Another Crazy Day in AI: Beyond Plagiarism
- Wowza Team
- May 8
- 3 min read
Hello, AI Enthusiasts.
End of day. Cup of tea. Let’s talk AI.
A researcher just dropped a free AI-powered writing coach for students—Level Up plugs into Google Docs and gives helpful nudges in real time. The goal: writing with AI, not because of it. Less plagiarism, more learning.
Meanwhile, marketers are getting ghosted by traditional SEO. As AI answers start replacing clicks, brands are now writing their websites for bots—not humans.
And in a courtroom moment that gave everyone pause, a victim’s voice—recreated using AI—delivered one final message of forgiveness.
Thursday’s closing tabs. You can too.
Here's another crazy day in AI:
A new tool for better writing
Why SEO no longer works like it used to
AI recreates victim’s voice to speak in courtroom first
Some AI tools to try out
TODAY'S FEATURED ITEM: A Nudge While Writing
Image Credit: Wowza (created with Ideogram)
What if part of the answer to AI-fueled plagiarism is simply helping students reconnect with the process of thinking?
In a counterpoint to the panic around AI-assisted cheating, The 74’s Greg Toppo spotlights a new tool called Level Up, developed by researcher Eliott Hedman. Rather than restricting AI, Hedman created this free Google Docs add-on to encourage students to build their ideas more thoughtfully, offering instant, formative feedback while they write. It’s designed with a simple, game-like format and aims to support—not replace—the writing process. Drawing from his background at MIT and experience with learning tools like Wonder Stories and i-Ready, Hedman approaches AI as a resource for deeper engagement rather than a shortcut.
What makes Level Up different and why it matters:
Students receive formative feedback as they write, not just after submitting
Promotes deeper engagement with ideas, not just surface-level edits
Feedback is adjustable—students can choose what kind of support they want
Built to support the writing process in real-time, not replace it
Co-designed and tested in real classrooms with both teachers and students
Informed by research on how students respond emotionally to academic feedback
There’s something timely about a tool that meets students right where they are—often mid-sentence, mid-thought—and offers guidance without taking over. Writing can be a quiet, challenging process, and tools that respect that process while making it more approachable feel worth paying attention to. It’s not about grand changes in curriculum or AI as a headline—just small, practical support embedded in the places where students do real work.
As classrooms continue to explore the possibilities and limits of AI, Level Up offers one example of a thoughtful, targeted approach. It’s not trying to solve everything. But it does show that technology can be designed to meet learners on their terms—by encouraging their own words, ideas, and effort.
Read the full article here.
OTHER INTERESTING AI HIGHLIGHTS:
Why SEO No Longer Works Like It Used To
/Patrick Coffee, Reporter, on The Wall Street Journal
The rise of AI-powered search is fundamentally changing how people find information online—and marketers are racing to adjust. Tools like ChatGPT and Gemini are providing direct answers to users' queries, cutting out traditional search click-throughs and leaving websites with declining traffic. Mailchimp and other companies are now optimizing their sites not for humans, but for AI crawlers that power these generative summaries. As zero-click search grows and LLMs play a bigger role in purchase decisions, classic SEO metrics may become irrelevant.
Read more here.
AI Recreates Victim’s Voice to Speak in Courtroom First
/Juliana Kim, Reporter, Digital News, on NPR
In a first-of-its-kind courtroom moment, the sister of a road rage victim used AI to recreate her brother’s voice and likeness for a powerful victim impact statement. The emotional video, generated with help from multiple AI tools, allowed the deceased to “speak” directly to his killer during sentencing—delivering a message of forgiveness and closure. The project, though complex, helped the family heal and was met with appreciation by the judge. Experts say it’s a novel but ethically cautious example of AI’s role in the legal system.
Read more here.
SOME AI TOOLS TO TRY OUT:
Aithor – Generate outlines, drafts, and citations from reliable sources.
table.studio – Turn spreadsheet cells into a bulk AI image generator.
Common Room – Boost outbound sales with customer intelligence insights.
That’s a wrap on today’s Almost Daily craziness.
Catch us almost every day—almost! 😉
EXCITING NEWS:
The Another Crazy Day in AI newsletter is on LinkedIn!!!
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