What happens when a veteran mathematics textbook author and a leading AI scientist exchange ideas on the future of textbook publishing? In anticipation of his namesake keynote at TAA’s 2025 Virtual Textbook & Academic Authoring Conference, Michael Sullivan connected with Gerald Friedland—textbook author and AI Scientist at Amazon AWS—for a thoughtful conversation on artificial intelligence, authorship, and the evolving landscape of academic publishing. Friedland will expand on these ideas in his session, “Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Textbook Publishing: Opportunities and Challenges,” on Friday, June 6, from 9–10 a.m. ET.
Industry News Round-Up Week of 1/6/25
Stay updated on the latest news, advancements, and changes that are shaping the textbook and academic authoring industry with our bi-weekly Industry News Round-Up. Have an item to share? Email Sierra.Pawlak@TAAonline.net.
Ulysses Press, Spot Gloss Media Form Bluestone Books (January 10, 2025)
Authors Guild Releases Statement on AI Licensing for Authors
The Authors Guild released a statement on December 12, 2024 stating that they believe “it is crucial that authors, not publishers or tech companies, have control over the licensing of AI rights,” and that “Authors must be able to choose whether they want to allow their works to be used by AI and under what terms.”
The statement includes six sections, including:
- AI Training Is Not Covered Under Standard Publishing Agreement
- Subsidiary Rights Do Not Include AI Rights
- Authors Retain Copyright
- Publishers Must Seek Author Permission
- Publisher Compensation Depends on AI Licensing Role
- Authors Should Get Majority Share in AI Licensing Deals
AI, Uber-Textbooks, and Knowing Your Own Strengths
By Dave Harris
Is there is a danger that LLMs (or other AI) will create an “uber-textbook” using the work of individual authors, basically stealing the best of all the individual work of scholars for profit, while paying the authors nothing? This question came up in the November 6, 2024 TAA Conversation Circle on royalties, and I wanted to touch on it again, after writing a related piece this past spring.
The previous piece argued (1) that current AI is too limited to do good intellectual work, and, (2) regardless of the capability of AI, that it’s important to take one’s own interests, desires, and personal experience into account because writing and research are personally uplifting positive experiences worth having, even if you’re not necessarily selling your work.
Publishers Join with Worldwide Coalition to Condemn the Theft of Creative and Intellectual Authorship by Tech Companies for Generative AI Training
On October 22, 2024, the Association of American Publishers (AAP) joined forces with more than 10,000 creators and coalition partners, including authors, musicians, actors, artists, and photographers, to condemn the theft of creative and intellectual authorship by big tech companies for use in their Generative AI models. The AAP released the following statement and are calling on authors and authoring organizations to sign it:
“The unlicensed use of creative works for training generative AI is a major, unjust threat to the livelihoods of the people behind those works, and must not be permitted.”
Top Hat Announces Debut of ‘Higher Listenings’ Podcast
Top Hat announced the debut of Higher Listenings, a podcast “where we connect with leading thinkers, authors and educators shaping the future of learning.”
Their first three episodes feature interviews with Dr. José Antonio Bowen, author of “Teaching with AI,” Terrell Strayhorn, PhD, a world-renowned expert on student belonging, and Top Hat’s very own Dr. Bradley Cohen.
Top Hat’s Managing Director of Learning Solutions, Donna Battista, is a TAA Board Member. Subscribe