National Novel Writing Month Embroiled in AI Controversy

National Novel Writing Month Faces Controversy Over AI Issues

Tamara Palmer is a DJ, author and publisher of the small-batch print magazine California Eating. As NaNoWriMo, an organized novel-writing challenge, prepares to turn 25 in November, the addition of a new AI sponsor and tools has stirred up controversy for the nonprofit organization that organizes the event. Originally an abbreviation for National Novel Writing Month, NaNoWriMo launched in 1999 to encourage anyone to try to write a 50,000 word novel during the month of November. The pursuit is now global. Participants chart their progress on the official website, earning virtual badges for achieving milestones -- some as simple as just starting a project. Read more: This AI Writing Tool Could Be a Student's Best Friend, and Biggest Temptation Since generative AI tools have proliferated, the question of whether artificial intelligence should be used in creative projects like books, movies and music continues to be debated. In October, authors of 183,000 books learned that their titles had been used to train artificial intelligence systems without their knowledge. There have also been divergent opinions on whether AI-assisted endeavors should qualify for traditional performance awards such as the Grammys. The controversy seems to have started on Sept. 2, with a post from the group that read, "NaNoWriMo does not explicitly support any specific approach to writing, nor does it explicitly condemn any approach, including the use of AI." The group went on to acknowledge that some writers "stand staunchly against AI for themselves," but added, "we believe that to categorically condemn AI would be to ignore classist and ableist issues surrounding the use of the technology, and that questions around the use of AI tie to questions around privilege. Read more: This AI Graphics Startup Is a Cheap, Easy Alternative to Adobe and Canva The ProWritingAid sponsorship was revealed in a resignation letter titled NaNoHellNo posted by Daniel José Older, who served on the NaNoWriMo Writers Board. "Your position on AI is vile, craven, and unconscionable," he wrote in the letter. "You are harming writers and you are harming the planet." The sponsor did not know about the statement before it was issued, a representative said. "ProWritingAid has supported NaNoWriMo for many years and we were completely unaware they were going to make this statement," company founder and CEO Chris Banks told CNET. "We fundamentally disagree with the sentiment that criticism of AI tools in inherently ableist or classist. We believe that writers' concerns about the role of AI are valid and deserve thoughtful consideration. Writers are the reason ProWritingAid exists, and we are committed to supporting human creativity, not undermining it." Read more: Flummoxed by AI at Work? This Startup Sees a Way to Change That A representative for NaNoWriMo did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Since the controversy began to spread, the group has since updated its online statement. The newer version addresses some criticism of AI, mentioning "bad actors in the AI space who are doing harm to writers and who are acting unethically." The group went on to say that it still found "categorical condemnation" of AI to be problematic, but that it was "troubled by situational abuse of AI, and that certain situational abuses clearly conflict with our values." In addition to the November contest, NaNoWriMo runs a year-round Young Writers Program for students and educators. The site offers writing resources and tools, and a community component allows users to follow and support other writers. Most who start writing for NaNoWriMo do not complete a novel in one month's time, but many take on the challenge. In 2015, then-CNET editor Eric Mack crowdsourced advice to write a sci-fi novel for NaNoWriMo. The 2006 Sara Gruen bestseller Water For Elephants, which became a movie and a Broadway musical, began as a NaNoWriMo book.tr

