Barnes & Noble CEO Says Publisher Must Decide on AI-Generated Books
Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt said the bookseller will not ban AI-generated books but will require publishers to label them. He stated the company takes steps to exclude such titles from its catalog and stores.
icv2.comBarnes & Noble CEO James Daunt said the company will not prohibit sales of AI-generated books but will require publishers to label them. He stated that Barnes & Noble takes active measures to exclude AI-generated books from its online catalog and does not knowingly order them for stores.
Daunt said the responsibility for determining whether a book is AI-generated lies with the publisher, not the seller. He noted that no reputable publisher would release an AI-generated book, making it unlikely for Barnes & Noble to stock such titles.
Daunt told Fortune the company demands that publishers label any AI-generated books. He said this approach avoids engaging in debates over what constitutes AI-generated content and who should set restrictions. The CEO added that a prescriptive policy could lead to difficult questions about thresholds, such as whether to refuse books that are 100 percent or more than 50 percent AI-generated.
He said consumers may eventually demand AI-generated books in areas such as computer coding manuals.
The bookselling industry has faced challenges from AI-generated products. In March, publisher Hachette Book Group announced it would no longer publish the UK edition of its horror novel Shy Girl over suspected AI use. This week, readers suspected the short story "The Serpent in the Grove," a winner of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize, was written by AI.
Granta, the story's publisher, is investigating the allegation.
Key Facts
Story Timeline
3 events- March
Hachette Book Group announced it would no longer publish the UK edition of Shy Girl over suspected AI use.
1 sourcefortune.com - This week
Readers suspected the short story The Serpent in the Grove was written by AI.
1 sourcefortune.com - This week
James Daunt clarified Barnes & Noble policy on AI-generated books in an interview with Fortune.
1 sourcefortune.com
Potential Impact
- 01
Publishers may face increased pressure to verify and label AI-generated manuscripts.
- 02
Barnes & Noble may adjust catalog screening processes if AI-generated titles increase.
Transparency Panel
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