EDITING AND AI: WHERE DO YOUR WORDS GO?
- Lynne Lloyd
- Apr 23
- 3 min read
Whatever we do in our lives, whatever our profession, whatever we create, we are in danger of being sucked into the digestive track of the artificial intelligence (AI) behemoth which has become ubiquitous. We didn't ask for it, we don't need it, we are having to pay for it.
For creatives, everything we know and imagine and write is being cannibalised and assimilated into the AI beast. Our words and our stories are mere fodder for plagiarising AI entities. Our heads are spinning with questions, many unanswerable:
Who wrote that?
Is anything original?
Do we own our creative output any longer?
How can we protect and defend our words from being stolen?
In this brief article, I will confine myself to the topic of how book editors are dealing with the incursion of artificial intelligence A.I. into their professional practices. As you are no doubt aware, editors assist writers to bring their manuscripts to the high-quality levels required for publication. In so doing, we examine a myriad of factors through the filters of our editorial knowledge, awareness, skills, insights and experience.
Professional editors are currently grappling with the impact of AI upon our editorial methods and practices. Some editors are perched on the fence, not sure what to do about it, while others are staying clear of it altogether.
Many authors have had their creative works gobbled up by AI entities, often without their prior knowledge, permission or financial compensation. It is becoming urgent for editors to take a position on AI, as it is having a material effect upon our clients and prospective clients. In this open slather environment, authors are no longer sure who or what they are dealing with, and whether their work is being kept confidential. Many questions arise, such as:
Is my manuscript being edited, wholly and solely, by an actual human?
Is my manuscript being run through an AI program without my knowledge or consent?
Is a collection of machine bots and algorithms assessing and editing my manuscript?
In this digital wild west, book editors need to be clear and explicit about our choices and methods. We must declare if we are using AI applications, or not.
Lloyd Moss editing and publishing does not use A.I. programs in any of our manuscript assessment and editing services. We are and will remain AI free, and this is confirmed on our website via our AI Free symbol which we also place on the manuscripts we edit and the reports we generate.
Our advice for authors is: if you don’t see a service provider's position on AI stated upfront, ask the question before deciding whether to use their services: ‘Do you use AI in the creation of your product or service?’ If the answer is, ‘Yes,’ ask a follow up question, ‘Tell me what and how?’ If it’s not stated, maybe they are using AI, maybe they are not. Don't assume, always check for yourself.
Let's talk about it. I look forward to your comments on this topic. More articles on AI will appear over the coming months.
Also, if you would like information about our AI-free professional services of manuscript assessment, editing and self-publishing, please drop us a line. I look forward to hearing from you.
Lynne Lloyd
editor and publisher
LLOYD MOSS
editing and publishing
0421 998749
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