AI usage controversy around NaNoWriMo heats up

The organization behind NaNoWriMo has come under fire following a controversial statement suggesting that opposing AI writing tools might be "classist and ableist." NaNoWriMo posted its statement on AI over the weekend, neither fully supporting nor rejecting the technology but highlighting the importance of considering social issues related to its use. The post argued that AI tools could help alleviate the financial burden of hiring assistants and provide support for those with different cognitive abilities. NaNoWriMo, best known for its annual November writing challenge where participants are tasked with producing a 50,000-word manuscript, had previously acknowledged that while AI could be used, relying on it entirely would defeat the purpose of the challenge. However, this year, the organization expanded its view, stating that while some writers may personally reject AI, others should have the freedom to choose their tools. "We recognize that some members of our community stand staunchly against AI for themselves, and that's perfectly fine. As individuals, we have the freedom to make our own decisions," stated NaNoWriMo in its latest post. The statement ignited widespread outrage across social media, particularly on platforms like X and Reddit, where writers and creatives voiced concerns over the use of generative AI in creative work. Some felt that AI devalues artistic expression, while others, including disabled writers, criticized the organization for implying that AI is necessary to accommodate different writing needs. The controversy led to a notable resignation from the NaNoWriMo Writers Board -- Daniel José Older, a key figure in the Star Wars: The High Republic series, stepped down in protest of the organization's position. "Generative AI empowers not the artist, not the writer, but the tech industry. It steals content to remake content, graverobbing existing material to staple together its Frankensteinian idea of art and story." This incident adds to NaNoWriMo's growing list of controversies in recent years. The organization had previously faced scrutiny for a lack of transparency following accusations involving child safety concerns and grooming, as well as criticism for promoting its sponsor's AI writing tools. In response to the uproar, NaNoWriMo revised its statement to address concerns about the role of generative AI in the writing world. The update expressed that the organization is troubled by specific misuses of AI, which clash with its values. NaNoWriMo further clarified that AI is a broad technology, encompassing both generative and non-generative forms, and that its complexity makes it difficult to take a definitive stance either for or against. At a glance: NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. It's an annual creative writing challenge that takes place every November, where participants aim to write a 50,000-word manuscript in 30 days. The event encourages writers of all skill levels to focus on completing a novel rather than perfecting it, with the goal of motivating creativity and output. Recently, NaNoWriMo has been at the center of controversy due to its stance on AI writing tools. The organization received backlash after suggesting that opposing AI use in writing is "classist and ableist." This sparked heated discussions within the creative community, with many writers arguing that AI diminishes the value of human creativity. Additionally, the organization has faced past criticisms regarding transparency, child safety concerns, and its partnerships with companies offering AI-driven writing assistance. Key rules for NaNoWriMo include: Generative AI tools are allowed, but using them exclusively to write the entire manuscript goes against the spirit of the challenge. There's a clear distinction between generating content and the art of writing. While writing involves creativity, intuition, and an emotional connection with the reader, generative AI works on speed and efficiency, assembling content from vast data pools. However, dismissing the force and rapid advancement of generative AI tools entirely is a relic of outdated thinking. Much like the iPhone revolutionized how we communicate and work, generative AI is reshaping how we approach content creation. To hold too tightly to traditional views without acknowledging the potential of this technology is to risk being left behind in a critical moment of transformation. A delicate balance is necessary -- one that protects the integrity of creative writing while allowing for the benefits of AI. Rather than a blanket rejection or blind embrace, what's needed is a regulatory framework that ensures ethical use.

National Novel Writing Month's AI-neutral stance criticized by bestselling authors

