The algorithm would be able to augment its own ability by also looking at potential combinations of code for how a problem could be solved.

Parker designed the algorithm to follow (hopefully closely) the path that an expert would take in writing a summary about a data-rich subject.

If this kind of writing can be done by a machine that doesn’t have a single thought in its head, what does that tell us about what we’ve been asking of students.

Other clients favor bloggy snarkiness. "It's no more difficult to write an irreverent story than it is to write a straightforward, AP-style story," says Larry Adams, Narrative Science's VP of product.

The question online marketers should now be asking themselves is this: Should I do as Google asks and only write for humans now?

Could your next editor be a machine? Today, dozens of companies offer writing-critique services online, with programs that offer to catch your errors, tweak your use of passive voice, and improve ...