BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Moravian Book Shop is closing the chapter on artificial intelligence before it could even begin.
In an announcement on social media, the bookstore shared that it would not support the use of AI in any of its products.
"We will not host book signings or sell your book if it was made with AI (book covers included)," the post said. "We do not support the use of AI replacing creative jobs in this industry.
"Please do not query if you have used AI during any part of the writing/publishing of your book."
The post was met with mostly positive comments on Instagram and Facebook, with many people sharing thanks to the bookstore for taking a public stance on the issue.
"I just decided to make the post just so authors weren't wasting time reaching out to me. And my time wasn't wasted either, with books that we just wouldn't bring in."Moravian Bookstore Trade Manager Gail Schoepple
Moravian Book Shop Trade Manager Gail Schoepple said the conversation started when she noticed a local author using AI to generate a book cover and images inside the book.
"I always knew that that's not something I wanted to support, you know, whatever is in my control," Schoepple said. "So we decided to not move forward with bringing that book in.
"And then it happened again, like two weeks later, with another artist with an AI book cover.
"That's when I just decided to make the post just so authors weren't wasting time reaching out to me. And my time wasn't wasted either, with books that we just wouldn't bring in."
A study from Microsoft last month put arts and design among the fifth major group to be most impacted by generative artificial intelligence integration into the workspace.
That study also placed writers and authors at the fifth-most at-risk occupation, because of AI.
Lacks 'human creativity'
Penn State Lehigh Valley professor Pedro Robles, who has studied AI for four years, said he thinks the technology still has years of improvement ahead to truly replace certain jobs because it lacks "human creativity."
"AI likes to write in a way that you lose the human touch in the writing," Robles said. "And it's very mechanical. It likes to use sophisticated writing sometimes.
"The same way we have, as humans, our way of writing, AI has its own style, and it's something that developers are still working on."
"And of course, bookstores, they don't want to start selling books that were written with AI and people are buying books that are not human written anymore."Penn State Lehigh Valley professor Pedro Robles
Robles said, "It's not just affecting writing. It is affecting the perception in many different industries.
"Like, some companies, they're already thinking, 'Oh, we can replace all these people because ChatGPT or similar AI — it can do the same thing.' But it's not right," he said.
"It cannot do that because this technology is still maturing, and it's not at the level that it can match a human being in many different areas now."
From a business perspective, Robles said he can understand why a publisher or bookstore would push back on selling AI-generated products.
"If they start publishing papers that have this kind of quality, that means their value also starts dropping, too," he said. "So it is a chain effect.
"And of course, bookstores, they don't want to start selling books that were written with AI and people are buying books that are not human written anymore."
'Creative jobs are not very valued'
Schoepple said as far as she knows, no authors are using AI to write their books.
Still, any use of generative AI is "a bit depressing" to see and unearths a fear that it could be used to write books one day, Schoepple said.
"This is what we want to see thrive in this industry, even if it costs more, even if it takes longer."Gail Schoepple, Trade Manager at the Moravian Bookstore
"To see people opt for a cheaper, easier option, versus using someone creative [or] local to give them that opportunity to get in the industry — you know, that's people's livelihoods there, and it's getting rid of jobs, unfortunately," she said.
"And again, it's not something I ever wanted to support. And to see more and more and more of that happening here, the only word I can say is depressing."
Local authors have been receptive to the bookstore's decision, Schoepple said. Past work from authors who did not use generative AI still will be brought into the store, but any new books that do will not.
Although technology may be cheaper than hiring a professional, Schoepple wants others opt for the more expensive route.
"Creative jobs are not very valued nowadays," she said. "Whatever's in your power as a small artist, as a small author, as a small publisher, to continue to support real people so they can continue to live doing what they love.
"This is what we want to see thrive in this industry, even if it costs more, even if it takes longer.
"So I just urge people to, even though it's harder and more expensive, to just keep the craft alive and not rely on technology for an easy out."