Join our daily and weekly newsletters for the latest updates and exclusive content on industry-leading AI coverage. Learn More National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), the 25-year-old nonprofit organization that encourages anyone and everyone who has interest to draft a novel each year during the month of November, recently stirred significant debate by announcing it will accept the use of artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool in the writing process. The decision, rooted in the belief that opposition to AI can be classist and ableist, has received mixed reactions, drawing both support and lots of criticism -- including from bestselling established authors and former NaNoWriMo board members. Yesterday, the organization published a statement on its website noting that it neither condemns nor exclusively endorses the technology. Instead, NaNoWriMo champions the freedom for writers to choose their own methods, whether they involve traditional approaches or AI tools. "NaNoWriMo does not explicitly support any specific approach to writing, nor does it explicitly condemn any approach, including the use of AI," the statement reads, later adding, "We believe that to categorically condemn AI would be to ignore classist and ableist issues surrounding the use of the technology, and that questions around the use of AI tie to questions around privilege." Disclaimer: VentureBeat uses AI tools to generate imagery, copy and other material for use in our publishing and promotion. Why NaNoWriMo supports AI for use in writing in some cases The organization's official statement highlights the complexity of AI as a broad technological category, making it difficult to entirely endorse or reject. It also underscores the social implications of AI use, suggesting that to oppose AI outright ignores the realities of class and ability disparities. According to NaNoWriMo, some writers may turn to AI for practical reasons, such as financial constraints or cognitive challenges that make traditional writing methods less accessible. As NaNoWriMo's statement explains: "Not all writers have the financial ability to hire humans to help at certain phases of their writing. For some writers, the decision to use AI is a practical, not an ideological, one. The financial ability to engage a human for feedback and review assumes a level of privilege that not all community members possess." The organization also points out that underrepresented minorities are less likely to secure traditional publishing deals, which forces many into the indie author space where upfront costs can be prohibitive. AI tools, in these cases, might provide essential support that enables them to pursue their writing goals. Bestselling authors lash out However, the endorsement of AI has not been without controversy. Prominent voices in the writing community have expressed their displeasure with NaNoWriMo's stance. Urban fantasy author Daniel José Older, a former member of NaNoWriMo's Writers Board, announced his resignation from the board in response to the organization's pro-AI position. "Never use my name in your promo again," Older declared on social media, urging other writers to follow his lead. Maureen Johnson, a #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of young adult (YA) novels, also resigned from NaNoWriMo's Writers' Board of the Young Writers Program, citing concerns over how the organization might use writers' work to train AI systems. Other authors, including Adam Christopher and Bryan Young, criticized NaNoWriMo for what they perceive as an anti-art and anti-creativity stance, accusing the organization of promoting meaningless AI-generated content. The backlash was further fueled by revelations that NaNoWriMo's recent sponsors include companies offering AI software and writing tools, such as ProWritingAid. ProWritingAid provides a suite of AI-powered tools designed to enhance writing, including grammar checking, sentence rephrasing, and a variety of writing reports. Its "AI Sparks" feature assists writers in overcoming writer's block by generating text and adding sensory details or dialogue. This sponsorship has led to suspicions and criticism from those who view the endorsement as influenced by financial incentives rather than a purely ethical stance. NaNoWriMo also collaborates with writing software like Scrivener, which integrates AI tools like ProWritingAid to help users access AI writing and editing features within their environment. Other platforms like Dabble, Storyist, and Ninja Writers, while not inherently AI-focused, support the integration of AI tools, allowing writers to enhance their work using external AI services. In contrast, another sponsor, Freewrite remains focused on providing distraction-free writing devices, emphasizing traditional writing processes without AI integration. In response to the criticism, NaNoWriMo acknowledged the existence of unethical practices within the AI space but maintained that its stance is driven by a desire to support all writers, regardless of their chosen methods. The organization reiterated its commitment to providing resources and information about AI to its community, noting that events related to AI have been well-attended, indicating strong interest among participants. As AI continues to evolve and its role in creative processes becomes more prominent, NaNoWriMo's position could serve as a bellwether for how other organizations and individuals approach the integration of AI into creative fields. For enterprise decision-makers, especially those in publishing and creative industries, NaNoWriMo's stance might offer valuable insights as they navigate the ethical and practical implications of AI in their own operations. NaNoWriMo's position ultimately reflects a broader debate within the writing community -- is AI a tool on the order of a word processor or search engine, one primarily directed by humans, or is it a morally and ethically compromised technology built from copyrighted works without permission, which critics equate with theft? For now, it seems, leading authors are coalescing around the latter position.

NaNoWriMo Organizers Said It Was Classist and Ableist to Condemn AI. All Hell Broke Loose

