UK Society of Authors unveils logo to indicate books created by human writers, not AI.

In a remarkable move to combat the rising tide of AI-generated literature, the Society of Authors (SoA) has initiated a program that aims to clearly identify human-written works in a marketplace inundated with machine-made content. The growing prevalence of AI in publishing has prompted concerns among authors about the authenticity and originality of literary works, prompting the SoA to pave the way for transparency.

This pioneering scheme is the first of its kind introduced by a trade association in the UK. It permits authors to register their written works, subsequently allowing them to download a distinctive “Human Authored” logo. This logo can then be prominently displayed on the back cover of their books, providing readers with a clear indication of the source of the content.

The SoA highlighted that there is currently no governmental mandate requiring technology companies to appropriately label AI-generated material. This leaves readers grappling with the challenge of distinguishing between books authored by a human and those produced by AI systems, which often rely on datasets comprised of copyrighted works utilized without consent or compensation.

This initiative reflects a similar undertaking by the Authors Guild in the United States, which launched its own version of the scheme in early 2025.

Esteemed authors, including Mary Beard, a noted classicist, have expressed their support for the project. Beard plans to register her works on the Human Authored portal, asserting, “It’s only going to be human authored books on my desert island.”

Children’s author Malorie Blackman echoed this sentiment, noting that the scheme aims to illuminate the creativity, dedication, and artistry invested in crafting stories that resonate with readers of all ages. She articulated that, “Any creative endeavour requires time, effort, a willingness to learn from mistakes and failure, and a determination to persevere – lifelong, essential skills which cannot be learned and honed by allowing AI to do all of our creative thinking and production for us.”

Blackman emphasized that the joy derived from engaging with various forms of creative media lies in the connection to the creator, a quality that is profoundly absent in AI-generated works. “Surely part of the pleasure of reading, listening to songs, watching films and dramas, looking at an artwork and, in fact, sharing any creative endeavour,” she stated, “is that sense of connection with the content creator, that feeling that they are speaking to you on some deep emotional level that is entirely absent when the work has been produced by AI.”

The launch of the scheme and the logo was spearheaded by novelist Tracy Chevalier during the London Book Fair on Tuesday. This announcement comes at a time when an increasing number of authors, including Kazuo Ishiguro, Philippa Gregory, and Richard Osman, have taken a stand against AI companies. They published an “empty” book titled Don’t Steal This Book as a protest against the unauthorized use of their works by these firms. This book contains merely a list of the authors’ names and is being distributed to attendees of the London Book Fair, coinciding with the UK government’s upcoming assessment of the economic repercussions of proposed changes in copyright law.

According to Anna Ganley, CEO of the SoA, a recent survey indicated that 82% of the society’s author members expressed interest in a Human Authored certification scheme. “Since generative AI platforms have become mainstream, the SoA has been campaigning to defend authors’ interests and safeguard creators against the wholesale theft of their work by AI tech companies to train their AI chatbots,” she remarked.

Ganley further stated that this new labeling initiative serves as a crucial measure to protect and promote human creativity amidst a landscape increasingly filled with AI-generated content devoid of adequate labeling. “Our new labelling scheme is an important sticking plaster to protect and promote human creativity in lieu of AI labelled content in the marketplace,” she concluded.