Nowadays: How Language and AI Are Reshaping Everyday Expression

The word nowadays, defined by Merriam-Webster as "at the present time, in comparison to the past," has long served as a linguistic bridge between eras. But in 2024, its usage has taken on new dimensions—transforming from a neutral descriptor into a satirical, almost ironic refrain in digital culture. A recent post on Reddit’s r/ChatGPT, titled "Nowadays..." and submitted by user /u/gambitok, features a simple image of the word displayed in a minimalist font, accompanied by no further text. Yet it has sparked over 12,000 comments, becoming a viral symbol of how artificial intelligence is reshaping not just content creation, but the very way we express nostalgia, irony, and cultural dissonance.

According to Merriam-Webster, "nowadays" is typically used to contrast current practices with those of earlier times: "Who remembers those movies nowadays?" or "Nowadays, I bake my own bread rather than buy it." These examples reflect personal adaptation to modern life. But in the context of AI-generated discourse, the phrase has evolved into a meme-like shorthand for the absurdity of contemporary existence. The Reddit post, devoid of explanation, invites users to project their own interpretations—whether it’s the rise of algorithmic relationships, the erosion of human creativity, or the normalization of AI-generated text in daily communication.

Commenters on the thread have responded with a range of satirical expansions: "Nowadays, you ask ChatGPT to write your breakup text," "Nowadays, your therapist is an LLM," and "Nowadays, even your nostalgia is AI-curated." The post has become a canvas for collective commentary on the uncanny valley of modern life, where technology mediates not just tasks, but emotions and memories. Linguists note that such viral recontextualizations are not unprecedented—words like "literally" and "epic" have undergone similar semantic shifts—but the speed and scale of this transformation, fueled by AI-driven platforms, is unprecedented.

The phenomenon also underscores a broader cultural anxiety: as AI becomes more fluent in human language, the authenticity of expression itself is being questioned. When a machine can generate a perfect, emotionally resonant use of "nowadays," does the phrase lose its human grounding? Or does it become a more accurate reflection of our collective experience—where even our sense of time is algorithmically mediated?

Meanwhile, Merriam-Webster and other authoritative dictionaries continue to define "nowadays" in its traditional sense, unaware—or perhaps indifferent—to its digital metamorphosis. Yet language is not static. It evolves through usage, not definition. The Reddit post, though seemingly trivial, captures a profound shift: in the age of AI, we no longer just use language to describe the world—we use it to question our own role within it.

As society navigates the blurred lines between human and machine expression, "nowadays" may emerge not just as a word, but as a cultural artifact—a linguistic fossil of the early AI era. Future historians may point to this meme as one of the first signs that digital culture had begun to rewrite not only how we communicate, but how we remember what it meant to be human.