Summary

The author is expressing discontent with AI's impact on creative platforms, particularly Medium, due to theft of intellectual property and the devaluation of human writers, leading to the author's decision to remove their work from the platform.

Abstract

The article discusses the author's frustration with the current state of publishing platforms like Medium, where AI theft of creators' intellectual property is rampant. The author highlights the inability of the platform to effectively combat bot-driven account cloning and the subsequent loss of earnings for writers. The situation is exacerbated by AI's capability to mimic a writer's unique style, essentially rendering human writers obsolete from an economic standpoint. In response to these challenges, the author has decided to unlist their book from Medium and only make it available on Amazon, as a form of protection against AI infringement and in search of a more sympathetic platform for writers.

Opinions

The author believes that AI is not only stealing writers' work but also their unique essence and mode of expression, leading to a dehumanization of creators.
There is a sense of betrayal and outrage at the platforms' failure to defend creators against organized theft and impersonation.
The author questions the point of continuing to publish on platforms that cannot protect their intellectual property or provide fair compensation.
The author perceives the monetization deals between Medium and AI as a 'deal with the devil', indicating a strong opposition to such partnerships.
Despite the bleak outlook, the author suggests a proactive solution: a massive class action involving all stakeholders to address the open criminality of tech companies.
The author implies that without significant action, the future of creative platforms is in jeopardy, potentially signaling the end of an era where such platforms were instrumental in creative journeys.

So Now I’m Hiding My Stories

Is AI theft of creators’ IP the death of publishing platforms?

You’ve heard or experienced it first-hand (or both, of course).

There’s been some gnarly account cloning by bots swamping the platform, which is why your stories aren’t earning a cent right now.

And despite brave and repeated promises of swift action and account closures, there can be no solution. This is ‘programmatic action’ at scale we’re talking about. Medium’s darkest hour.

Meanwhile, AI is stealing and studying your work, and is now able to do you, only better, more consistently and relentlessly.

Again, this is activity at a magnitude and stealth we do not even know about. The perpetrators’ tracks are covered since it’s not your words they’re stealing, but your ineffable essence as a writer. Your mode and character of expression. Your immortal self.

What good reason is there to stay, if it continues?

What the hell am I saying? We’ve been thoroughly dehumanised and devalued. From an economic point of view, there’s no point to us anymore.

It is an outrageous and tragic state of affairs. If you think I’m exaggerating you should practise thinking some more.

“If a bot can do me to a tee, iteratively and faultlessly, not my work but myself and ability, then what is the point of me, right?”

AI & I

A poem

benhumanauthor.medium.com

I’ve said elsewhere I’m ready to dust off my Windows 3.x PC ca. 1993, unplug any cables that might invite prying, and publish only when I’m ready. To hell with platforms that can’t defend us against organised theft and impersonation.

But I’m not ready to do that.

Still, I am making the first steps.

In 2022, I made the for-me brave decision to serialise and publish my book on Medium. My Amazon sales weren’t great, and for the time being I’d found my people. (They were on Medium.) I was happy.

Now I’m taking it down.

Where are you guys?

Where have my crew gone? In search of someplace more sympathetic to their writerly plight and genius, obviously. Newsbreak, Substack, whatever. Point is, they took themselves off the platform because it doesn’t work for them anymore.

Me, I present with intolerable inertia when it comes to the push, so I’ve stuck it out against all better judgment. But even I can be decisive when I’m not getting paid for my stories (15 in August, earning $8) and when Medium is fighting a losing battle to keep AI’s sticky fingers off the site (while also investigating a cease-fire deal to monetise your content and mine).

How quaint — just last month we thought AI’s greatest threat was the frightening competition it presented to fallible human writers. Only, we are our own competition. AI is us. We’ve been assimilated.

So now what?

Have you seen Coach Tony’s poll? I paraphrase:

Would you agree to monetising your words in a deal between Medium and the devil? No? So then, would you opt out? Or leave? Oh, you’d wait and see? But can you be sure your work is safe?

I rather think not, personally. Which is why I’ve begun to hide my work.

Starting tonight, I’m unlisting all but 4 chapters of my book, I Love You, We Said. That means you can now find the full product only on Amazon.

Here’s a link to Chapter 1 right here on Medium (with a link at the top of chapters 1–3 to the next one, and so on).

And here’s a Kindle preview that lets you read the first three chapters for free.

I Love You, We Said: An autofiction

I Love You, We Said: An autofiction eBook : Human, Ben: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

lire.amazon.fr

If one had world enough and time, this AI business is a sad, sad story of course. It could mean the death of creative platforms, when platforms have meant so much to us on our creative journeys.

Unless, of course, something extraordinary can be done — like, I don’t know, massive class action joining all platforms, creators, regulators and unions against all tech companies and their open criminality.

Now wouldn’t that be something?