More than a thousand bestselling authors have united to push back against the growing use of artificial intelligence in the publishing world. In an open letter published this week, literary figures including Lauren Groff, Lev Grossman, R.F. Kuang, Dennis Lehane, and Geoffrey Maguire demanded that publishers commit to banning AI-generated books and protect human jobs in the industry.
The authors argue that AI companies are profiting off their unpaid work by training models on copyrighted material without permission. “Rather than paying writers a small percentage of the money our work makes for them, someone else will be paid for a technology built on our unpaid labor,” the letter states, accusing the AI industry of exploitation.
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The letter, initially signed by a few dozen big-name authors, quickly gained momentum, with over 1,100 writers joining the call within 24 hours, according to NPR. The protest reflects a growing unease among creatives about AI replacing roles such as editors, audiobook narrators, and even writers themselves.
While authors continue to press publishers for action, their legal battles against AI companies have faced setbacks. Several claims were recently dismissed in U.S. federal courts, with judges citing fair use and technical issues. Still, the literary community remains firm in demanding ethical guidelines and human-centered publishing practices.
