AI: Opportunities, threats, and ethical considerations for authors

Generative artificial intelligence is evolving rapidly and already impacting the book industry. From threats of job displacement through to opportunities to use AI as an efficient tool, we’ll canvass the issues relevant to authors. Are large language models like ChatGPT time-savers or dangerously biased…or both? How can you use AI tools to streamline your work practices? And should you use Generative AI at all if it has been built on the unlicensed and unremunerated copyright works of authors and artists? In this thought-provoking session, authors Kate Mildenhall, Holden Sheppard and Tracey Spicer will explore the ethical and moral ramifications of AI systems, the potential effects of AI technology on the publishing industry, and the implications for authors and literary output. Chaired by ASA CEO Olivia Lanchester, the panel will address:

1. Opportunities: how can authors use AI tools in their creative practice? We’ll ask our panel what opportunities they see in AI assisting authors by providing suggestions for grammar and structure, content generation, and enhancing marketing efforts.
2. Threats: how will Generative AI displace creative jobs and dilute the market with mediocre content, and will it homogenise cultural output?
3. Ethical Considerations: What tasks are we comfortable outsourcing to AI and what should stay under human control? We’ll discuss generation of text, evaluation of slush piles, editing and book design, translation, and audiobook narration. We’ll also explore how Generative AI systems can be biased, are trained on existing copyright-protected works in opaque circumstances, and what creators around the world are doing about it.

There will be a Q&A session where attendees can ask questions and share their thoughts on this rapidly evolving topic. If you want to get up to speed on the issues raised by AI, and understand the risks, opportunities and ethical considerations, don’t miss this panel discussion.