Introduction
At Tellwell, we understand that the proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) technology will continue to have a significant impact on both the writing and publishing journeys. Our AI content guidelines have a dual focus: recognizing the potential benefits of AI while ensuring our practices and those of our authors align with the policies of key distributors. This alignment is crucial to maximizing the availability and audience reach of our authors' works. We also firmly believe in the unique power and rights of humans as creators, and respect the right of the person or people behind every creation to receive credit for their work.
Definitions
AI-Generated Content: Content created predominantly by AI tools, including text, images, and translations.
AI-Assisted Content: Content primarily authored by humans, with AI tools used for refinement, editing, and/or generation of ideas.
Legal and Ethical Considerations
Authors must consider several factors, most importantly copyright and ownership, when using text or images from popular AI tools like ChatGPT, DALL-E, or Midjourney in a commercially published book.
While AI-generated content does not produce direct copies of existing works, it creates new images or text based on huge amounts of proprietary data. Because the training data may have included content that was protected under copyright, this process has raised concerns about whether some of the training content was used without permission from copyright holders. AI-generated content may contain errors or biases, and often presents its inaccuracies as fact without clearly disclosing its biases.
Before using AI-generated content in a commercially created work, it’s important to check the terms and conditions of the AI platform being used to ensure that it permits commercial use of its generated content. However, this is just the first step, and it’s important to consider the ownership and copyright aspects of the content produced. Since AI tools are trained on vast datasets that may include copyrighted material, there is a risk of inadvertently infringing on someone else’s copyright.
To mitigate this risk, start with a thorough review process to assess the uniqueness and originality of the AI-generated content yourself. Second, where possible, obtain a legal opinion from a copyright expert to evaluate the potential risks associated with using such content in your commercial work. Taking such a proactive approach is one way to uphold the legal and ethical responsibility to respect and credit original creators, ultimately protecting the integrity of the author’s own creative work and reputation.
Embracing AI While Retaining Creative Control
In many scenarios it is perfectly acceptable to include AI-assisted content in a published book. On the other hand, there are risks associated with including AI-generated content in a commercially published work. AI can add depth and new perspectives to written content, but the author remains the heart and soul of the book. So while AI tools can be a powerful support for an author’s vision, AI content will always need to pass through a careful review from the author themselves.
Alignment With Distributor Policies
While it’s important to be aware of the issues of legal liability, ethics, and personal responsibility for content, it’s equally critical to be cognizant of the policies of major distributors like KDP and Ingram. Both KDP and Ingram have fairly vague, broad requirements around AI-generated images. KDP requires clear disclosure of any book that includes AI-generated content, while Ingram simply states that they may remove a title from distribution at their discretion if it is found to contain AI-generated content. Failure to disclose use of the AI-generated content could result in your book being removed from retail sale by one or more distributors. On the other hand, as of early 2024, neither distributor requires disclosure of AI-assisted content.
It is important for our authors to understand that both distributors handle AI-generated materials at their discretion, and they’re not particularly forthcoming about their approaches. Both distributors reserve the right to remove titles from distribution if they find the content to be predominantly AI-generated, especially if it raises copyright or quality concerns. This means that while neither distributor outright bans AI-generated content, they both may scrutinize it closely.
When an author considers AI content for their work, it is advisable to use such content sparingly and ensure it blends seamlessly with the original work. Doing so maintains the integrity of the book, adheres to distributors’ requirements, and therefore safeguards retail availability through major channels. Authors should also be aware that AI-generated content may not be unique, as similar or identical AI-assisted content could appear in other books. Again, this underscores the importance of carefully reviewing any AI-generated content to ensure originality.
AI and Editing
If the author has purchased editing services from Tellwell, our editors will determine which portions of the work were composed or assisted by AI, and assess this material just as they would any original author content. The editor’s review will be aimed at maintaining coherence and consistency with the author’s unique voice and writing style, focusing on the quality, relevance, and coherence of the AI-generated content in the context of the overall work. The editor will seek to mitigate factual errors, stylistic discrepancies, and redundancies. Editors will not provide legal advice or a comprehensive review of the AI-generated content’s compliance with copyright laws. Our editors are real people, not robots.
Tellwell’s Use of AI in Publishing Services
At Telwell, we recognize the potential power of AI as a tool to enhance and complement the creative process. Tellwell is committed to leveraging new technologies in a way that supports the work of authors, harmoniously blending useful tools with the irreplaceable skills of talented humans. While we embrace the efficiency and possibilities offered by AI, we firmly believe it should not and will not replace the unique artistic expression and expertise of human creators.
For instance, we may use AI-assisted features in Photoshop to adjust the dimensions of an author-supplied image for technical compatibility with printing requirements, with the author’s approval and creative input. We use AI as a means to elevate your work, reducing unnecessary costs and effort, while upholding the value of human passion and professionalism in every book we publish.
Conclusion
Given these complexities, authors should exercise caution when using AI-generated content for commercial purposes. As is always the case when using the intellectual property of others in one’s own book without express permission from the owner of the content, it's advisable to consult with legal experts in copyright law to understand the specific implications and risks associated with using AI-generated content.
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These guidelines may be updated at any time to reflect the latest developments in AI technology, changes in distributor policies, and publishing industry best practices. We have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information provided in these guidelines. However, this document is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Authors are encouraged to seek legal counsel to address specific concerns regarding the use of AI-generated content. Tellwell is not responsible for any actions taken based on the information in this document.