 Turbo running on Azure to provide real-time prompts and suggestions throughout the entire communication life cycle
- Knowledge Share: Helps users understand organizational jargon and terminology within the context of their writing
- Multiplayer mode (available in Grammarly Business): Enables collaboration and discussion among multiple users within a document or text editor
Enterprise Offering:
- Offers a separate enterprise product called Grammarly Business with additional features tailored for organizations
- Pricing varies based on organization size and needs
Default Settings:
- Defaults are set to general style guidelines but can be customized by individual users according to their preferences and specific requirements
Sensitive Language Features:
- Includes features that highlight potentially biased or inappropriate language choices
- Designed to inform users about potential implications without dictating how they should communicate
Human Editing Marketplace (premium feature):
- Offers access to human editors who can review and edit documents within a specified timeframe for an additional cost
Grammarly Features:
- The goal of Grammarly is to help users communicate effectively by using language that resonates with people.
- Grammarly provides different settings and features to help users achieve their communication goals.
- Users can customize their settings in order to use language that aligns with their personal brand, but it's important to consider whether this helps them achieve their overall goal of effective communication.
- Grammarly aims to provide everything users need to achieve their goals through its software, without imposing restrictions like legislators in a country.
Controversial Product Features:
- One controversial feature discussed is the use of ellipses. The host likes using ellipses, but acknowledges that it may not always be necessary or helpful for effective communication.
- Another controversial feature mentioned is the use of Oxford Commas. While the host doesn't personally like them, there are situations where they might be needed. This highlights the complexity and stylistic decisions involved in language usage.
Word Variety Feature:
- As an editor, the host appreciates word variety and encourages writers to avoid using the same word multiple times.
- Grammarly offers a powerful feature called double-click on a word which provides word suggestions for better variety.
- This feature allows users to choose alternative words instead of repeating the same word over and over again.
Chrome Extension vs Desktop App:
- Users should primarily use the desktop app because it offers more comprehensive coverage and features.
- The Chrome extension can be used for extra help or in places where the desktop app doesn't cover, such as Google Docs.
Integration with Google Docs:
- Grammarly faced challenges when Google Docs transitioned from HTML-based content to Canvas-based content.
- The way Grammarly works is by analyzing HTML content on a page, so technical changes like moving away from HTML posed difficulties.
- However, Google Docs worked together with Grammarly during this transformation process and ensured smooth integration.
AI Integration and Future Plans:
- AI integration is a significant focus for Grammarly's future development.
- The aim is to move from revision-based AI to a comprehensive life cycle that includes comprehension and summarization of content.
- By using AI, Grammarly wants to help users create better content rather than just more content.
- The goal is to enable users to connect different workflows, understand their context, and communicate in a way that aligns with their authenticity and goals.
Privacy and User Trust:
- Grammarly recognizes the importance of user trust when deploying AI technology.
- Privacy issues are ongoing concerns, but Grammarly aims to be a trusted partner on this journey by making deep investments in responsible AI, privacy, and security.
- Users will have control over data permissions and can choose how they want to opt-in for sharing their writing across different platforms.
Augmented Intelligence:
- Rather than being artificial intelligence, Grammarly sees itself as augmented intelligence.
- The goal is to use technology as an instrument to augment people's skills and potential, enabling them to do bigger and better things.
- The focus is on building products that truly enable users instead of causing them to feel like pawns or powerless.
Trust Equation:
- Trust equals credibility plus reliability plus intimacy divided by self-interest (trust = credibility + reliability + intimacy / self-interest).
- Credibility refers to the capability of doing a good job, while reliability involves adhering consistently to promises made to users.
- Intimacy relates to providing users with control and agency in the process instead of feeling like something is being done to them.
- Self-interest measures the alignment between the incentives of the company/provider and those of the user. Eroding trust occurs when there is divergence between these incentives.