Last weekend several authors cut ties with National Novel Writing Month after the nonprofit issued a statement seemingly greenlighting the use of AI in writing. National Novel Writing Month has long been known for its quirky, homegrown approach to creativity: Write a novel during the month of November! Just jot down 50,000 words while you're knocking out holiday shopping and basting a turkey! But last Friday, the 25-year-old nonprofit, known as NaNoWriMo for short, shocked many in the writing community when it published a controversial statement detailing its position on AI. In it, NaNoWriMo asserted that the "categorical condemnation" of artificial intelligence has "classist and ableist undertones." The statement went viral on social media over the weekend, drawing fire from longtime participants and well-known authors, some of whom credit the completion of their first novels to the organization. Four members of NaNoWriMo's writers board, including science fiction/fantasy writer Daniel José Older and fantasy writer Cass Morris, have now publicly stepped down from their roles in response. One of the organization's sponsors, Ellipsus, which advertises itself as a "principled alternative to Google Docs" and is staunchly opposed to the use of generative AI in its products, has officially withdrawn its sponsorship. Though it's not clear what prompted the organization to release the message -- which was published on its Zendesk page, where participants can learn more about the organization and troubleshoot issues, and not on NaNo's official blog -- it states that NaNoWriMo does not "explicitly support" or "condemn" any one approach to writing. Elaborating further, it says that to "categorically condemn AI would be to ignore classist and ableist issues surrounding the use of the technology." As an example, the organization says that the ability to hire a human for feedback on writing "assumes a level of privilege" that not every writer has. It adds that "not all brains have [the] same abilities," and that some may "require outside help or accommodations to achieve certain goals." In an email to NaNo's board, Older, the New York Times best-selling author of the fantasy series Outlaw City and story architect of the multimedia series Star Wars: The High Republic, called its position on AI "vile, craven, and unconscionable." "Your heinous re-configuring of language used to fight actual injustices into a shield to cover your transparently business-based posturing is unforgivable," Older added. (As of this writing, NaNoWriMo has not responded to a list of questions from WIRED about the statement and fallout.) The dustup within the NaNoWriMo community seems to be boiling over just as proponents and detractors of AI argue over its value and usefulness in creative fields. Every kind of writer, from fanfic scribes to journalists, has wondered about whether or not it is scraping their work from the open internet. Some authors, like Stephen Marche, have found ways to use it as a tool; others swear they'd never touch the stuff. Amidst all this, NaNoWriMo, a one-time haven for amateur writers of all kinds, seemingly took the stance that not only is it wrong to condemn AI, doing so is an affront to poor people or disabled people who may use it.

