Are novelists who worry about the rise of AI really ‘classist and ableist’? | Arwa Mahdawi

An international writing organisation appeared to greenlight the use of AI, prompting anger, the resignation of four board members and an entire creative community to ask: ‘What?!’Please spare a thought for artificial intelligence (AI). It may not have feelings yet but, if it did, it would feel devastated by all the nasty things people are saying about it. All it’s trying to do is take our jobs and potentially destroy the world and people can’t stop being mean.Exhibit one: a recent controversy with the organisation that runs National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), a yearly challenge to produce a manuscript in a month. In a recent statement, NaNoWriMo wrote that it doesn’t explicitly support or condemn any approach to writing, “including the use of AI”. Further: “The categorical condemnation of artificial intelligence has classist and ableist undertones … questions around the use of AI tie to questions around privilege.”Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2024-09-11 10:00:07 UTC ]
News tagged with: #prompting anger #board members #feel devastated #potentially destroy #recent controversy #runs national #yearly challenge #recent statement #nanowrimo wrote #explicitly support #categorical condemnation #artificial intelligence #issues raised #letters section #novelists

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Are novelists who worry about the rise of AI really ‘classist and ableist’? | Arwa Mahdawi'


Bill Clinton is writing a political thriller with best-selling novelist James Patterson

Former President Barack Obama might be getting all the attention for that reported $65 million book deal, but former President Bill Clinton is soon coming out with an unusual book: He's writing a novel with prolific thriller writer James Patterson. Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2017-05-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bill clinton #political thriller


S&S sees 11% rise in first quarter

Simon & Schuster saw worldwide revenue growth of 11% in the first quarter of 2017, up to $161m (from $145m for the same prior-year period). Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-05-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #simon schuster


Sales, Earnings Rise at S&S in Q1

Revenue at Simon & Schuster rose 11% in the first quarter ended March 31, 2017 over the comparable period a year ago, while operating income increased 8%. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-05-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #earnings rise


Granta Made Us Obsessed With “Best Young Novelist” Lists

Once upon a time, in 1983 to be precise, a small U.K. literary journal published a list of what it considered the 20 best novelists in Britain under the age of 40. Lists like Granta’s Best Young British Novelists are now so commonplace—from the New Yorker’s decennial 20 under 40 list to the... Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2017-04-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #million copies


Granta reveals its Best of Young US Novelists 2017

Boston-born author Ottessa Moshfegh, debut novelist Yaa Gyasi and Emma Cline are among the names to feature on the 2017 Granta Best of Young American Novelists list. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-04-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #emma cline


Granta names 21 of the best young American novelists

The British literary magazine Granta unveiled its Best of Young American Novelists list on Wednesday, honoring 21 U.S. writers younger than 40. Fiction by the selected authors will appear in the magazine's 139th issue. Many of the writers, despite their comparative youth, have already reached... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2017-04-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #selected authors


Granta’s list of the best young American novelists

Once a decade, Granta picks the most-promising authors under 40 in the US and UK. Here are the 21 young American writers to watch this decadeThe age of anxiety: what does Granta’s list say about America?Jesse Ball, 38, was born in New York and has published six novels, a number of poetry and... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2017-04-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #halle butler #emma cline #lauren groff #greg jackson


Like His Publisher, Crime Novelist Alex Segura Wears Many Hats

This month, Polis books will publish 'Dangerous Ends,' the third novel in the Pete Fernandez mystery series written by Segura, who is also senior v-p of publicity and marketing at Archie Comics. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-04-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #polis books #archie comics


Empty satire: the regrettable rise of blank-paged books in the Trump era

Donald Trump loves Reasons to Vote Democrat, a volume of white space that follows a number of liberal spoofs with the same content. I prefer less vacant jokesIt’s a product worthy of Reggie Perrin’s Grot shop – the store opened to sell tat in David Nobbs’s magnificent satire of modern life: a... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2017-04-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #store opened #modern life #title page #chapter headings #bestseller charts


Search begins for Rising Stars 2017

The Bookseller is issuing a call for entries to its Rising Stars, the annual celebration of the industry’s up and comers, once again backed by the Frankfurt Book Fair (FBF).    Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-04-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #search begins #rising stars #annual celebration


Facebook's AI assistant is ready to hang out in Messenger

A couple of years ago, Facebook introduced M, an AI-powered personal assistant for Messenger. The idea behind M is that you could ask it to do pretty much anything -- book flights, cancel your cable service and even find a plumber -- and it'll do it... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2017-04-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #facebook introduced


Sun shines on Paris Book Fair as attendees rise 3%

Glorious weather did not deter the French from attending the four-day Paris book fair or Livre Paris, which ended last night with a 3% increase in visitor numbers to nearly 160,000 from 155,000 last year. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-03-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #sun shines #livre paris #3% increase #visitor numbers


Pearson chief Fallon awarded 20% pay rise depsite losses

Pearson c.e.o. John Fallon has been awarded a 20% total pay rise despite the fact the company made a £2.6bn loss in 2016.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-03-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #john fallon


Literary thriller and Berlin debut novelist signed by HQ

HarperCollins imprint HQ has acquired two new titles: a book club read from author and journalist, Allegra Huston and an explosive literary thriller by 24 year-old debut writer Jonathan Lyon. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-03-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #literary thriller


'March' Led Sales Rise at IDW Publishing

Continued strong sales of 'March' helped to drive a 19% increase in revenue in the first quarter ended January 31, 2017, in IDW Media's publishing division. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-03-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #idw publishing #publishing division


The fall and rise of physical book sales worldwide – in data

The effect of ebooks on sales of paper books has not been as drastic as expected – it seems that other, more unpredictable factors have a greater influence on how and what we readNielsen, which tracks book sales in several countries, released 2016 figures to coincide with this week’s London Book... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2017-03-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #paper books #mixed bag #south africa #book markets #hazel kenyon #individual titles


London book fair: UK publishers cheerfully splash cash as sales rise

Decline of reality TV and soap star memoirs greeted with glee, but publishers say it is time to turn the page on Gone Girl-style ‘grip-lit’On the eve of the London book fair, publishers were excited by news that sales of physical books were up for the second year in a row – 7% more than in 2015.... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2017-03-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #reality tv #physical books #bricks-and-mortar bookshops #4% rise #book fair #print books


In Face of NEA Cuts, Small Presses Worry About Their Futures

The elimination of the NEA, which is proposed in President Trump's just-released budget plan, could have a severe ripple effect on independent publishing, as hundreds of small presses depend on funding from the NEA to stay afloat. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #president trump #independent publishing #stay afloat


High street sees 4% rise in book sales

The British high street saw a 4% rise in book volume purchases through physical stores last year, while online sales flatlined. However, online retailers continued to grow their market share of the print market with a 1% rise to 32% of volume purchases in 2016. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-03-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book sales #4% rise #physical stores #market share #print market #1% rise


Gawker founder Nick Denton believes the 'good internet will rise up again'

“Facebook makes me despise many of my friends and Twitter makes me hate the rest of the world,” Gawker founder Nick Denton said.The publishing pioneer, who connected with fellow bloggers at South by Southwest in the early days of web publishing, returned to the festival Sunday to reflect on the... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2017-03-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #early days #web publishing #lies ahead #presidential election #future isn #fake news