I Just Stood Up And Clapped After Merriam-Webster Said This In Their New Ad

Being a living, breathing person existing in 2025 means that I am the first in my bloodline to have to say certain sentences. Today’s is this: Merriam-Webster (yes, that Merriam-Webster, like the one with the dictionaries) released an advertisement for their new “Large Language Model,” and the shade directed at the big AI companies is quiiiite clear.

Twitter: @MerriamWebster

When AI companies use the term large language model, or LLM, that usually refers to a machine that is trained by using a bunch of pre-existing data, and utilizes that database of text to process tasks and generate a response. ChatGPT and Google Gemini both utilize LLM technology.

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But, the way that Merriam-Webster uses the term LLM is a little different. In the ad, they state that their LLM uses over 217,000 “rigorously defined parameters.” Additionally, it “never hallucinates” and does not use data centers or electricity.

My shade radar was going off at this point of the ad. Only a second later was it sent into overdrive when Merriam-Webster reveals what this “powerful tool that will change how you communicate forever” actually is.

A dictionary.

The ad ends with a voiceover saying: “There’s artificial intelligence, and there’s actual intelligence.”

I. Was. So. Gagged.

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There’s artificial intelligence and actual intelligence? Bars! Like, I stood up and clapped!

It turns out that this ad was not for any type of AI service that Merriam-Webster was introducing at all. The only new thing being released by the company in November is the new 12th edition of the collegiate dictionary.

I’m far from the only one who found actual delight in Merriam-Webster’s shady ad. The internet is absolutely buzzing and giggling over this bait-and-switch.

One tweet reads: “In a world of ai slop, be a merriam webster.” Couldn’t have said it better myself.

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One user tweeted, “Marketing ate with this.”

Another simply responded with the definition for “ate.” They wrote, “You rn.”

They had us all in the first half, clearly: “I can’t believe I was about to be angry at Merriam-Webster. Sorry I didn’t understand your game.”

Live footage of everyone randomly coming across this video:

@yastr1p/@jzux/@merriamwebster / Via Twitter: @yastr1p

Shakespeare couldn’t have written this. Aristotle would have been at a loss for words. Plato would have started crying: “There are good nerds (people in the humanities) and there are bad nerds (tech bros), and the good nerds need our support.”

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@mslm_97/@jzux/@merriamwebster / Via Twitter: @MsLm_97

I’ve been clapping for a week, personally.

@famnim1/@jzux/@merriamwebster / Via Twitter: @FamNim1

Merriam-Webster’s responses have been gold, too. Especially this shade.

Everyone needs a friend like Merriam-Webster.

For once I am feeling better after scrolling on Twitter, and it’s all thanks to a dictionary company. Well done, Merriam-Webster, well done.

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