The rise of artificial intelligence is prompting widespread anxiety within the UK’s literary community, with over half of published novelists believing AI could entirely replace their work, according to a new report from the University of Cambridge’s Minderoo Centre for Technology and Democracy (MCTD). The findings, released on , reveal deep concerns about copyright, income loss, and the future of fiction in an era of increasingly sophisticated AI-authored content.
The survey of , encompassing 258 novelists and 74 industry insiders – including editors and literary agents – paints a picture of a profession grappling with a rapidly changing landscape. , the implications of this technological shift are becoming increasingly apparent as AI tools become more accessible, and capable.
Specifically, 51% of UK novelists believe AI is likely to entirely replace their work. Nearly two-thirds (59%) report that their work has been used to train large language models (LLMs) without their consent or compensation. The financial impact is already being felt, with 39% of novelists reporting a decline in income due to generative AI, often stemming from the loss of related work that supports their novel writing. A significant majority (85%) anticipate further erosion of their income in the future.
While the overall sentiment isn’t anti-AI – 80% of respondents acknowledge potential benefits of AI in other sectors – the report highlights a profound sense of vulnerability, particularly within specific genres. Romance, thriller, and crime authors are considered the most at risk, with 66%, 61%, and 60% respectively, deemed “extremely threatened” by AI-driven competition.
The anxieties extend beyond financial concerns. The report warns of a potential loss of originality and a fraying of trust between writers and readers if the use of AI in book creation isn’t transparent. Literary creatives are calling for stronger copyright protections, informed consent for the use of their work in AI training, and fair remuneration for such use, alongside greater transparency from technology companies and support from the UK government.
Despite these concerns, the report also reveals a degree of AI adoption within the industry. One-third of novelists (33%) currently use AI tools, primarily for “non-creative” tasks such as research. However, a growing number are operating discreetly, fearing negative repercussions from readers and peers.
The situation is exemplified by the case of one author, who, under a pseudonym, revealed to the New York Times that she used AI to write over 200 novels in a single year. She reportedly demonstrated the ability to generate an entire novel – a story about a rancher and a woman running from her past – in approximately 45 minutes during a Zoom call with a reporter. This author now offers coaching courses on leveraging AI for writing, attracting over 1,600 participants, including established authors who publicly express reservations about AI’s role in literature.
This author has even developed her own AI writing program, available through a monthly subscription ranging from $80 to $250 USD, capable of producing a complete book in under an hour. She plans to launch three additional pseudonyms, explicitly labeling books created with AI assistance.
However, the market’s reception to AI-generated content remains uncertain. Recent instances of novels published with AI assistance, without proper disclosure, have sparked outrage among readers and fellow authors. In , readers discovered remnants of AI prompts within the text of two such novels, leading to accusations of deception and a demand for accountability.
Another author who openly publishes AI-assisted books has reportedly faced online harassment, including threats, highlighting the contentious nature of this debate. Despite the backlash, she believes that AI-generated works will eventually gain widespread acceptance, predicting that readers will ultimately become indifferent to the technology behind the stories they consume.
The emergence of AI in publishing is forcing a reckoning within the industry, raising fundamental questions about authorship, originality, and the value of human creativity. The UK publishing industry, which contributes £11 billion annually to the UK economy and is the world’s largest book exporter, faces a period of significant disruption and adaptation. The future of the novel, and the livelihoods of those who write them, hangs in the balance.
