TL;DR:
- AI’s disruptive potential in work dynamics faces challenges in establishing sustainable business models.
- Scammers exploit AI-generated text for profit in the book market, where accuracy matters less.
- Publishers and authors grapple with the legal implications of AI-generated content.
- “Side hustle” influencers encourage AI-generated submissions to literary magazines.
- The Author’s Guild advocates for compensation and permission for AI’s use of copyrighted material.
- Influencers now promote AI-generated ebooks on Amazon for profit.
- Amazon KDP has become a numbers game for leveraging AI to produce multiple books quickly.
- A surge in AI-generated submissions strains the publishing ecosystem.
- Authors file lawsuits against AI companies for unauthorized use of their works.
- Authors voice concerns about AI’s encroachment into their creative realm.
- Prosecraft, a book-ranking platform, triggers controversy over alleged data misappropriation.
- AI ushers in a proliferation of companies utilizing AI for various book-related functions.
- The publishing industry grapples with diminishing margins and authors’ income.
Main AI News:
The realm of artificial intelligence (AI) is primed to revolutionize modern work dynamics. However, akin to previous tech innovations, the road ahead is marred by a familiar obstacle: a lack of sustainable business models, particularly for individuals. The conundrum lies in harnessing the potential of large language model AI, which seemingly generates text to meet specific requirements, albeit with varying degrees of precision.
An ostensibly uncomplicated solution arises: capitalize on selling the AI-generated text. Ideally, a market where accuracy is optional or where inaccuracy morphs into captivating fiction would be ideal – enter the world of books. Remarkably, the book market remains one of the last bastions where users willingly part with their money, even if just a nominal sum. This landscape is the current weak point that unethical AI users are attempting to infiltrate.
Navigating legal waters proves tricky; selling AI-generated text is prohibited due to the non-copyright nature of machine-generated content (barring exceptions). Yet, unscrupulous entities lurking in the publishing world are ingeniously incorporating AI into their existing scams. Publishers have discreetly explored AI’s potential behind closed doors. Authors, on their part, are vigilant, recognizing this as an existential threat to their craft.
The saga began in January, as reports surfaced of science fiction magazines inundated with AI-generated submissions. Allegedly, “side hustle” influencers were advocating AI-powered short story creation for profit. December 2022 witnessed Clarkesworld editor Neil Clarke grappling with 50 fraudulent submissions, a number skyrocketing to nearly 350 in early February 2023.
By July, concerns mounted, and the Author’s Guild sounded the alarm. Large language models thrive on vast text datasets, and a Meta white paper disclosed the use of a corpus that included text extracted from “shadow libraries,” repositories of pirated books. The ethical quagmire of potential copyright violations was apparent.
The Author’s Guild penned an open letter to AI company CEOs, asserting their need for compensation due to AI’s reliance on their work. They advocated for permission to employ copyrighted material, remuneration for past and ongoing usage, and additional compensation for AI-generated content. Their concerns held merit, as AI-backed schemes broadened their horizons.
The same influencers who urged AI submissions to literary magazines shifted their advice, promoting AI-generated ebooks on Amazon. “Amazon KDP offers monetary opportunities,” touted one post, emphasizing the numerical strategy. Such influencers advocated targeting niche genres, leveraging AI for prolific content creation and ensuing royalties.
The specificity escalated, manifesting as masquerading as established authors to exploit devoted readerships. In August, author Jane Friedman unearthed “garbage books” bearing her name on Amazon, mirroring ChatGPT’s style when prompted with her name. An AI, seemingly trained on her corpus without compensation, now churned out text under her name.
These stratagems aren’t groundbreaking; Amazon has long hosted plagiarized and nonsensical books. What’s unprecedented is the scale: AI amplifies scammers’ capacity exponentially. In July, authors Christopher Golden, Richard Kadrey, and Sarah Silverman filed a lawsuit alleging OpenAI and Meta employed their books in training sets without permission.
Authors increasingly voiced concerns over AI’s encroachment, as contracts lacked provisions regarding AI usage. Amid this tumultuous backdrop, Prosecraft, a book-ranking platform, emerged in early August. Developed by Shaxpir, Prosecraft assessed books based on metrics like word count, language vividness, and passive voice usage. It tapped into a database of copyrighted books, igniting claims of data misappropriation.
While Prosecraft eschewed AI, its algorithmic approach sparked controversy. It stirred authors’ apprehensions, portraying yet another unrequested tech innovation built on their intellectual property. The ensuing uproar forced Prosecraft’s withdrawal.
Amidst this, the New York Times reported over 50 companies utilizing AI for various book-related functions. Ironically, the publishing industry grapples with diminishing margins, with authors’ median annual income at a meager $6,080. Only 21% of full-time authors solely rely on book-related earnings, often amounting to a median of $20,300.
The plight of storytellers is compounded; society’s chronic undervaluation of their labor persists. Writing, misconstrued as an unpaid passion, belies its status as skilled work demanding compensation.
AI’s ascent has inadvertently provided grifters a potent weapon to exploit limited writer earnings. The struggle continues, as the side hustle marches on, threatening to dilute the essence of creativity.
Conclusion:
The convergence of AI and the publishing industry presents a twofold narrative. On one hand, it offers opportunities for innovation and content creation; on the other, it poses challenges concerning intellectual property, fair compensation, and the erosion of authentic creative efforts. As AI’s influence continues to expand, stakeholders must strike a balance between harnessing AI’s potential and safeguarding the integrity of creative works.
