I'm being asked why I think #Google is pulling the standard "Undo" function out many Chrome text input right-click context menus, and replacing that menu selection (without any advance warning or explanation) with their AI-based "Help me write".

I don't know, but I can guess. I suspect it was something like this at a team meeting:

"Hey, word is that we really need to up the AI engagement metrics. What haven't we covered yet? [ laughter ]"

"Well, we could get rid of context menus Undo and replace it with an AI selection. Then when users right-click during text input, they'll get the "Help me write" prompt where they've pretty much always expected undo to be."

"I like that. It'll be right in their faces. Do you think there will be any blowback from people not finding Undo in those context menus anymore?"

"Naw, pretty much everyone knows the keyboard shortcut for undo is Control-Z. They can just use the shortcut. Only a fool wouldn't know that. And we don't care about fools!"

"Absolutely. OK, I'm in. Should there be any kind of warning or explanation for this?"

"No way -- let it be a surprise to the users! More impact!"

"Wow, I can feel those AI engagement metrics going up already!"

"Great work, team! All AI, all the time!"

@lauren I never even knew that there was an Undo option there, but every time I see the "Help Me Write" prompt I seethe with anger, because I already know how to write, thanks
@BoredomFestival Most nontechies I've known aren't users of keyboard shortcuts very much at all. In fact, some are surprised when they find out they exist at all, even after using computers for many years, since they learned by using the mouse for so much all along. This is in fact the techie/nontechie divide where, in my opinion, Google fails so disgracefully in so many ways.
@lauren @BoredomFestival most don't know about undo, but painstakingly erase their mistakes one backspace at a time.
@BoredomFestival I add that the first use pop-up info box on "Help Me Write" has (in very small print) the warning that humans will read what you write to improve the AI, don't include personal information, etc. Will Google make whole anyone screwed by this process? Ha.