Authenticity vs. Interpretation vs. AI

I never thought I would have to write this, but here we are.

My role as a publisher is to maintain the legacies of several authors, and I was dismayed to discover that others are taking their work, running through AI, and creating new publications*. This is a big concern, not just for me, but for you too, because this isn’t an isolated incident. You must verify every publication you read, watch, listen to, and purchase to ensure you consume ‘the real deal’ vs. an AI regurgitation.

As Helene Hadsell herself teaches, you must learn to DISCERN—DISCERN—DISCERN!

*NOTE: Lawyers were hired, a cease and desist was issued, and the concerning publications were unpublished.

AUTHENTIC WORKS

To ensure their original works are preserved, even though I own the copyright, I have had to go the extra step and obtain registered copyrights and trademarks. If you want to garner the wisdom taught by Helene Hadsell, Drs. Tag and Judith Powell, or any future authors I will be honored to represent, be sure to purchase the books I update, read articles I post on my website, or anything I share on YouTube, etc. I share their authentic work, written, recorded, or spoken by them.

INTERPRETATIONS

There are numerous phenomenal spiritual, positivity, new age, metaphysical, etc., teachers worldwide. We are all standing on the shoulders of those who came before us because the goal is to expand the knowledge and consciousness of humanity as a whole. Many have shared Helene’s teachings (as Tag and Judith aren’t as well known) along with their ideas, concepts, interpretations, etc. These teachings are valid as they are helping me maintain Helene’s legacy by sharing her authentic works. Similar to how Helene learned from those before her, such as Norman Vincent Peale, Dr. Joseph Murphy, Rebecca Lattimer, etc.  Most importantly, they give credit where credit is due while guiding their audience to new levels of enlightenment, depths of shadow work, etc. Yes, I even share my interpretations of the authors I represent and have learned from, but I make a clear distinction between what their teachings are and what is mine.

AI ‘AUTHORS’

I repeat this is not just for my work or the work I update and republish but for all types of creators, including authors.  Again, heed Helene’s advice: DISCERN—DISCERN—DISCERN.

I do not use AI for my writing. I write my own books, articles, posts, workshops, etc., and have a human editor. (Technically, Grammarly is AI, but I use it only for spelling and punctuation, and even then, I don’t always make the suggested corrections as I don’t want to change the author’s voice, mine, or anyone else’s.)

How can you tell someone has used AI to write a book?

Currently, KDP (Amazon’s publishing company) requires authors to disclose if they have used AI to write a book, but they do not show that information to the consumer. That disclosure is also on the honor system. Do all ‘authors’ who create using AI tell the truth? I don’t know. Can KDP tell? I don’t know.

Here are some clues you can use to figure out if books are being written by AI vs a creative human.

ONE
The books are published in rapid succession. The speed will increase as someone gets better at using and creating with AI—one a month, then a week, then maybe every few days.

It took me 20 months to write my first book. That included concepts, research, writing, editing, layout, etc. It takes me a few months to complete a book I am republishing as I update the text to modern publishing formats, enhancing the text with notes, recommendations, editing, layout, etc.

I set a goal to publish a book a month in 2024. I managed to publish four:

• En Contacto con Otros Reinos (Spanish edition of In Contact With Other Realms) – February 27, 2024
• A Man Called Friday (Audible Edition) – May 31, 2024
• Money & You – July 28, 2024
• Un Hombre Llamado Viernes (Spanish edition of A Man Called Friday) – December 11, 2024

This is a more realistic republishing schedule. Books I write myself from start to finish take much longer. Even Helene took over a year to complete Confessions of an 83-Year-Old Sage. She began writing it on her 82nd birthday.

TWO
The book doesn’t look well formatted. Look at your books published by a traditional publishing company. How do they look? Title page, copyright page, table of contents, chapter titles, margins, section headings, quotes, etc. This is one reason many bookstores don’t like self-published authors. Most of the time, the books don’t follow professional formatting standards. It’s another reason my books take several months to republish or years to write. It takes time to ensure a professional level of quality and consistency.

THREE
The book doesn’t look well-designed. Look at the cover. Does it look like it was created by a graphic designer or Canva? (No hate for Canva. I love it and use it daily for blog post images, YouTube thumbnails, etc., but I choose not to use it for a book cover.) Read the back cover copy. Does it match the table of contents? Who is the author? Who is the publisher? Is there a website? I understand that budding authors can’t always afford to hire professional designers and editors for their creations. In my opinion, there is an inherent quality to a human creation that AI can’t replicate. I can tell when a book looks cheap or is created quickly. I am sure you can, too, once you start to pay attention to these details as you browse for a new book to read.