National Novel Writing Month faces backlash over allowing AI: What to know

The nonprofit behind National Novel Writing Month, an annual tradition in which writers try to crank out the first 50,000 words of a novel in November, is facing backlash from authors after it said it would not object to the use of artificial intelligence in its popular event. AI use in literature has stoked pushback in recent years. Last fall, blockbuster writers including George R.R. Martin, Jodi Picoult and Jonathan Franzen banded together to sue ChatGPT maker OpenAI for allegedly using their work to train its artificial intelligence tools. A growing group of artists, musicians and Hollywood writers are also trying to stop tech companies from benefiting from their work without paying for it. Here's what to know about the latest literary controversy. How does National Novel Writing Month work? National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, began in 1999 as a 30-day literary challenge in which entrants tried to write 50,000 words of a novel - roughly the length of F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby." "Hundreds of thousands of people around the world" now participate each November, the organization says, with the goal of finishing the month with a first draft of a novel in any genre. Anyone age 13 and older can take part, including professional and hobbyist writers. "NaNoWriMo is for anyone who has ever thought about writing a novel," the nonprofit says. The NaNoWriMo organization provides resources for writers, virtual events, chat forums and offers from sponsors. When the event is over, writers may choose to revise their manuscripts, publish traditionally or self-publish, or simply share their stories with friends and family. What did NaNoWriMo say about AI? The furor began last weekend, when NaNoWriMo posted a statement on its website saying that the organization "does not explicitly support any specific approach to writing, nor does it explicitly condemn any approach, including the use of AI." NaNoWriMo said it would "recognize and respect writers who believe that AI tools are right for them. We recognize that some members of our community stand staunchly against AI for themselves, and that's perfectly fine. As individuals, we have the freedom to make our own decisions." To condemn AI, the organization said, "would be to ignore classist and ableist issues surrounding the use of the technology," noting that issues around the use of AI "tie to questions around privilege." The group argued that "not all writers have the financial ability to hire humans to help at certain phases of their writing," and that for some writers, AI is a practical solution, rather than ideological. "Not all brains have same abilities and not all writers function at the same level of education or proficiency in the language in which they are writing," NaNoWriMo wrote. "Some brains and ability levels require outside help or accommodations to achieve certain goals." The statement goes a step further than last year's comment on the topic, in which NaNoWriMo said writers were welcome to use artificial intelligence to "assist your creative process" but that utilizing AI to "write your entire novel would defeat the purpose of the challenge." How are people reacting? NaNoWriMo's openness to writers using AI has sparked discontent among some authors and writers associated with the organization. At least a few members have said they would no longer participate in the annual challenge. Fantasy and young adult fiction writer Daniel José Older stepped down from the NaNoWriMo Writers Board on Tuesday because, he said in a statement, NaNoWriMo "has taken a wild and ridiculous stand in favor of Generative AI." He said the decision was "unconscionable" and "harming writers" as he urged others to also resign. Older also noted that NaNoWriMo is sponsored by ProWritingAid, an AI-powered writing assistant. ProWritingAid's founder, Chris Banks, confirmed to The Washington Post on Wednesday that the company has long supported NaNoWriMo. He said his organization was "committed to supporting human creativity, not undermining it." "We fundamentally disagree with the sentiment that criticism of AI tools is inherently ableist or classist. We believe that writers' concerns about the role of AI are valid and deserve thoughtful consideration," Banks wrote in an email. NaNoWriMo did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Post. Maureen Johnson, an author of young adult novels, posted on X that she would step down from the board of NaNoWriMo's Young Writers Program because of the AI statement. "I want nothing to do with your organization from this point forward," she wrote. Novelist and essayist Roxane Gay said on social media that she was "embarrassed" for NaNoWriMo. Ellipsus, a collaborative writing software company, said in a statement Tuesday that it had decided to end its sponsorship of the group on the grounds that "we strongly disagree with NaNoWriMo's recent statements regarding generative AI." Ellipsus said AI was responsible for "the wholesale theft of authors' works, and a lack of respect for the craft of writing." One writer, Laura Elliott, reacted strongly to NaNoWriMo's assertion that opposing the use of AI would be ableist. She wrote on X that as a "disabled writer," she was "furious." "Disabled writers do not need the immoral theft machine to write because we lack the ability to be creative without plagiarism - encouraging AI is a slap in the face to all writers and this excuse is appallingly ableist," Elliott wrote. How has NaNoWriMo responded to the backlash? After writers began to respond negatively to NaNoWriMo's position, the group updated its online statement "to reflect our acknowledgment that there are bad actors in the AI space who are doing harm to writers and who are acting unethically." The group said that although it found the "categorical condemnation for AI to be problematic," it was "troubled by situational abuse of AI, and that certain situational abuses clearly conflict with our values." AI's complexity, the organization said, made it "simply too big to categorically endorse or not endorse." "We see value in sharing resources and information about AI and any emerging technology, issue, or discussion that is relevant to the writing community as a whole," NaNoWriMo said. "It's healthy for writers to be curious about what's new and forthcoming, and what might impact their career space or their pursuit of the craft." How have other creative industries approached AI? AI systems are usually "trained" on huge datasets of published material. The systems eventually recognize patterns in arrangements of words and pixels, which they can then draw on to put together prose and images in response to prompts. Some novelists have said they are flattered that their work is being used to train AI programs, while others have called for better legal protections of their intellectual property rights. AI companies argue that what they're doing should be considered "fair use" because their models significantly change the original material. In the media industry, the New York Times filed a federal lawsuit this year against OpenAI and Microsoft, alleging that they illegally used "millions" of copyrighted Times articles to help develop the AI models behind tools such as ChatGPT and Bing. Other news outlets have struck arrangements with AI firms over the use of their contents. OpenAI has agreed to pay German media conglomerate Axel Springer, which publishes Business Insider and Politico, to show parts of articles in ChatGPT responses. OpenAI also reached a deal with the Associated Press for access to the news service's archives. The Post employs some of its own AI tools and has signaled that it is keeping its options open around artificial intelligence. This summer, record companies including Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and Warner Records, sued two artificial intelligence music start-ups, alleging that they used copyrighted songs to train their tools.

