ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

AI's Threat to Writing: A Call to Preserve Human Creativity

opinion-review · 2026-08-10

In a fervent editorial for The Irish Times, Evie Gaughan, writing under the pseudonym Evie Woods, contends that companies developing generative AI fail to grasp the essence of writing, prioritizing rapid production over the creative journey. She denounces the unauthorized incorporation of her works into Meta's AI training data, calling it the most significant copyright infringement ever. Gaughan references a UN report indicating that over 22% of Ireland's electricity is consumed by AI data centers and critiques the European Commission for its inconsistent stance on peat cutting violations. She also mentions James Bradley's remarks on AI from 2024 and Sam Altman's perspective on intelligence. Gaughan addresses recent publishing controversies related to AI and disapproves of The Society of Authors' labeling recommendation. Her upcoming book, 'The Violin Maker's Secret,' is set for release in October.

Key facts

  • Evie Gaughan (Evie Woods) wrote an opinion piece for The Irish Times criticizing AI in writing.
  • Gaughan's books were used without permission in Meta's AI training data, allegedly from a pirate site.
  • A UN report described Ireland as a 'cautionary tale' for AI data centers using over 22% of electricity.
  • The European Commission referred Ireland to the European Court of Justice over peat cutting environmental impact assessments.
  • James Bradley said in 2024: 'AI isn't about unleashing our imaginations, it's about outsourcing them'.
  • Sam Altman envisioned a future where intelligence is a utility like electricity or water, bought on a meter.
  • Hachette pulled a debut novel for alleged AI use, detected by AI.
  • Granta Magazine ended its partnership with the Commonwealth Foundation over AI use in the Short Story Prize.
  • Grammarly's 'Expert Review' feature offering AI-generated writing advice was removed and faces a lawsuit.
  • The Society of Authors suggested a 'Human Authored' sticker for books.
  • Gaughan has been writing since 2005; her latest book 'The Violin Maker's Secret' releases in October.
  • Doris Lessing's quote: 'It is our stories that will recreate us, when we are torn, hurt, even destroyed.'

Entities

Artists

  • Evie Gaughan
  • Evie Woods
  • James Bradley
  • Sam Altman
  • Doris Lessing
  • John O'Donoghue
  • Brenda Ueland

Institutions

  • The Irish Times
  • Meta
  • United Nations
  • European Commission
  • European Court of Justice
  • Hachette
  • Granta Magazine
  • Commonwealth Foundation
  • Grammarly
  • The Society of Authors

Locations

  • Ireland

Sources