What happens to language when AI does our writing?

AI has quickly become part of our day-to-day writing. We use AI to write emails, summarise reports, formulate posts, translate texts and find new ways to express ourselves. For many companies, AI tools have become a practical support in communication.

It’s easy to see why. AI can save time, provide structure and help us get past the initial blank page. But as more and more texts begin with a prompt, they raise a bigger question:

What happens to language when AI does our writing?

The question need not be about technophobia. Language has always been shaped by new tools and new means of communicating. The printing press, email, social media and chat apps have all influenced the way we write. Now AI is influencing language in a similar way, but much more quickly.

AI has already moved into writing

The use of generative AI tools is increasing rapidly. According to Statistics Sweden (SCB), the proportion of people aged over 16 who have used generative AI tools increased from 25 per cent in 2024 to 37 per cent in 2025. According to the Internet Foundation, 4 in 10 Swedes aged 8 and above use AI tools, with ChatGPT being the tool most used.

This can mean major benefits for businesses. Drafts are quicker to produce; texts can be summarised in a few seconds and translations can be done right away. But when many people use the same type of tool, there’s also a risk that texts will have the same tone, the same structure and the same type of wording.

For businesses, this can mean major benefits. Drafts are quicker to produce. Texts can be summarised in a few seconds. Translations can be done instantly. But when many people use the same type of tool, a risk also arises: that more texts begin to have the same tone, the same structure and the same type of phrasing.

When a text is correct yet still not quite right

An AI text can be grammatically correct, well-structured and intelligible. Yet it may also feel impersonal. It may lack tone, focus and human acuity.

Usually, it’s not major linguistic errors that make an AI-generated text seem poor. Rather, it’s because texts end up sounding too bland. They may say the right things, but do so in a way that many other texts also say them. The wording becomes generic, polite and polished, but not always particularly pithy.

It’s essential that businesses understand this.

A text should not just be correct, it should also feel as though it comes from the sender. It should fit the target audience, the context and the brand expression.

If everyone uses the same tools without refining the output, many business texts will begin to sound more generic, and some of what makes a message credible will be lost.

When a single tool shapes many texts

Unlike typewriters, AI tools are not impartial. Because they’re based on patterns present in vast amounts of text, they can also pass on certain linguistic traits, intonations and modes of expression.

The periodical Språktidningen wrote about a Cornell study in which the writing styles of American and Indian writers became more similar when they used AI support. In particular, Indian English became more similar to American English. This does not mean the same trend automatically occurs in all languages or contexts, but it does show that AI can influence more than just spelling, grammar and structure.

For Swedish companies, this may appear in more subtle ways. Texts may take on the same structure, the same polite tone, the same overly clear transitions and the same kind of summarising conclusion. They’re effective, but lose the company’s own unique timbre. And in communication, that’s usually what makes all the difference.

Writing is another way of thinking

Writing is not just about producing text, it’s also a way of thinking.

When we formulate a sentence, we’re forced to crystallise what we actually mean. When we rewrite a paragraph, we often discover that the message needs to be clearer. When we choose between two words, we’re honing our linguistic sensibilities.

If AI performs too much of this process for us, we risk skipping an important step. We get ready-made wording, but not always the complete message.

This doesn’t mean companies should stop using AI. On the contrary, AI can be a very useful tool. But there’s a difference between using AI as a sounding board and letting it do all the thinking.

While the Swedish Institute for Language and Folklore writes that generative AI can be a support throughout the entire writing process, it also emphasises that writers themselves are responsible for their texts and must check the results. This is a good starting point for companies, too.

What does this mean for translation?

In the case of translation, the issue is even clearer.

AI can translate large volumes of text in a short space of time. This can be useful in some cases such as when we need to understand the content of a text or produce a first draft quickly. But professional translation is not merely a matter of replacing words from one language with those of another.

It’s all about tone, terminology, culture, target audience and context. A way of wording something that works in English might not work in Swedish. A word might be correct in a more literal translation, but wrong in a particular industry. A sentence might well be comprehensible, yet still not sound natural because the flow is awkward.

Thus human language skills still have a major role to play. Especially when a text is for publication, is used in customer communications or forms the basis for important decisions.

Translators see more than mere words, they see what the words want to say.

Use AI for support, not as the final version

The most sensible way forward is not to rule out AI, but rather to use it with linguistic awareness.

AI can help companies get started, find structure, summarise content and test different wordings, but a review using human eyes and expertise is essential before a text is put to use.

Is the message correct?
Does the text sound like the sender?
Is the tone right for the target audience?
Have facts, nuances or terminology changed along the way?
Has any wording become too general, too formal or too vague? These are the things that often determine quality. It’s not whether a text looks good at first glance, but whether it works well within its context.

Language still needs people

AI will continue to influence the way we write, read and translate. It makes text processing faster, and it can be a valuable support. But it does not change what is required of a text to build trust.

For businesses, a quickly produced text that’s superficially correct and well-formulated is not enough. The text must also be clear, credible and tailored to the right recipient. It needs to convey the right tone, the right meaning and the right feeling for the context.

As more and more texts are produced using AI, human review will grow in importance. Someone needs to determine whether a text actually says what it means to say, whether any nuances have been lost and whether the wording sounds natural.

AI can help us write. But it’s people who understand why a text is being written, who it’s aimed at and what it needs to achieve.

Which is why tomorrow’s texts will not require less linguistic knowledge, but rather greater linguistic sensibility, more careful consideration and more thorough scrutiny.

Need help with translation or proofreading?

Språkbolaget helps companies with professional translation, proofreading and language services where both precision and tone matter. Whether the text is written from scratch, translated, or produced with AI support, we make sure it’s clear, correct, and tailored to the right recipient.