How much AI is in best-selling books? Plenty in Amazon romantic novels and in Alvise Pérez’s bestseller
EL PAÍS analyzed 175 popular books with the Pangram detector. In 2019 there was no sign of it, but now one in three self-published bestsellers is largely written with artificial intelligence.
EL PAÍS has investigated the use of artificial intelligence in a sample of 119 popular books from 2025 and 2026. The books analyzed were bestsellers on Amazon and at the Casa del Libro, as well as winners of a major literary prize. The investigation found evidence of AI use in these books. The sample was used to check for AI use.
Written by urgent.news from El Pais's report — not a translation of it. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.