Even AI detection companies like Pangram got in on the action and claimed that the book had features that were largely AI-generated.
Nevertheless, Hatchet appeared to be moving forward with plans for a US release later this year.
Yesterday, The New York Times published its own investigation, in which it “analyzed excerpts from the novel using multiple AI detection tools and found recurring patterns that characterize AI-generated text, such as gaps in logic, excessive use of melodramatic adjectives and excessive reliance on the rule of three.”
that does it. Hachette withdrew the book in the UK and canceled its upcoming US debut. Late last night, the Times received a comment from author Ballard, in which she denied that she had used AI to write the novel. And yet, Ballard said, it’s possible that the friend who helped edit the book may have used AI.
Ballard said, “This controversy has changed my life in so many ways and my mental health is at an all-time low and my name has been ruined for something I personally didn’t even do.” She claimed that she was taking legal action.
But what if it’s “good enough”?
This is one of the first major AI controversies to come in the world of traditional trade publishers, where old-school gatekeepers still largely ban AI – at least for formatting. (Outlining, editing feedback, plot suggestions…these are all very vague.)
Whatever actually happened in this situation, publishing is likely to see similar disruptive patterns to those going on right now in the music industry, where tools like Listen are increasingly being used to crank out songwriting demos and even (at least at places like Spotify) entirely AI-generated music. Many artists and even distributors like LANDR oppose such AI use, but many ordinary people don’t care. Their idea seems to be this: If the music sounds good – or good enough – then what does it matter where it comes from? And, frankly, how different is that from the super-glossy Pop and Listen kind of thing?
in the matter of shy girlDespite many claims that AI writing is useless and easily detectable, a lot of readers enjoyed the book and even promoted it online. This may scare and intimidate real writers, but it is a reality they have to face.
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