AI’s role in book publishing raises questions about quality, transparency - WLOX
By Google News AI ·
PERRY COUNTY — Artificial intelligence is changing how authors write, edit and publish books, but its growing use has some readers questioning the quality of what they're buying and whether authors should disclose when they use it.
A 2025 BookBub survey of 1,229 authors found that 45% used generative AI in their work, while 48% did not use it and had no plans to. Of those who used AI, 74% said they did not disclose it to readers.
Janet Gallaspy, a volunteer librarian at the New Augusta Public Library, worries AI could make original storytelling harder to find.
"The characters don't have much depth. They're surface-level characters, and they all talk the same," Gallaspy said.
An avid science fiction reader, Gallaspy said she's noticed patterns in books that make her suspect AI was used, including choppy sentences, repeated words and characters who sound alike.
She also pointed to inconsistencies, such as characters abandoning plans without explanation or events happening out of order.
Gallaspy said the patterns have led her to stop reading books she once would have finished, but she acknowledged that poor writing alone doesn't prove AI was involved.
"I would like to know in advance whether an author used AI just to edit a book or actually used AI to write it," Gallaspy said.
Gallaspy sees a difference between using AI to improve a manuscript and relying on it to write an entire story. She believes authors should remain responsible for their work and make the finaldecisions about what gets published.
"A writer can write something, and then AI can offer suggestions and help edit it," Gallaspy said.
She also worries about how AI could affect students learning to write, saying young people need opportunities to develop their own skills rather than letting…
Originally published by Google News AI