We are campaigning specifically for rules and regulations around AI use in traditional publishing. While there is no way of banishing AI altogether (as much as we’d like to), we request AI labels (a tier system) on books which inform a reader or author about which part of creating said book AI has assisted with.

While this would be impossible to monitor in self-publishing, major publishers know exactly what is happening within the business and therefore, should be able to let the public know if and what they are using AI for!

Traditional publishing is founded on human creativity, trust, and cultural responsibility. That foundation is now under threat!

Traditional publishers are increasingly using and experimenting with artificial intelligence in writing, editing, translation, and content production.

This is often done without meaningful consent from authors, without transparency for readers, and without regard for the long-term damage to creative labour.

Unfortunately, AI is fast becoming a staple in today’s society and impossible to banish altogether, but there should be clear disclosure in order to prevent misleading a reader or author into entering a contract, or consuming content where AI use isn’t properly understood by the recipient.

Traditional publishers have survived many years without using AI, so why start now?

It amounts to nothing other than financial greed, with a complete disregard for the safeguarding and protection of authors who take time to ensure that the work they produce is their own.

And what happens when AI evolves over the years to a point where it potentially becomes undetectable? 

There MUST be adequate regulations in place!

Here are some major publishers who currently use AI as part of the publishing process (this includes experimental, editing and translation aspects):

HarperCollins

Macmillan

Penguin Random House

Hatchette Book Group

HarperCollins has struck deals with at least one unnamed AI/tech company to allow select nonfiction backlist titles to be used to train AI.

Source - The Observer Newspaper.

(Publishers Lunch) states that Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group, and Macmillan have begun including language about AI in their contracts. 

HarperCollins France (specifically its Harlequin imprint, Mills and Boon books) is testing a translation workflow that uses AI translation tools as part of the process.

The use of AI in publishing poses serious ethical, economic, and cultural risks:

Authors’ works are used to train AI systems without consent or compensation.

AI-generated or AI-assisted books undermine professional writers and editors.

Human creative labour is devalued and displaced.

Readers are misled about how books are created.

Literary culture is reduced to automated content rather than human expression.

Publishing is a cultural industry with a duty to protect human creativity.

We reject the normalisation of AI in traditional publishing.

Our demands:

We call on traditional publishers and publishing industry leaders to:

Safeguard the use of generative AI in the writing, editing, and translation of traditionally published books.

Mandatory disclosure of AI use.

No AI-trained-on-copyrighted-works clauses.

Contract language prohibiting AI substitution.

AI-free imprints or certification.

This will ensure that readers and authors are fully informed before making a decision whether or not to publish with or consume content by an individual book publisher.