Author Rejects HarperCollins AI Training Deal Amid Concerns Over Intellectual Property

Author Daniel Kibblesmith recently shared news about a deal involving AI training that raises concerns among writers. HarperCollins offered Kibblesmith $2,500 to include his children’s book, Santa’s Husband, in a package for a tech company training an AI language model.

The book tells the story of a Black Santa and his white husband at the North Pole. Kibblesmith received this offer through his agency, which indicated that several hundred authors had already accepted similar deals. He decided to reject the offer, calling it “Abominable.”

Kibblesmith criticized the idea of accepting payment to have his work used in AI training. He expressed concern about the future impact of AI on authorship, stating that companies appear desperate. He believes in two separate markets: readers who prefer human connection and those satisfied with AI-generated content. He emphasized that accepting such deals could undermine the value of human creativity.

HarperCollins has not yet commented on the situation.