Can You Tell If AI Wrote That Novel? Linguists and Authors Grapple With AI Fiction

As allegations of large language model use spread through literary and media circles, linguists are identifying what truly distinguishes human from machine-generated language, while prominent novelists including Jennifer Egan and Jeanette Winterson weigh in on fiction's future in the ChatGPT era. The Guardian explores whether readers could even detect an AI-written great novel through interactive examples and expert analysis.

Why it matters: With AI text generation rapidly improving, media and publishing professionals need to understand the linguistic markers of machine writing and prepare for potential industry disruption around authenticity and authorship.