Hachette Kills Horror Novel Over AI-Generated Text

Hachette Book Group pulled the horror novel \”Shy Girl\” from publication after discovering the manuscript was generated using artificial intelligence.

The publisher made the decision to shelve the book entirely rather than release it. Hachette did not disclose who wrote or submitted the manuscript, or provide details about which AI tools were allegedly used to create the text.

The move comes as publishers grapple with a surge of AI-generated submissions and growing pressure to establish clear policies around machine-written content. Major publishing houses have been cautious about AI material, citing concerns over copyright infringement, author disclosure, and the quality of algorithmically-produced prose.