Novelists anxious AI might substitute them, Cambridge report finds

Novelists are anxious that synthetic intelligence (AI) might take their jobs, in response to a report.

It discovered that about half of them stated AI might “entirely replace” their work.

Dr Clementine Collett, of the Minderoo Centre for Technology & Democracy (MCTD) on the University of Cambridge, surveyed 332 authors for the report.

“There is widespread concern from novelists that generative AI trained on vast amounts of fiction will undermine the value of writing and compete with human novelists,” she stated.

The report discovered that 97% of novelists have been “extremely negative” in regards to the notion of AI writing full novels.

About 40% stated AI had already hit the revenue they obtained from different work they did to help their novel-writing.

Dr Collett, who printed the doc in partnership with the Institute for the Future of Work, stated: “Many novelists felt uncertain there will be an appetite for complex, long-form writing in years to come.”

Meanwhile, many authors stated they’d discovered books that falsely claimed to have been written by them, and about 60% of those that took half within the research stated their work had been used to coach AI massive language fashions with out their permission or fee.

“Copyright law must continue to be reviewed and might need reform to further protect creatives,” Dr Collett stated.

“It is only fair that writers are asked permission and paid for use of their work.”

In the report, 4 in each 5 respondents agreed that AI supplied advantages to society.

However, they known as for truthful use of their work alongside help from the federal government.

Prof Gina Neff, govt director of the MCTD, stated: “Our creative industries are not expendable collateral damage in the race to develop AI. They are national treasures worth defending.”

A Department for Science, Innovation and Technology spokesperson stated: “We’ve always been clear on the need to work with both the creative industries and the AI sector to drive AI innovation and ensure robust protections for creators.”