Hachette Book Group said it would not publish a novel titled “Shy Girl” due to concerns that artificial intelligence was used to generate the text.
The novel was scheduled to be published in the United States this spring. Hachette said it would also discontinue the book in the United Kingdom, where it is already available.
Although the publisher claimed the decision came after a thorough review of the text, reviewers continued goodreads And youtube There was speculation that the book was possibly AI-generated. And The New York Times said It asked the Hatchet about “shy girl” concerns the day before the announcement.
In an email to the NYT, author Mia Ballard denied using AI to write her novel, instead blaming an acquaintance whom she hired to edit the original, self-published version of “Shy Girl.” Ballard said she is taking legal action, and as a result of the controversy “my mental health is at an all-time low and my name is ruined for something I personally didn’t even do.”
Author Lincoln Mitchell and other industry observers have noted that American publishers rarely make extensive edits When they acquire titles that have already been published in other forms.
