Authors Guild Proposes New AI Safeguards for Publishing Contracts

The Authors Guild is urging the publishing industry to adopt clearer boundaries around the use of generative AI, releasing a set of recommendations alongside proposed contract language aimed at protecting authors’ work.

At the center of the Guild’s concerns is the growing practice of publishing professionals uploading manuscripts, and sometimes authors’ personal information, into widely accessible AI tools. These systems are often used to generate summaries, editorial feedback, or marketing materials, but the Guild warns that doing so could expose intellectual property to unintended use, including potential AI training.

To address this, the organization has drafted a model clause that publishers can incorporate into contracts. The proposed language would require publishers to obtain explicit written consent from authors before submitting any portion of a manuscript or related personal data to consumer-facing AI platforms. Even when permission is granted, publishers would be expected to implement safeguards to prevent the material from being absorbed into AI training datasets.

The Guild is also drawing a firm line around the role of AI in the editorial process. Under the suggested terms, publishers would be prohibited from using AI to revise or edit manuscripts, with the exception of basic tools such as spellcheck or grammar correction. Additionally, any proposed changes—whether textual or visual—must originate from human creators, not AI-generated outputs.

These recommendations reflect broader industry anxieties about how rapidly evolving AI technologies are being integrated into publishing workflows. For authors, the issue is not only about control over their work, but also about transparency and consent in how that work is handled behind the scenes.

By introducing model contract language, the Authors Guild hopes to establish clearer expectations between authors and publishers—ensuring that creative rights remain protected as the industry navigates the growing influence of artificial intelligence.