Publishers Accused of Using AI Behind the Scenes as Authors Face Scrutiny on AI-Written Books

Major US book publishers are reportedly using artificial intelligence to produce marketing materials, publicity copy and routine communications even as authors face scrutiny over suspected AI use in their books. Employees at HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster and Hachette told WIRED that AI tools had been incorporated into their publishing workflows.

The report, which featured interviews with more than two dozen publishing industry workers, also details concerns about AI-generated cover art, staff surveillance and fears of job replacement. Employees described growing pressure from executives to integrate the technology despite unresolved questions about its ethical and legal implications.

WIRED's report comes amid disputes over books suspected of containing AI-generated material, including Hachette's horror novel Shy Girl and Macmillan's crime thriller Call Me, I'll Hide the Body.

Publishers Expand AI Use

According to the report, employees at the three publishing houses described the growing use of tools such as ChatGPT and Anthropic's Claude for routine communications and promotional writing.

The report also highlights the tensions surrounding AI use in book publishing. One editor told WIRED that every imprint had a story of a respected author whose book was cancelled over what the editor described as blatant AI use. The account illustrates the industry's concerns about AI-generated content, although it does not establish how many cancellations occurred or whether they involved HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster or Hachette.

Meanwhile, senior leaders at HarperCollins reportedly bought Claude licenses and asked employees to explore potential applications afterwards. Dozens of workers were subsequently assigned to become 'AI Champions', participating in discussions about integrating the technology into their work.

One employee said concerns about AI's legal, ethical and environmental implications were dismissed during a meeting as 'the cost of doing business'.

Staff Fear Job Losses and Copyright Risks

Employees also raised concerns about heavier workloads following staff reductions. One publishing worker told WIRED that teams had been reduced to around five or six people while being expected to handle double or triple the number of books.

Some literary agents have introduced contractual clauses prohibiting manuscripts from being processed through large language models, citing concerns about confidential, unpublished writing being exposed to external AI systems.

Separate concerns have emerged over workplace monitoring. At Simon & Schuster, employees opposed the company's exploration of Skan AI, a platform associated with workflow analysis and productivity monitoring. Workers feared it could enable surveillance or help identify roles for replacement.

Chief executive Greg Greeley subsequently confirmed that Simon & Schuster had explored Skan AI's Blueprint product but said no decision had been made to adopt it or a similar monitoring tool.

Publishers Face Calls for Transparency

Literary agent Emma Dries, who previously worked in publishing, told WIRED that publishers needed to be transparent about which AI tools they used and when.

A Hachette spokesperson also told WIRED that the publisher supported AI for operational purposes when it helped authors reach more readers. Meanwhile, Simon & Schuster said employees could use a limited number of vetted enterprise AI tools, but their use was not mandatory, and unapproved tools were prohibited.

As scrutiny of AI-generated books continues, calls for greater transparency are likely to remain a challenge for an industry weighing the potential efficiencies of the technology against concerns about authorship, copyright and the future of publishing work.