Grammarly’s AI Agents Now Detect AI Text & Auto-Cite Sources

For students and professionals seeking to elevate their writing quality, Grammarly has introduced a suite of AI agents that operate proactively, offering support without requiring specific user prompts. These tools are designed to assist at various stages of the writing and editing process, making them particularly relevant in educational and corporate environments where AI integration is accelerating.

Grammarly’s new AI agents are engineered to activate automatically based on context, removing the need for users to craft precise prompts. This allows individuals to maintain control over their work while receiving intelligent, goal-oriented assistance. Among the eight agents now available, several stand out for their specialized functions.

The Citation Finder, for instance, combs the internet to locate evidence supporting or challenging claims within a document, then generates correctly formatted citations. The Plagiarism Checker scans text against extensive databases to identify similarities and confirm originality. Perhaps most notably, the AI Detector evaluates writing to estimate the likelihood it was generated by AI rather than a human, a feature aimed at helping users produce authentic content even when leveraging AI tools.

Detecting AI-generated text remains an imprecise endeavor, though recent improvements in detection technology have been noted. In a related move, Grammarly recently introduced Track Your Work, which logs user activity in Google Docs and Word to verify authorship.

Additional agents include Reader Reactions, AI Grader, Expert Review, Proofreader, and Paraphraser. These are accessible through Grammarly’s free and Pro subscription levels, with plans to expand availability to Enterprise and Education tiers later this year. All agents function within Docs, Grammarly’s AI-enhanced writing platform.

Rather than fully automating the writing process, these agents are positioned as collaborative aids that blend automation with education. They handle repetitive tasks while offering guidance to help users improve their skills, a balance that’s especially important in academic settings. With growing concern that overreliance on AI could weaken critical thinking, Grammarly emphasizes that its tools are meant to enhance, not replace, human effort.

Jenny Maxwell, head of Grammarly for Education, stated that today’s students need AI that strengthens their abilities without compromising learning. The new agents, she explained, act as partners that help students produce higher-quality work while building career-ready skills.

Professionals, too, can benefit from these AI collaborators. A marketing director, for example, might use the Reader Reactions agent to preview how different audiences, such as a sales team or CEO, might respond to a draft announcement. The agent can predict concerns, recommend emphasis, and flag potential misunderstandings before publication.

This launch signals a strategic shift for Grammarly, which has used AI for years to provide writing suggestions but is now centering its product development around intelligent agents. As generative AI continues to influence both education and business, tools that offer contextual, automatic support are becoming increasingly valuable for productivity and competitive positioning.

Luke Behnke, Grammarly’s VP of product management, described the introduction of these agents as a turning point, moving the platform from offering simple suggestions to providing active, context-aware assistance that helps users meet their communication objectives.

(Source: zdnet)