Verbs up, nouns down: AI rewrites reality through language transformation

AI is fundamentally transforming language from a world of definable objects to a fluid system of patterns and probabilities. This linguistic metamorphosis has profound implications for how we understand ourselves, communicate with others, and construct meaning in business and culture. The shift from nouns to verbs represents more than a grammatical preference—it signals a fundamental restructuring of thought itself, with significant consequences for identity, brand distinctiveness, and authentic communication.

The big picture: AI systems inherently view the world through patterns and probabilities rather than distinct objects, subtly eroding our noun-centric understanding of reality.

• A chair becomes “something to sit on” and identity transforms into “a collection of behaviors and preferences” as AI reshapes our conceptual foundations.
• Even brands are being reconstituted as verbs rather than noun-based entities, shifting from “having a brand” to “doing a brand.”

Key details: Generative AI is actively reducing lexical diversity and promoting a statistical averaging of language that threatens meaning itself.

• There are parallels to dystopian visions from Orwell and Huxley, suggesting AI reshapes reality through linguistic manipulation.
• Unlike previous threats to language that operated through force, AI works through seduction and prediction.

Implications: The erosion of language precision has cascading effects throughout business and communication.

• Brands lose their distinctive voice and struggle to establish trust as communication becomes increasingly generic.
• Meaning becomes statistically averaged rather than contextually rich, undermining authentic human connection.

Recommendations: There are several strategies to preserve linguistic integrity in an AI-dominated landscape.

• Double down on human authorship and protect linguistic originality as critical business assets.
• Regularly audit AI-generated content and treat brand language as intellectual property.
• Champion human context and intersubjectivity as irreplaceable elements of meaningful communication.

Reading between the lines: “We don’t need more words. We need more meaning. And meaning isn’t generated. It’s remembered”—suggests that authentic meaning remains fundamentally human, tied to our lived experiences rather than algorithmic outputs.