A growing rift between Australian writers and publishers has burst into the open, with prominent authors speaking out against contracts that would allow their work to be used for AI training. The controversy has reignited the broader debate about AI copyright, creative consent and the economic future of literature in the digital age.
The spark came earlier this year when Melbourne publisher Black Inc requested that authors sign a new agreement permitting the use of their writing to train generative AI systems. The clause was met with swift and fierce backlash, with many writers refusing to sign and some likening the request to ‘signing their own death warrant’.