FOUR
The content has inconsistencies or is far too commonplace. This point is specifically for non-fiction works. Yes, fiction can have inconsistencies, but commonplace doesn’t apply. It has taken me years of reading, editing, and republishing Helene Hadsell’s teaching to see the connections, nuances, and hidden gems in her work. Plus, I dove deep into mastering The Silva Method to the point I have garnered my Silva Instructor certification. AI can’t make those connections and maintain the stories across chapters, let alone multiple books, videos, blog posts, interviews, etc. It’s just regurgitating data. You may note the cover states the book would cover X, Y, and Z, but it never materializes, or one chapter says A, B, and C, and the next chapter contradicts it. It may also be so vague that it doesn’t say or teach anything useful. Be vigilant when reading, and don’t take anything at face value.

FIVE
The creation doesn’t give credit where credit is due. This one is a slippery slope because even I quote other teachers and use examples all the time when I teach. However, I always state where the example came from. I even added a Recommended Reading section to the end of all my books to expand on why I believe you should read each reference. That said, when you are reading teachings from famous authors who have passed, look at when they passed away as their heirs or copyright holders, in the case of a publishing company, own the copyright for 70 years. In the case of Helene Hadsell, her books won’t be public domain until October 30, 2080. In the case of the trademark, as long I maintain it, it will never expire. Therefore, no one can republish her work, in part or whole, without permission. It’s why all large publishers have Permissions departments. You can pay to quote part of a book for a fee and a written contract plus a specific acknowledgment in your book, but not the entire work. In the case of my works and ownership, if you see something published that is teaching authors I represent that doesn’t have my or my company’s name on it, it isn’t authentic and may not be accurate to the original author.

AI can’t replicate your intelligence, married with your intuition and consciousness. Those are the tools you use as you read (or listen, in the case of an audiobook) to learn, understand, and grow. Like exercises, the more you do, the stronger you get. You will get better at discerning the differences between what has been crafted by a human and that has been spit out by AI.  Also, before you buy, take advantage of the ‘Look Inside’ or ‘Sample’ for each book to assist you in determining if it is the type of content you wish to consume. You are what you ‘eat’…

ChatGPT’s Turn

After I wrote this blog post, I thought, “What would AI write?”

Here was my prompt: Write a blog post outlining with examples five ways a reader can distinguish if a non-fiction book was written by a creative human or AI. (I initially didn’t include the word non-fiction on my first pass, and the article was clearly written about fiction books. I decided to regenerate the answer as non-fiction as that is what I write and republish. However, the answers were fairly similar.)

5 Ways to Distinguish If a Non-Fiction Book Was Written by a Creative Human or AI

With AI-generated content becoming increasingly sophisticated, distinguishing between human-written non-fiction books and those produced by artificial intelligence can be tricky. However, AI still struggles with certain aspects of depth, originality, and personal insights. Here are five ways to tell if a non-fiction book was crafted by a human or generated by AI:

1. Personal Insights and Anecdotes

Human authors often draw from their personal experiences, expertise, and real-life interactions to provide unique insights. AI, while capable of generating well-structured content, lacks firsthand experience and originality in storytelling.

Example: A human-written book on entrepreneurship might include the author’s own struggles and triumphs in building a business, whereas an AI-generated book might only summarize general principles without personal context.

2. Analytical Depth and Critical Thinking

AI can summarize existing knowledge but struggles with deep analysis and critical thinking. A human author engages with topics in a nuanced way, presenting arguments, counterarguments, and original interpretations.

Example: A human author writing about climate change might critically evaluate competing theories, propose new frameworks, or offer unique interpretations. AI, on the other hand, might simply compile known data without deep engagement.

3. Consistency and Logical Flow

AI-generated books sometimes suffer from inconsistencies in facts, arguments, or terminology. Human authors, particularly those with expertise, maintain a logical flow of ideas and ensure coherence throughout the book.

Example: If a book provides conflicting definitions of a concept in different chapters or shifts viewpoints without clear reasoning, it might be AI-generated.

4. Use of Unique Voice and Style

Human writers have distinct voices, styles, and ways of engaging with their audience. AI-generated text can feel formulaic, lacking personality, humor, or a conversational tone when appropriate.

Example: A human-written self-help book might use humor, rhetorical questions, or engaging storytelling to connect with readers, whereas AI-generated text often feels neutral and impersonal.

5. References and Original Research

While AI can pull from existing sources, it does not conduct original research or interviews. A non-fiction book that includes new case studies, interviews, or original data analysis is almost certainly human-written.

Example: A business book that features first-hand interviews with CEOs or presents new survey data indicates human authorship, while AI typically relies on summarizing pre-existing content.

Final Thoughts

While AI is improving rapidly, it still struggles to match the depth, originality, and personal insight of human authors. If a non-fiction book contains rich personal experiences, deep critical thinking, a unique voice, and original research, it is more likely to be written by a human. As AI continues to evolve, recognizing these differences will become increasingly important for discerning readers.

What are your thoughts on AI emerging in publishing?