Major Book Publishers Deploy ChatGPT and Claude

Leading US publishing houses—including HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, and Hachette—are increasingly embedding generative software into their daily workflows without public disclosure. Internal teams are utilizing large language models such as Claude and ChatGPT, as well as marketing platforms like Jasper, to generate publicity text, design cover art, create promotional videos, and draft rejection letters to literary agents. At HarperCollins, executives established internal champions to brainstorm use cases, despite employee pushback regarding compensation concerns where 2023 entry-level salaries in New York City averaged $47,583 across the Big Five and Scholastic.

Resistance from workers and literary representatives is growing across the sector. In May 2024, Simon & Schuster ran an internal contest offering a $10,000 top prize and two $5,000 runner-up rewards for creative automation ideas, but later scaled back its push following staff complaints. More recently, word of a trial with workflow analysis software Skan AI—urged by owner KKR following its 2023 purchase of the publisher—led employees to draft an open letter to CEO Greg Greeley. In an October 6 response, Greeley noted that no final decision had been made regarding Skan AI's Blueprint tool, though detection analysis via Pangram suggested parts of his memo were AI-generated.

The rapid adoption comes alongside high-profile book cancellations involving suspected author AI use, including Hachette’s horror novel Shy Girl and Macmillan’s crime thriller Call Me, I’ll Hide the Body. In response, literary agents are adding strict contract clauses prohibiting publishers from running unpublished manuscripts through open-loop models. Meanwhile, executives like HarperCollins CEO Brian Murray and Europa Editions executive publisher Michael Reynolds have expressed enthusiasm for automated translation, which is already appearing at the Frankfurt and London book fairs. Additionally, Hachette recently appointed Carl Hixson as chief information officer, moving over from his previous CTO role at Saudi-backed SRMG, signaling further evolution of industry workflows.