When people and technology collide, the results aren’t always neutral. A new study out of Cornell University suggests that Indian writers who lean on AI tools often end up sounding… well, a little more American than they might have planned.
It’s not hard to see why. Most large AI language models are trained on mountains of text pulled largely from the United States. And when that’s the pool of influence, the writing they produce tends to carry an American accent — not just in spelling, but in word choice, rhythm, and cultural references.
Inside the Study
Researchers asked 118 people — half from the U.S., half from India — to write short essays on cultural topics. Some wrote on their own, others got help from AI.
The differences were striking:
- Indian participants were more likely than Americans to accept AI’s suggestions.
- As a result, their writing shifted toward American English in vocabulary, spelling, and phrasing.
- In one telling example, an Indian writer who mentioned Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan had their AI assistant nudge them toward U.S. pop figures like Shaquille O’Neal and Scarlett Johansson.
The researchers saw this as more than just word choice. They called it a subtle but real kind of AI colonialism — a way in which dominant cultural norms seep into everyday writing through technology.
The Stakes for Indian English
English in India isn’t just a version of a global language — it’s its own cultural identity.
- Words like prepone (“move a meeting earlier”) and cousin sister reflect local expression.
- British spellings like colour and programme remain the norm.
- Even the rhythm of writing and ways of offering politeness differ from American styles.
But those unique markers are exactly what risk getting erased if writers consistently default to AI‑made, American‑leaning suggestions.
A Bigger Picture
American English already dominates much of the cultural landscape through Hollywood films, Silicon Valley startups, and the global internet. The rise of AI only tilts the balance further.
And that raises real questions:
- What happens when prepone quietly disappears in favor of advance?
- Do local identities get watered down in the pursuit of a so‑called “universal” English?
- If every writer around the world starts reaching for the same set of expressions, do we lose the richness of linguistic diversity that makes communication so human?
What This Means for Writers
- AI isn’t just fixing grammar; it’s shaping habits. The way we think and write shifts when we keep accepting those prompts.
- There’s a real risk of flattening. Non‑American versions of English may slowly give way to one dominant voice.
- Awareness matters. Writers — especially those outside the U.S. — may need to be conscious about which suggestions they take and which ones they push back against.
A Reflection Over Coffee
AI can make us faster, cleaner, and often clearer writers. But hidden inside the convenience is a cultural bias that nudges words toward the American default. Maybe the writing tip of the future isn’t only about grammar or flow — it’s about choosing your voice, and by extension, your identity.
So the question isn’t just *how well* AI writes. It’s: Whose English are we really speaking when it does?
👉 Should AI tools learn to better honor local versions of English — Indian, African, British, and beyond — or is a single global style simply where the world is heading?
