Irresponsible AI: Prosecraft Faces Backlash from Authors and Shuts Down

Prosecraft, a data-driven project designed to analyze word usage and provide statistics on various writing-style markers, has recently come under fire from authors and subsequently shut down its operations. The platform, which was a project of cloud word processor Shaxpir, compiled and analyzed over 27,000 books, ranking them based on the “vividness” of their language.

What was Prosecraft?

Prosecraft aimed to provide insights into the language of books, showcasing two paragraphs from each book: one that was “most passive” and another that was “most vivid.” The platform then ranked books based on their vividness, length, and passivity. The site used novels to power its analytics, focusing on word count, passive voice, and other subjective writing-style markers.

The Controversy

The main issue that led to the backlash was the unauthorized use of copyrighted works. Many authors, including renowned names like Maureen Johnson and Celeste Ng, discovered that their books had been uploaded to Prosecraft without their consent. This sparked outrage in the literary community, with many authors voicing their concerns and frustrations on social media platforms.

British author Hari Kunzru was among the first to raise the alarm, alleging that Prosecraft had “stolen a lot of books, trained an AI, and are now offering a service based on that data.” Other authors soon joined the chorus of disapproval, with some pointing out that the excerpts from their books on Prosecraft included significant spoilers.

The Response

In response to the mounting criticism, Benji Smith, the creator of Prosecraft, took down the website. In a statement, Smith expressed his apologies and emphasized his respect for authors and the publishing industry. He mentioned that he believed he was “honoring the spirit of the Fair Use doctrine,” which doesn’t require the consent of the original author. However, many in the literary community argued that Fair Use does not permit the use of an author’s entire copyrighted work without permission, especially as part of a data training program.

The Implications

The shutdown of Prosecraft has highlighted the challenges and ethical considerations surrounding AI and data usage. Authors are increasingly concerned about the unauthorized use of their works to train AI models. The recent events surrounding Prosecraft serve as a reminder of the need for clear guidelines and respect for intellectual property in the age of AI.

Generative AI Insights for Business Leaders and Storytellers: Learn more about the scope of this publication here.