Right now, today, AI is involved in more novels being written than at any previous point in history. That’s not a controversial statement — it’s observable from the tool adoption numbers alone.
The more useful question is what “involved” means across the spectrum.
AI as Autocomplete
At one end: AI as autocomplete. Authors using tools like Sudowrite or the built-in AI features in Scrivener or Word to suggest a next sentence, rephrase a paragraph, or get unstuck in a scene. This is the least controversial use and probably the most widespread. Most authors doing this don’t think of themselves as “writing with AI” in the way the phrase usually gets deployed.
AI as Co-Drafter
In the middle: AI as co-drafter. Writers who use AI to generate chapter drafts that they then substantially revise. The AI does the heavy lifting on getting words onto the page; the human does the work of making those words good. This is the fastest-growing category.
AI as Primary Author
At the other end: AI as primary author. Accounts using AI tools to generate and publish at volume, sometimes dozens of titles per month. This has caused the most controversy and the most platform policy response.
The Normalization Shift
What’s shifted in the past two years isn’t just the capability of the tools — it’s the normalization. Writers who were embarrassed to admit they used AI assistance two years ago are now open about it. The conversation has moved from “should we use these tools” to “how do we use them well.”
The novel isn’t going away. The question of who or what is writing it has gotten genuinely complicated in a way that’s worth engaging with honestly rather than either celebrating or panicking about.
This article is part of the AI & The Novel series on Indignified.com. All articles reflect the author’s research and perspective and do not constitute legal or financial advice.