National Novel Writing Month faces backlash over allowing AI: What to know

Sorry, a summary is not available for this article at this time. Please try again later. The nonprofit behind National Novel Writing Month, an annual tradition in which writers try to crank out the first 50,000 words of a novel in November, is facing backlash from authors after it said it would not object to the use of artificial intelligence in its popular event. AI use in literature has stoked pushback in recent years. Last fall, blockbuster writers including George R.R. Martin, Jodi Picoult and Jonathan Franzen banded together to sue ChatGPT maker OpenAI for allegedly using their work to train its artificial intelligence tools. A growing group of artists, musicians and Hollywood writers are also trying to stop tech companies from benefiting from their work without paying for it. Here's what to know about the latest literary controversy. What to know How does National Novel Writing Month work?What did NaNoWriMo say about AI?How are people reacting?How has NaNoWriMo responded to the backlash?How have other creative industries approached AI?

Generative AI backlash hits annual writing event, prompting resignations

NaNoWriMo refuses to condemn AI as accessibility tool, faces criticism from writers. Over the weekend, the nonprofit National Novel Writing Month organization (NaNoWriMo) published an FAQ outlining its position on AI, calling categorical rejection of AI writing technology "classist" and "ableist." The statement caused a backlash online, prompted four members of the organization's board to step down, and prompted a sponsor to withdraw its support. Further Reading "We believe that to categorically condemn AI would be to ignore classist and ableist issues surrounding the use of the technology," wrote NaNoWriMo, "and that questions around the use of AI tie to questions around privilege." NaNoWriMo, known for its annual challenge where participants write a 50,000-word manuscript in November, argued in its post that condemning AI would ignore issues of class and ability, suggesting the technology could benefit those who might otherwise need to hire human writing assistants or have differing cognitive abilities. Writers react After word of the FAQ spread, many writers on social media platforms voiced their opposition to NaNoWriMo's position. Generative AI models are commonly trained on vast amounts of existing text, including copyrighted works, without attribution or compensation to the original authors. Critics say this raises major ethical questions about using such tools in creative writing competitions and challenges. "Generative AI empowers not the artist, not the writer, but the tech industry. It steals content to remake content, graverobbing existing material to staple together its Frankensteinian idea of art and story," wrote Chuck Wendig, the author of Star Wars: Aftermath, in a post about NaNoWriMo on his personal blog. Further Reading Daniel José Older, a lead story architect for Star Wars: The High Republic and one of the board members who resigned, wrote on X, "Hello @NaNoWriMo, this is me DJO officially stepping down from your Writers Board and urging every writer I know to do the same. Never use my name in your promo again in fact never say my name at all and never email me again. Thanks!" In particular, NaNoWriMo's use of words like "classist" and "ableist" to defend the potential use of generative AI particularly touched a nerve with opponents of generative AI, some of whom say they are disabled themselves. "A huge middle finger to @NaNoWriMo for this laughable bullshit. Signed, a poor, disabled and chronically ill writer and artist. Miss me by a wide margin with that ableist and privileged bullshit," wrote one X user. "Other people's work is NOT accessibility." This isn't the first time the organization has dealt with controversy. Last year, NaNoWriMo announced that it would accept AI-assisted submissions but noted that using AI for an entire novel "would defeat the purpose of the challenge." Many critics also point out that a NaNoWriMo moderator faced accusations related to child grooming in 2023, which lessened their trust in the organization. NaNoWriMo doubles down In response to the backlash, NaNoWriMo updated its FAQ post to address concerns about AI's impact on the writing industry and to mention "bad actors in the AI space who are doing harm to writers and who are acting unethically." We want to make clear that, though we find the categorical condemnation for AI to be problematic for the reasons stated below, we are troubled by situational abuse of AI, and that certain situational abuses clearly conflict with our values. We also want to make clear that AI is a large umbrella technology and that the size and complexity of that category (which includes both non-generative and generative AI, among other uses) contributes to our belief that it is simply too big to categorically endorse or not endorse. Over the past few years, we've received emails from disabled people who frequently use generative AI tools, and we have interviewed a disabled artist, Claire Silver, who uses image synthesis prominently in her work. Some writers with disabilities use tools like ChatGPT to assist them with composition when they have cognitive issues and need assistance expressing themselves. In June, on Reddit, one user wrote, "As someone with a disability that makes manually typing/writing and wording posts challenging, ChatGPT has been invaluable. It assists me in articulating my thoughts clearly and efficiently, allowing me to participate more actively in various online communities." A person with Chiari malformation wrote on Reddit in November 2023 that they use ChatGPT to help them develop software using their voice. "These tools have fundamentally empowered me. The course of my life, my options, opportunities -- they're all better because of this tool," they wrote. Further Reading To opponents of generative AI, the potential benefits that might come to disabled persons do not outweigh what they see as mass plagiarism from tech companies. Also, some artists do not want the time and effort they put into cultivating artistic skills to be devalued for anyone's benefit. "All these bullshit appeals from people appropriating social justice language saying, 'but AI lets me make art when I'm not privileged enough to have the time to develop those skills' highlights something that needs to be said: you are not entitled to being talented," posted a writer named Carlos Alonzo Morales on Sunday. Despite the strong takes, NaNoWriMo has so far stuck to its position of accepting generative AI as a set of potential writing tools in a way that is consistent with its "overall position on nondiscrimination with respect to approaches to creativity, writer's resources, and personal choice." "We absolutely do not condemn AI," NaNoWriMo wrote in the FAQ post, "and we recognize and respect writers who believe that AI tools are right for them. We recognize that some members of our community stand staunchly against AI for themselves, and that's perfectly fine. As individuals, we have the freedom to make our own decisions."

