In the ever-evolving landscape of digital publishing, a disturbing new menace has emerged, one that poses a significant danger to both authors and consumers alike: AI Hybrid Plagiarism. This insidious practice combines AI generative text technology with direct plagiarism, creating a toxic blend of stolen intellectual property that threatens to undermine the very foundations of literature and copyright protection.

The term “AI Hybrid Plagiarism” refers to the surreptitious act of employing AI generative text models to produce books that are not only unoriginal but also directly rip off existing works, circumventing the arduous creative process. These AI-generated works are often sold on platforms like Amazon, where their prevalence has quietly proliferated into a burgeoning problem.

I know all about AI Hybrid Plagiarism because one of my books, “ Caring for a Husband with Dementia: The Ultimate Survival Guide” was plagiarized at least twice that I know of. This shocking and disheartening violation has lead me to discovering many more books that appear to be what I call, “AI Hybrids.”

It is my belief that AI ingests the original digital content belonging to the creator and generates the following:

– Book Overview on the Amazon book page (where the book can be purchased),

– A copyright statement for the front matter of the paperback.

– An Introduction for the interior of the book.

– A compelling title and lengthy subtitle.

– Perhaps even a fictitious author’s name

One thing that is unknown to me is how the book cover image and title layout is created. It could also be AI generated I suppose.

Amazon (or Kindle Direct Publishing KDP), a titan in the ebook market, employs sophisticated algorithms and bots to detect copyright infringement and pirated ebooks. However, these digital crooks have been using the text from ebooks and scrubbing it of the REAL author information. The fraudsters put together a product which is submitted to KDP which evades the plagiarism screening process. Their AI Hybrid Plagiarized book flies just under Amazon’s radar. As a result, there are currently hundreds, perhaps thousands, of these plagiarized books available for purchase on Amazon, unbeknownst to the ripped-off authors and deceived readers.

This issue not only robs authors of their hard-earned intellectual property rights but also misleads unsuspecting readers who believe they are purchasing original content and supporting well-deserved authors.

AI Hybrid Plagiarism jeopardizes the livelihoods of genuine writers and compromises the integrity of literary creation, all while leaving a trail of copyright infringement in its wake.

To combat this burgeoning problem, it is imperative that both publishing platforms and authors remain vigilant and proactive in identifying and reporting instances of AI Hybrid Plagiarism. Perhaps Amazon KDP needs to revamp and beef up their plagiarism checkers – Do better, Amazon.

Furthermore, raising awareness among consumers is crucial to ensure they can make informed choices and support genuine authors while rejecting stolen content. The battle against this menace is ongoing, and the stakes for the world of literature and copyright protection have never been higher.

Angela G. Gentile, MSW, RSW

Ironically, this article was created with the help of Chat GPT.