The National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) organization recently faced heavy backlash and a board member resigned after publishing a FAQ outlining the organization's position on the use of AI in creative writing. In the document, the organization argued that criticism of novels written by AI rather than humans is “classist” and “ableist.”
Ars Technical Reports The nonprofit organization NaNoWriMo, known for its annual challenge encouraging participants to write a 50,000-word manuscript over the month of November, released a statement on its website addressing the topic of AI in writing. In an FAQ post, it said that categorically rejecting AI writing technology is “classist” and “ableist,” suggesting that such tools could be useful for people who would otherwise need to hire human writing assistants or who have varying cognitive abilities.
This stance on AI drew immediate backlash from many writers on social media platforms, with critics arguing that generative AI models trained on vast amounts of existing text, including copyrighted works, without attribution or compensation to the original authors, raise serious ethical concerns when used in creative writing contests and challenges.
Several prominent authors have spoken out against NaNoWriMo's position. Star Wars: Aftermath“Generative AI empowers the tech industry, not artists or writers, by stealing and remaking content, stealing existing material and piecing together Frankenstein-like art and story ideas,” he wrote on his blog. Star Wars: The High Republic And one of the four board members who resigned in response to the FAQ announced his decision to resign on X (formerly Twitter), urging other writers to do the same.
NaNoWriMo's use of terms like “classism” and “ableism” to defend its potential uses of generative AI has struck a particularly sensitive chord with opponents of the technology, some of whom identify as disabled. One user on X wrote, “A big middle finger to @NaNoWriMo for this laughable bullshit. Signed: Poor, disabled, chronically ill writer and artist. This ableism and privilege bullshit is so far from me. Other people's work is not accessible.”
In response to growing criticism, NaNoWriMo updated its FAQs to address concerns about the impact of AI on the writing industry and acknowledge “bad actors in the AI field who are harming writers and engaging in unethical behavior.” The organization cited an email from a person with a disability who uses generative AI tools to assist them in their writing when faced with cognitive challenges, arguing that categorically blaming AI is problematic.
Despite the potential benefits that AI could bring to some people with disabilities, critics argue they don't outweigh what they see as mass theft by tech companies. Some artists worry that the time and effort they've spent honing their skills will be devalued for someone else's gain.
Consistent with its “overall position of non-discrimination regarding approaches to creativity, writer resources, and personal choice,” NaNoWriMo maintains its position of embracing generative AI as a potential set of writing tools. The organization states, “We absolutely do not condemn AI. We acknowledge and respect writers who believe AI tools are right for them. We recognize that some members of our community are staunchly opposed to AI, and that's completely fine. As individuals, we have the freedom to make our own decisions.”
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Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering free speech and online censorship.
