A life story deserves to be told in your voice through the filter of a fellow human being, one who listens to your reminiscences and strives to draw out the meaning those experiences had for you, your family, and the person you are today.

AI may be capable of generating a narrative that’s grammatically correct. But whenever I read something written by AI, especially something meant to evoke an emotion, I feel duped. The written word is intended to be a conversation between a living, breathing author and a living, breathing reader. Two humans who, over time and space, can laugh together, cry together, learn together, be curious together. With AI as the author, that implied promise of authenticity is broken.

I recognize the irony of a ghostwriter condemning AI as an author. Just like AI, I haven’t lived my clients' lives. I’m an intermediary. But not everyone has the time or patience to write a book, and that shouldn’t mean their life goes unrecorded. For my clients, that will continue to be a book written by me, not by AI.*

Here's to life!
Amy Woods Butler

*I also recognize my disavowal of AI may lead to The Story Scribe’s obsolescence. That’s a risk I’m willing to take. Because I’d rather be the one ringing the bells than playing a digital recording of a synthesizer imitating the bells.