It Seems Like So Many Novels These Days Are Written by AI (A Long Reading Reflection)
I can't shake the feeling that recently published novels contain AI-generated text. Some books have sentences that are smooth, so smooth they feel artificial, and others have noticeable repetitive structures.
After searching, I found that many publishers overseas are already using AI text detection tools to verify manuscripts. I've also heard that some genres in Korea are establishing guidelines for AI use.
Of course, I think it's fine to use AI for a draft and have a human polish it. Ultimately, the author is responsible for the final result. But the problem is that trying to filter out AI-written text using only AI detectors is meaningless. AI quickly learns how to fool detectors.
From a reader's perspective, is it enough just to write well? Or where exactly do we draw the line on what counts as creation? It's still ambiguous. Rather, these days I feel that when AI gets involved in creation, the result tends to be something "polished but lacking in emotional impact."
Still, I have some hope that the profession of novelist won't completely disappear. It's hard to replace the personal experience and insight that only real humans possess. I'm curious how you all felt after reading AI-generated works.
9 answers
Yeah, if you look at recent releases, they're all pretty similar.
Do you have a source? Where did those statistics come from?
I feel the same way. Reading it, I'd say there's a certain lack of emotion.
I work in editing at a publishing company, and recently I heard they introduced a program to filter out AI-written submissions. But honestly, its accuracy isn't great, so editors end up having to check everything manually lol. It's really tough work.
The problem with AI-written novels isn't so much the lack of emotional impact—it's that the patterns repeat. When you read them, they all feel somehow similar. That's why these days I only pick works by risky writers. Using AI for a draft is fine, but what matters is whether the final version still smells human. In the end, I think 'why it was written' matters more than 'how it was written.'
Well, the logic that filtering with AI detectors is meaningless feels a bit overblown, doesn't it? That assumes AI is always smart enough to evade detectors, but in reality, detection keeps improving too. It's an ongoing arms race between the two. I wouldn't say it's outright meaningless.
Right, the problem is that they're highly polished but lack emotional impact. Among the books I've read recently, there were a few where the sentences were flawless but felt really hollow. It even made me doubt whether they were written by a human.
I think AI-written novels also count as experiences. If the reader enjoys them, isn't that enough? Of course, it's true that writers' jobs are being threatened, so new standards are needed. But I'm of the view that nothing is completely new from the start when it comes to creation... Rather, the problem might be that AI ends up repeating typical human clichés and making things boring. Humans are like that in the end anyway, so whatever.
Oh, I didn't know this. Overseas publishers already do AI verification?