It’s not uncommon for people to assume the bigger the word, the smarter the person saying it is. Big words have a reputation for being used by only the most intelligent and professional individuals.

When we want our kids to express themselves in ways other than tantrumming or throwing peas at the dog, we say “Use your words.” But I often wonder, do we adults really know how to use our words ...

For the first time, speech has been decoupled from consequence. We now live alongside AI systems that converse knowledgeably and persuasively—deploying claims about the world, explanations, advice, ...