As a longtime copy editor, I've always believed mistakes mattered. Now, that expectation seems to be sliding. Messages are faster, looser and a lot messier. I started seeing typos framed as a good thing — somehow signaling status or authenticity — and I had questions. To understand what's driving the shift, I spoke to Mignon Fogarty, aka Grammar Girl, and Amy Gallo, a workplace communications expert.
The rise in typos is about what writing signals now in an AI-saturated world. In some contexts, typos suggest something counterintuitive: importance. Fogarty notes that careful writing traditionally signals effort — and effort signals respect. "If you are so important that you don't have to spend time making your message clear and simple, it shows that you have status," she explains. Gallo has seen the dynamic play out in real workplaces. "If they are generally well regarded, people interpret their typos as a sign that they are too busy to double-check what they've written," she says of senior leaders.
Errors also make writing feel more human in the age of AI. Since AI-generated text is typically polished and error-free, "adding a typo or a mistake is a low-level way of making your writing look like a real person is behind the message," says Fogarty. When people suspect that their colleague has used AI to write an email, a telltale sign is often a lack of typos.
Furthermore, casual communication has lowered the bar. Slack messages, quick emails and text-like exchanges have replaced more formal writing. Perfect grammar "is definitely more important in your client communications than it is in an internal Slack message," Fogarty notes. Gallo agrees that expectations vary widely by platform. In fact, being overly polished in casual channels can give off the wrong vibe and make you seem awkward.
Is it rude to send typo-ridden messages? It depends. The acceptability of typos still hinges on context and audience. Typos are generally fine in low-stakes, informal communication: quick updates or internal chats where clarity isn't affected. "Nobody is perfect, so nobody is going to think less of you because you have a typo here and there," Fogarty says.
But in high-stakes situations, typos still matter — a lot. Think: job applications, client communications, or anything tied to your credibility. "The most important thing is to consider your audience: What are their expectations? Is this someone who will judge me for typos?" says Gallo. That calculus matters more when the stakes are uneven. It's riskier to include typos in messages to people you don't know well or to those with more power, because they may see them as a sign of disrespect. Research shows that people from underestimated groups are judged more harshly for mistakes. "So it may be riskier for people in those groups not to double-check their messages," Gallo adds.
Should you hop aboard the typo train? This is a train I won't be boarding. Typos may be more acceptable, but they're not meaningless. The real shift isn't about mistakes; it's about what counts as good writing. "Mechanically correct writing is no longer a sign that you've spent a lot of time and care on your work," Fogarty says. Correctness isn't everything — but it still counts.
The smartest move is to adjust to context. A quick Slack message? Don't stress about every comma. A client email or job application? Proofread like it matters — because it does. Typos aren't just errors anymore. They're signals. And people are still reading between the lines.