I’ll sketch your kid! (Because robots can’t.)

The AI knock-offs are coming and I have exactly one countermeasure...

This morning over my birthday coffee, I read a note from the writer Ted Gioia that ruined the coffee. (But not the birthday).

An author releases a book he wrote, and within a few weeks Amazon is selling dozens of AI rip-offs with almost the same title. Dozens. Per book.

My book with Scott Dooley comes out on 13th October. I asked my publisher what we do about this. The official position (from the people with the lawyers) is that nothing can be done. Great meeting. See everyone at the launch.

So… somewhere, a server farm in Russia is already warming up to publish “You Aren’t a Genuine Parent Up Until...” by Jasen Chatfeild & Scort Delroy: 180 pages of bullet points about cherishing your little ones, cover art with 11 fingers.

Here’s our sophisticated legal countermeasure:

you.

Buy the real book directly from the actual humans who wrote it. Preorder You’re Not a Real Parent Until... from me, and Scott & I will sign it with our own hands. For a bit extra, I’ll draw your kids into it. Their actual names, their actual cowlicks. Let’s see a plagiarism bot manage that.

Every copy you buy from a real author is a small vote for a version of publishing where humans get paid for the books they write. That used to go without saying. (Now it’s a legit business strategy.)

‘til next time!
Your pal,

PS. Look, if this actually did something for your brain (or at least distracted you from the creeping dread of your own inbox for six minutes), please consider restacking this and sharing it with your people. It’s the only way the word spreads.