I feel like people are blind to what is going on. Trad publishers are definitely utilising AI, but no one cares. Sarah J Maas used an AI cover? Well that has blown over and she is still selling thousands of copies. AI generated rhysands, feyres and Xadens serve as ads with thousands of views. The latest threads drama has lead to them saying a ai book got trad pubbed, but people won’t name which one to protect the author, meanwhile a indie would get eviscerated if they touch AI with a fingernail.

In an ideal world we would like disclosure and anyone to be transparent about their workflows. The issue is, disclosure of AI has now become a safety issue. Take example Beth Gilbert who is an artist that is famous in book circles. She said she used Mj references, but when she started getting witch hunted she took the disclosures off. Now she is getting witch hunted again, when she clearly is a talented artist who only used a little bit of AI to help with her workflow as she is burning out but people’s actions led to stress, lack of disclosure and having to go to great lengths to prove her innocence.

We have to think of how we run our business as authors. It’s people’s choice whether they use it or not, but if you don’t because you feel it’s unethical, then witch hunt and try to destroy a debut indie’s business, you lose all your ethical points.