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Jim Cox Report: June 2026
Dear Publisher Folk, Friends & Family:
Books on and about AI are beginning to flood into the Midwest Book Review. AI is now firmly in the news and actively impacting business, the social culture, the economy, politics, and science -- including the publishing industry in terms of writers, publishers, and publicity/marketing. It seems technology is not just 'marching on', it's trying to break land speed records!
The following arrived in my email box and I obtained permission to share it with you.
Publishing’s Next Crisis: Why AI-Generated Text Needs Human Quality Control
5/21/2026 4:59:01 PM Central Daylight Time
Hi James A.,
Joshua Lisec, an acclaimed international celebrity ghostwriter who has ghostwritten over 110 books and co-authored two New York Times bestsellers, says that the influx of AI-generated text in publishing has made human editors more important than ever. The most recent controversy arose after a book on truth in the age of artificial intelligence was found to contain quotes fabricated by an AI chatbot, as reported in the New York Times. Lisec said this could have been prevented by better editing.
He weighs in more below:
“The head of Barnes & Noble recently caught flak for saying he’d allow AI-generated books in his stores. The truth is, he already is. The publishing industry’s dirty secret is that all kinds of books now have some AI-generated text in them, even from authors you would never imagine would use it. The real problem now is getting caught. Authors are going to keep using AI, there’s too much at stake for them to swear off it entirely, but smart publishers are going to make sure that fact-checkers and human editors thoroughly go through those manuscripts before publication.”
You can listen to Joshua discuss the state of AI in publishing in a recent segment on NPR's WGCU here:
https://www.wgcu.org/podcast/gulf-coast-life/2026-05-18/ai-in-traditional-publishing-successful-ghostwriter-says-its-already-happening
Please let me know if you'd like to speak with him about the use of AI in book publishing and ghostwriting, and related topics. He is available anytime.
Best,
Alison Beckwith
On behalf of Joshua Lisec
www.lisecghostwriting.com
Here are some very useful websites dedicated to AI as it effects publishing:
AI Publishing Policies Explained
https://whitneyafoster.substack.com/p/ai-publishing-policy-guide
AI in Publishing: How AI Is Used in the Book Publishing Industry
https://toptenpublishers.com/ai-in-publishing-industry
Seven Ways AI Will Impact Authors And The Publishing Industry
https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbestechcouncil/2023/07/06/seven-ways-ai-will-impact-authors-and-the-publishing-industry
What is the Future of AI in Publishing
https://publishingstate.com/what-is-the-future-of-ai-in-publishing/2025
AI and Publishing: FAQ for Writers
https://janefriedman.com/ai-and-publishing-faq-for-writers
What AI-authored Books Mean For The Publishing Industry
https://www.npr.org/2026/04/15/nx-s1-5786657/what-ai-authored-books-mean-for-the-publishing-industry
The Future of AI in Publishing
https://www.press.jhu.edu/newsroom/future-ai-publishing
The Transformative Role of Artificial Intelligence in the Publishing Industry
https://fadel.com/resources/the-transformative-role-of-artificial-intelligence-in-the-publishing-industry
How AI is Changing the Publishing Industry: Current Impact and Future Trends
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-ai-changing-publishing-industry-current-2rk4e
Quote of the Month
Pity the nation whose leaders are liars
Whose sages are silenced and whose bigots haunt the airwaves
Pity the nation that praises conquerors and acclaims the bully as hero
Pity the people who allow their freedoms to erode and their rights to be washed away
My Country tears of thee
Sweet land of liberty
Pity the Nation -- Lawrence Ferlinghetti
Website of the Month
Freedom of the Press (Wikipedia entry)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_the_press
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So until next time -- goodbye, good luck, and good reading!
Jim Cox
Midwest Book Review
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James A. Cox
Editor-in-Chief
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