The Cyborg Author: Merging Man and Machine in AI-Powered Publishing

If you haven’t been living under a rock for the last year or so—and we really hope you haven’t been—you’ve heard of ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence (AI) tools. AI has taken some pretty giant leaps forward in recent years and this software is quickly becoming mainstream. 

People are using AI to write code, do research, write poetry and blog posts, create artwork, and come up with fresh rap rhymes that probably only five people will ever hear. But still.

ChatGPT has become the fastest growing app of all time. Everyone and their mom seem to be using it and talking about it. But is AI just another flash-in-the-pan trend? Or are these tools here for good? 

And if you’re an author, another big question comes up: Can AI machines and algorithms replace human creativity, especially in writing? Should authors be afraid of an AI apocalypse terminating their jobs? Or should they see it as an opportunity? 

Let’s dig into all things AI in the literary world and see how you can prepare. If you’re a writer or you’re self-publishing your work, you can really level up your writing game by using AI tools.

Put that time machine away because the future is now. 

What Is Artificial Intelligence?

One of the most significant breakthroughs in modern technology is artificial intelligence or AI. 

Artificial intelligence is computer software that humans program in such a way that the computer teaches itself what to do and “learns” as it goes. You’ve probably heard the term “machine learning.” That’s AI. 

While having computers actually think for themselves is a long way off, AI has become a lot more sophisticated in recent years. AI has become a huge field with complex components where machines can figure things out by themselves. 

Here’s a little about how it works: People program “machine learning” algorithms to gain knowledge from trial and error and then apply what it learns to new activities. It’s kind of like if you gave a 2-year-old a shoe with laces and gave him an infinite amount of time to figure it out. Eventually, the kid would probably figure out how to tie the laces. We hope.

AI is currently being used to manage data centers, optimize flights, diagnose illnesses and determine loan outcomes, and much more. Things that once required manual human labor are now performed digitally, thanks to AI-powered systems. And a lot of times we only realize how much work this complicated technology does for us when things stop working. 

Rise of the Cyborg Author

Remember the movie The Terminator, with Arnold Schwarzenegger? If you haven’t seen it (and if you haven’t, we don’t blame you), Schwarzenegger plays a cyborg from the future sent back in time to hunt down and kill the founder of the human resistance against Skynet, the all-encompassing super-AI of the dystopian future. 

Should authors lead an uprising to prevent AI from taking over their jobs? Should Stephen King, J.K. Rowling, and the ghost of Ernest Hemingway stage a resistance to all things AI? We don’t think so.

While some experts believe AI can be a threat, we believe AI writing tools can be a tremendous advantage for your career. Because when you understand how writers are using AI to be more effective, you may soon be cuddling up to these tools instead of hunkering down in fear.

Authors are using popular AI tools like Frase, Jasper, ChatGPT, and Rytr to hone their craft and save them time. Besides coming up with the words, they offer grammar and plagiarism checkers. Their editing tools can help you streamline your writing, find awkward phrasing and suggest better word choices. And AI dictionaries and thesaurus tools can help you elevate your vocab game to new heights. AI tools can also help you come up with new ideas and fresh perspectives to spice up your writing.

Let’s look more closely at how AI in publishing can be a good thing.

Benefits of AI Publishing

AI in publishing provides creatives with a whole new toolbox that can save you a ton of time in the creative writing process. Here are just a few of the ways AI is revolutionizing the writing process:

• Better analysis of what content readers want
• Faster production of content
• Automate editing, proofreading, and other labor-intensive tasks
• Increased marketing exposure to your content 
• Better ideas for your stories

It’s no surprise to anyone that computers help make us more efficient. Like, take all those ridiculously long math equations we used to have to learn. Now all those equations can be done with the press of a button by computers while we binge-watch the latest Netflix series. 

The point? Computers save us tons of time. So why not use cutting-edge software to save you time in your writing career?

Algorithms can help you by predicting reader interests through automated profiling techniques and help us choose which genre of book to write. It’s similar to how Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and other social media platforms know what you like and put similar videos in your feed (more cute bunny hopping videos please). AI publishing will help you learn what to publish and find ways to get better exposure to new readers. It can also help you find new ways to spice up your content to gain an even wider audience.

Finally, AI can spot errors not caught by editors or authors. As AI technology gets better, neural networks are being developed that allow for detecting subtle language nuances that might influence readers’ perceptions.

Don’t be left behind.

AI in the publishing world is here to stay. Instead of fighting the future, why not join the future? Or better yet, create your own future with these new AI tools.

We’re not asking you to actually become a cyborg author, but think of the creative edge you can give yourself by leaning into these tools. AI can save you time, enhance your creativity and help you smash through writer’s block.

As an independent writer, AI can help you hack your productivity and lead to more sales. Check out our free resources to learn how you can level up your writing game, make passive income from your work, and start living your dream life now.