A Statement on AI

AI is… fraught right now. It’s dramatically impacting my professional field. I’ve had numerous meetings with authors, agents, and publishers about how to handle this AI issue going forward. Depending on how large the staff is, how comfortable people feel, what checking measures they have in place, etc. every organization is choosing to deal with this in different ways.

There are no easy answers. To make room for AIs, we have to change how some things are done. This, for a lot of small presses, means they are shutting their doors to open submissions.

I, however, am self-employed and freelance. My full-time day job is editing. My part-time job is writing. I spent my life immersed in the very arena that AI technology is dramatically impacting. However, being freelance and self-employed, I don’t have access to some of the checking measures that a lot of bigger organizations have. And if I shut my doors to submissions, then I don’t feed my family.

I have to feel my way through this and I have to trust my gut.

This recent upheaval with the SPFBO cover art has impacted me in a few ways and has caused me to consider my stance on AI going forward.

So here it is:

*****I will not knowingly work on any AI-assisted books and I reserve the right to refuse to work with anyone if I feel like AI use might play a role in the book’s development.*****

I understand that this technology can—and is—useful in certain contexts, but until there are better, more accessible checks in place, and until we know the legalities of all the copyright cases which will undoubtedly be rolling through courts all over the world over the next few years, I just can’t risk it.

Mostly, however, I won’t devalue the work of my friends and coworkers by supporting AI technology.

I apologize for any issues this might cause.

Note:

I will always talk to the author and do research regarding potential AI work before I make a decision.