Is AI a friend or foe for publishing folks?

Posted on February 5, 2024 in Oxford

When many of us think of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the first image that comes to mind is a dystopian future where the world is operated by machines. This isn’t surprising considering the extraordinary pace of the technological revolution. Something that was a foreign concept a long time ago has now become an important part of our reality, and we all use some sort of AI tool in our day-to-day lives. AI’s presence can be felt everywhere from big multinational corporations to pharmaceuticals, and from automation to manufacturing and print media. 

But how will AI impact the publishing industry? This sector has always been considered very people-oriented and it revolves around human interaction, but AI offers unprecedented opportunities for innovation, efficiency, and creativity in this space. AI is not a new concept in this industry. According to the Publishers Association, since 2017 most publishers have already begun to invest in AI tools (Publishers Association, 2020). It is not surprising that the major publishing houses around the world have started incorporating AI, because when used properly and mindfully, it can be a powerhouse. 

What are the exciting applications of AI in publishing?

Marketing

Most firms are using Generative AI (GAI) tools in various fields; predominantly in producing marketing materials. One can draft a social media post reminding people about an upcoming book release or author event or they can even use this technology to design promotional materials.

AI capabilities are already being utilized to assist readers in finding a wider selection of books. One of the most prevalent applications of AI in publishing is content classification. For example, utilising metadata tagging to increase content discoverability in conjunction with recommendation engines. Open Road Integrated Media, a publisher marketing services provider, recently declared that it will utilise the technology to continuously optimise the information behind individual titles so that they show up more prominently on retail websites and in search engines (Harris and Alter, 2020). Other applications include employing AI to detect market trends and enhance recommendation platforms (Publishers Association, 2020).

Editorial

AI can also offer support in the editorial process. Another frequently used AI tool is the plagiarism and copyright checker, which is extremely useful for identifying peer reviewers and finding relevant research for authors. It can also be used to digitise dated manuscripts which are susceptible to wear and tear if handled carelessly by using OCR (optical character recognition). And these same materials can even be converted into speech, effectively transforming electronic devices into personal narrators.

As artificial intelligence improves, storytellers gain access to a variety of new mediums, as well as technology geared to support the emotional arcs they are developing. By analysing successful stories in terms of their narrative arc, AI can determine which narrative traits, i.e. which type of event occurs at a particular point in the story, elicits which emotional response (Mckinsey, 2017). This would not only allow publishers to forecast an audience’s reaction to a narrative, but it would also help to strengthen stories by informing publishers about which extra elements—sound, environment, relationship, and dialogue—could elicit the desired response.

Audiobooks

Furthermore, AI is transforming the audiobook landscape, an important and rapidly expanding format for publishers. Even digital music service giant Spotify has a wide variety of free audiobooks available for its users, which is a very accessible way to consume books. Both Apple and Google provide free programs for converting ebooks to audiobooks utilising text-to-voice technology. Newer companies, such as DeepZen and Speechki, are producing hundreds of audiobooks including synthetic narration (Harris and Alter, 2020). 

Administration and accounting

Regarding administration and accounting, AI may help automate operations that underpin reporting and payments, ensuring that tasks such as acquiring invoices and transferring fees are not only completed on time but also with accuracy.

Customer service

AI can be a game changer if used properly in customer service as well. It can be used to deploy Chatbots for user interaction which can prove more beneficial than expected. Chatbots can provide answers to frequently asked questions and promote products based on client reactions, and they can be a great medium to engage with customers spread across the globe at any time of the day and in any language.

What are the drawbacks of using AI?

AI can be used to automate processes, help in translations, improve customer interaction, as a medium for content creation, and much more. But as we all know, with great power comes great responsibility, and this holds true for major publishing firms who are using artificial intelligence in some form in their workplace. No doubt AI provides unprecedented prospects for innovation in the publishing sector, but it also introduces new obstacles like copyright infringement risks, data privacy considerations, and some ethical concerns.

Issues like algorithm bias inherent in AI systems can perpetuate stereotypes and hinder diversity in content creation and audience targeting. Another bigger concern for publishers is the quality of the AI-generated content. This can lack creativity and human intuition and potentially impact publishers’ credibility. The biggest challenge publishers face with content created using AI is intellectual property rights, as the issue of ownership and copyright infringement puts them in a very difficult situation. There are always risks involved with privacy and data security while collecting a large set of user data for personalized analysis.

In response to open AI like ChatGPT, groups are making efforts to protect their material. The Author’s Guild has organized a petition signed by hundreds of writers requesting that firms obtain their permission before using their work to train AI programs. Illustrator agencies have also amended their contracts to prevent their work from being used to fuel AI programs. Penguin Random House, a major book publisher, stated that the unauthorized ingestion of information to train AI models is a copyright infringement. In other cases, writers have joined artists, coders, and content creators in suing AI corporations for allegedly utilizing their work to teach AI systems. The authors do not want their work used without their permission, especially since the technology may power chatbots like ChatGPT, which can copy well-known authors and even spit out entire novels after being prompted by a trained human (Harris and Alter, 2020).

The fear of job displacement among traditional publishing roles combined with dependency on tech platforms, the digital divide, and regulatory challenges further contribute to the concerns around using AI in publishing. 

What is the takeaway?

AI will advance the industry and create new opportunities, but technology can never replace human connection and intuition. To fully realize AI’s potential, proactive steps must be taken to mitigate associated challenges. Publishers can start with prioritizing diversity and inclusivity in AI training data to reduce algorithmic biases. Quality assurance methods should be implemented to assure the validity and integrity of AI-generated content. Furthermore, fostering collaboration among stakeholders, including publishers, technology providers, policymakers, and advocacy groups, is essential for developing ethical frameworks and regulatory guidelines to govern the responsible use of AI in publishing. 

By embracing these measures, the industry can harness the transformative potential of AI while upholding principles of fairness, transparency, and human-centric values.

Written by Rashika Mann