Tony

“college is absolutely nothing like this” “why are we writing four people on the team scoring a hat trick in one game” “so tech work is nothing like this, hope that helps!”

I am wondering what are your thoughts on an increasing number of wolfstar writers on ao3 using gen AI, without disclosing it.

There are a couple of new authors with really popular fics that are very likely using AI and it just makes me so sad.

I asked one of the authors about it (privately) and they just deleted their whole tumblr without saying a word. Their tumblr was made just to promote the fic and now they’re posting multiple long fics with the most popular tropes, to appeal to a mass audience, at the same time, there is just no way they’re writing it themselves. Someone even asked them, how do you have time to write so many words/fics? Well they don’t!!! It’s ai!!!! Their fic is getting lots of comments praising their work, I’ve seen edits made for this fic, and it’s just so unfair to both other authors and readers.

It just really frustrates me because there are so many brilliant authors in the fandom and now these people using ai are ruining it for everyone and destroying the credibility of the fandom.

What do you think we as readers should do??? I just can’t make peace with how unfair it is to everyone.

This. Keep doing this.

Keep pointing it out that you recognize they didn’t write it themselves.

Keep commenting on “their” fics. Respond to people’s comments making sure they know it’s AI and recommend something else to them.

Promote ACTUAL authors as much as you can and comment on their fics so they don’t lose motivation.

Quote the AI fics and gather people around to help you shame people for trying to trick you.

Brainstorm with friends. Maybe you all make or support a fanfic competition where you don’t allow AI works, and the theme is “shame on you” with the joke being AI “authors” should be ashamed. Idk. But definitely talk to people. Keep it a part of of the conversation so it doesn’t become so normalized we forget we should be offended.

Volunteer for AO3. And talk to them. Maybe they can add a check box for AI works (many social media accounts have this as an option), or maybe they can add an AI reporting feature.

TBH I don’t have a solution that I’m sure will work, but I love that you care.

And I think in this increasing digitally over saturated age, I’m finding myself more and more inclined to go back to the physical.

Fanfic started as printed out stories that friends would swap at cons. So starting printing YOUR OWN works (never ever ever print someone else’s without their explicit consent) and mail them to friends. Start a magazine (can be online too) where people can submit their written fics.

DEI does not mean lower standards.