‘They’re likely to get squeezed’: AI slop books are flooding online marketplaces—and it’s coming at the expense of paychecks for human authors

In March, the horror novel "Shy Girl" by Mia Ballard was removed from Hachette's release due to claims that AI was involved in the writing process. Though Ballard denied using AI, the incident sparked a discussion about the growing issue of AI-generated books in the publishing industry. A recent report by Originality.AI revealed that 63% of religion books published on Amazon over the past year likely used large language models, while a Stony Brook University study found that 20% of self-published genre-fiction books had substantial AI text, with some books being over 90% AI-generated.

This influx of AI-generated books is squeezing out revenue for human authors, as the sheer volume of books makes it less likely for a human-written title to be chosen by Amazon customers, leading to fewer sales and reduced income. Amazon mandates self-published authors to disclose AI usage and limits daily uploads to three titles.

However, the company asserts that it has safeguards in place to protect the customer experience and will continue to monitor and improve its content guidelines. Authors are taking legal action against AI companies, alleging that their works were used without permission to train AI models. Companies like Barnes & Noble are considering their stance on selling AI-generated books, but the issue remains complex and requires further discussion.

Experts predict a bifurcated marketplace, with potential consequences for up-and-coming authors who may struggle to compete with AI-generated content.