Limiting AI Use in the Publishing World
It is nearly impossible to avoid artificial intelligence (AI) in the modern media landscape. For better or for worse, AI is everywhere. Some love it, some hate it. Either way, there are serious considerations to take into account when considering the role of AI in publishing.
People use AI for a wide range of purposes, both in and out of creative spaces. However, AI is a tool with a sinister side. Some people use it to assist with overbearing workload with overwhelming data. Others use it as a shortcut to replace their creativity. The pros and cons of AI are dependent on its individual uses.
Even though AI has gotten stronger and more human-like in recent years, everyone should still exercise caution. AI should never fully replace any creative project, including in the publishing world. Art is as powerful as it is because it comes from the human mind, not a computer’s code. Publishers should set a clear example with their authors for use of AI in writing and releasing books.
Two Types of AI
All AI is powered by computer programming. Within that broad horizon, there are two general categories of AI commonly used. They are each used for different purposes and play different roles in society.
Generative
The first type of AI is generative. This is artificial intelligence that generates new content based on an inputted prompt. This can include pictures, text, videos, and any other physical product. Generative AI is a hot topic because it has a high potential to produce incorrect or misleading information. AI chat bots—including ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Claude, etc.—are also examples of generative AI.
In the literature world, this means a computer creates the text or illustrations of a book. Sometimes, it is obvious when AI is used, resulting in “AI slop.” AI can have recognizable features that become easily identifiable by some eagle-eyed consumers. Other times, it can be convincing and truly convince people a human created it. This is a slippery slope because that information could be incorrect and be used for nefarious purposes.
Non-Generative
The second type of AI is general and non-generative, which plays a more traditional analytic role. Instead of creating new material, it analyzes and processes existing content for a specific purpose. For example, in highly complex data sets, AI can be used to sort the information and find trends. This is less common in publishing, but it can be utilized in book editing software.
Human Creativity Rules All
No matter how lifelike a piece of generated AI material may seem, it inherently lacks a human touch. Sure, a person does have to create the prompt that generates the content, but the result is machine-made. There is no replacing the human mind’s potential for creative excellence.
Before the last couple years, almost all media was crafted and produced by the human mind. Even imperfections in a piece of art can be noteworthy. People use programs to create (like with 3D-animated films), but a person is always in charge. People use the tools to directly design art. Even with animation software, for example, artists can add their flair to a project. That is gone with AI, no matter how many prompts you enter to get your desired result.
The same goes for writing a book, especially one targeted towards children. Some of the most classic children’s books are remembered for their memorable illustrations and charming characters. AI simply cannot create art like that. AI “learns” how to generate material from already-existing content, so nothing truly original can come from it. AI is limited by its technical parameters; the human mind is infinite.
Minimizing AI in the Publishing World
For the reasons above, AI should be used as sparingly as possible when writing a book. If needed, it can provide general guidance for outlining, but that should be the limit. Publishers should also minimize its use throughout the process and always review any AI output. Over-reliance on AI can diminish the reputation of both publishers and authors.
At Cloverly Children’s, we make sure every step of the publishing process is guided with a human touch. All of our books are edited by professional copy editors who thoroughly review each book. And all of our illustrations are hand crafted by our team of illustrators. Real people even the press releases we release after your book is published. You are in control of every step of your publishing journey, and nothing is finalized without your approval. Human creativity is the backbone of the literary world.
