A New York Times Critic Used AI to Write a Review. This is Why it Matters

The Conversation is a good place to start.

The topic is books.

A writer used AI to help him write a book review for the New York Times.

The writer used AI for a New York Times book review.

Alex Preston's review used phrases and paragraphs from another review. A reader noticed the similarities and told the New York Times.

Preston said he is very embarrassed and made a huge mistake.

The New York Times stopped working with Preston because he used AI and did not give credit to the other writer.

Preston apologized, but his apology raises more questions. He said he used an AI tool and did not remove overlapping language from another review.

The question is not whether critics should hide their use of AI, but if they should use it at all.

AI can't do criticism.

A critic's role is to participate in a conversation about art, not just summarize it.

The critic talks to both the artist and the audience. The critic's emotional and intellectual engagement with art is important.

Information can be outsourced, but emotional engagement and individual perspective cannot.

Art and AI controversies exist.

There are valid arguments for using AI, but also concerns about its impact on creative expression.

An author was accused of using AI to write a horror novel. The book was withdrawn from publication.

A news site used AI to train chatbots.

An artist sparked controversy by revealing his prize-winning photo was AI-generated.

Writers were upset to discover their work was used to train AI systems without permission.

The question is what is the role of art and the responsibility of the critic.

Breaking a pact is a problem.

Art criticism in Australia is a small field. Critics often have other jobs and know the artists they review.

Some critics are too nice in their reviews.

The AI company's boss says he is not trying to change Australia's mind about protecting artists' copyright.

Generosity is important in public criticism. Critics have a responsibility to writers and readers.

Writers assume critics have read and considered their work when writing a review.

Using AI breaks this assumption.

This could lead to a future where readers' engagement with literature is outsourced to AI.

A literature academic said critics must write reviews as individual readers, with a public to judge their judgments.

Criticism can be literature.

Good criticism is a creative service to literature.

Popular criticism has an obligation to readers to convey honest opinions about books.

There is a shared obligation to be honest and transparent about AI use.

The autobiographical pact is a relationship between a memoir writer and their reader.

A similar pact exists between a reviewer and their reader. The reader should be able to trust the review is the critic's own.

A literary agent said mistrust is the book industry's greatest peril. Transparency is essential.

Preston broke the trust of his readers by not disclosing his use of AI.

Bec Kavanagh is a senior tutor in publishing and creative writing.

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