NaNoWriMo Slammed for Saying That Opposition to AI-Generated Books Is Ableist

"I want nothing to do with your organization from this point forward." A nonprofit writing organization that hosts an annual month-long novel write-a-thon has released its new position on artificial intelligence -- and writers are clowning on its incredibly goofy suggestions. The National Novel Writing Month group, better known by the abbreviation "NaNoWriMo," has included in its "Community Matters" section a statement suggesting that criticisms of AI use in writing are classist and ableist. "We believe that to categorically condemn AI would be to ignore classist and ableist issues surrounding the use of the technology," the position statement reads, "and that questions around the use of AI tie to questions around privilege." If you're confused as to why a writer-led writing organization is issuing statements in favor of the technology that many are concerned will take creatives' jobs while plagiarizing their work, you're far from alone. "Miss me by a wide margin with that ableist and privileged bullshit," one user wrote. "Other people's work is NOT accessibility." Two New York Times bestselling authors who sat on NaNoWriMo's various boards took their criticisms even further. "This is me DJO officially stepping down from your Writers Board and urging every writer I know to do the same," Daniel José Older, a young adult fiction author best known for his "Outlaw Saints" series, tweeted. "Never use my name in your promo again in fact never say my name at all and never email me again. Thanks!" Fellow YA author Maureen Johnson followed suit, telling the group in a tweet that she too was stepping down from its Young Writers' Program because she "want[s] nothing to do with your organization from this point forward." "I would also encourage writers to beware," she continued, "your work on their platform is almost certainly going to be used to train AI." In an update to its AI statement, NaNoWriMo acknowledged that although there are "bad actors in the AI space who are doing harm to writers and who are acting unethically" and that "situational" abuses of the technology go against its purported "values," the organization still "find[s] the categorical condemnation for AI to be problematic." "We also want to make clear that AI is a large umbrella technology and that the size and complexity of that category (which includes both non-generative and generative AI, among other uses) contributes to our belief that it is simply too big to categorically endorse or not endorse," the statement continues. This "hand-wavey" statement, as one user put it, will likely do little to assuage writers' concerns about this seeming endorsement issued under the banner of social justice -- except, perhaps, make NaNoWriMo look all the more foolish.