As AI becomes more pervasive, we must understand the consequences.
In a recent news report, a woman claimed to have generated 370 books in 20 months using AI. That is about one book every second day for twenty months.
Is this possible? Probably, but what length, quality and originality must be questioned. Without proof, PUBLISHER; TITLES; ISBN numbers, it is not possible to assess the voracity of this claim. Are they sublime or slush; talent or travesty? The first thing that comes to mind is that it is yet another scam to promote AI and for her to sell her “expert” services at a fee. There are more authors making money by selling their expertise than by writing original stories. We will not even begin to question if copyright infringements occurred.
Presumably the reporter/s who told her story did their homework. Did they actually see a list of books? If not, are they culpable of inaccurate reporting, or worse still, are they part of the conspiracy. This remains to be ascertained.
WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES? We now examine what impact this could have on the literary environment and biome.
Here is a list of careers at risk.
GRAPHIC DESIGN – BOOK COVERS – RED DATA LIST – easily replaced by AI.
LINE AND TEXT EDITING / PROOFREADING – THREATENED – software available.
BOOK EDITING – ENDANGERED – not essential for self-publishing.
LITERARY AGENTS – ENDANGERED – inaccessible to most authors.
PUBLISHERS – ENDANGERED – dependent on environmental conditions.
CREATIVE AUTHORS – OF LEAST CONCERN – overpopulation and environmental degradation risks.
COMMERCIAL WRITERS – THREATENED – by environmental degradation.
It is all very well to chirp about the situation, but we need to ACT; in unity; as a community and industry. Consider some solutions;
We must press for changes in the ISBN regulations and laws. All books must have symbols on the front cover; Original content – copyright and author creativity – this is a human creativity product. HCP. BOOK COVER AND ARTWORK GENERATED BY AI – This cover / content was generated using Artificial Intelligence. There are many more options to explore. Registering an ISBN should have a cost. Like Social Media, anyone can express an expert opinion. Anyone can now become an author, regardless of talent, creativity and determination. Let us, as a community start the process.
Publishers and Literary agents are the “Gate-keepers” at present, but they can change their views and requirements without our knowledge or consent. Take note of “Ghost Writers” as an example. There has been a suggestion that the woman who has brought this into the public debate was herself a ghost writer made redundant by the very tool she now resorts to.
We can throw up our hands in dismay and defeat, or we can fight like David against Goliath – the specter that haunts us.