I love science fiction. Seeing all the creative ways technology can be used in fiction is what inspired me to write sci-fi. However, as our world creeps closer to becoming one of those sci-fi worlds, I’m drawing a line. I may not be controversial in any of my content, but the one hill I will die on (besides spice-free YA) is AI has no business being used in the arts.

            If you are anywhere on the writing and/or reading side of social media, you are likely aware of the “AI witch hunt.” To sum it up, if readers even suspect that an author used AI in their books, they run it through an AI checker, then blast the author on social media and in the reviews if the checker says it was written by AI. What many are unaware of (or just don’t care about) is a lot of AI checkers are inaccurate (try putting a classic book in there). Readers are more than ready to boycott AI authors, but if an author really didn’t use AI in their book, those accusations can be detrimental to their career.

            Not only am I placing this here to help you become aware, dear reader, but I am also making you a promise. You will not see me use AI anywhere in my writing or designing process. I like writing too much to have something else do it for me, and I love the editing process even more. My website design is all me, and any artwork is either drawn and colored by me or designed on Canva or Photoshop without AI features or help. I am currently learning how to use many artistic applications so everything is authentic. If a stock image I use on social media or my website looks AI generated, then I’m completely unaware of it.

            Readers often keep an eye out for signs of AI use in books, but let me clarify something. The “signs” – such as m-dashes, strong vocabulary, metaphors, or anything else relating to proper grammar and figurative language – existed long before AI was even an inkling of an idea. Just because a book contains those things doesn’t mean it was written by AI. I use all those things in my books, as do most authors. Good writers were here first.

            My stuff won’t be perfect. But I’m realizing that perhaps imperfections are what make things authentic (and that’s coming from someone who’s a perfectionist). It shows that a person used their own abilities to create and maybe even learned new skills to make their vision possible.

            Hopefully one day, authors and readers can feel safer in their book worlds without having to worry about AI accusations or use. Seeing technology we only know from sci-fi coming to life in the real world can be exciting, but we need to remember the consequences. The arts have been studied and admired for thousands of years because it reflects the artist’s perspective. AI doesn’t have a soul to admire. That’s why I refuse to use or support AI in the arts.

 

Caitlin Demers

8/19/2026