Journal of Business and Technical Communication Jan 2025

Rhetorics of Authenticity: Ethics, Ethos, and Artificial Intelligence

Adrianna Deptula Purdue University West Lafayette ; Paul Thompson Hunter Purdue University West Lafayette ; Richard Johnson-Sheehan Purdue University West Lafayette

Abstract

This article examines issues of authenticity involved in using generative AI to compose technical and professional communication (TPC) documents. Authenticity is defined through an Aristotelian understanding of ethos, which includes goodwill ( eunoia), practical wisdom ( phronesis), virtuousness ( arete), and Fromm's concepts of true self and pseudo self. The authors conducted an initial analysis of AI affordances that align with TPC concerns—genre, plain language, and grammatical/mechanical correctness. The preliminary results show that these affordances may be limited by issues of inauthenticity. The authors suggest that in order to address AI's limitations, writers should adopt a rhetoric of authenticity via real-world engagement, human centeredness, and personal style.

Journal
Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Published
2025-01-01
DOI
10.1177/10506519241280639
CompPile
Open Access
Closed
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Citation context

Cited by in this index (3)

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    Mapping AI Literacy Expectations in Technical and Professional Communication: E…
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  2. Mallette et al. (2026)
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    Technical Communication Quarterly
  3. Muthyala et al. (2025)
    Demystifying Chatbot Creation: A Comparative Case Study of Available Approaches
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication

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CrossRef global citation count: 9 View in citation network → Build reading path →

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