Best-selling author James Patterson, known for his prolific output of over 200 books since 1976, is launching a new Substack called “Hungry Dogs” where he’ll share writing insights, conduct video interviews with fellow authors including Bill Clinton, and offer unfiltered commentary. Despite his industrial approach to writing—collaborating with numerous co-authors to publish up to a dozen titles annually—Patterson firmly rejects the idea of using AI as a writing tool.
In a recent interview, Patterson addressed the elephant in the room: many observers have drawn parallels between his collaborative writing process and the potential use of artificial intelligence for content generation. The comparison seems logical—if Patterson can work with multiple human co-authors to produce content in his distinctive voice, couldn’t AI serve a similar function? Patterson’s answer is an emphatic no.
“It doesn’t interest me at all,” Patterson stated when asked about AI writing tools. He explained that anyone familiar with his actual process would understand why AI makes no sense for his work. “I haven’t seen anything yet out of AI where you go, ‘Yes, this could be Patterson, or [John] Grisham,’” he added, questioning why he would even consider such an approach when he finds the prospect boring.
The new Substack venture will publish three times weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, with Wednesday content always free. Patterson plans to offer excerpts, quirky giveaways, and filmed interviews focusing on “human-to-human stuff” rather than confrontational journalism. His interview subjects will include high-profile figures like President Clinton, with whom he’s co-authored multiple books.
Patterson’s perspective on AI echoes musician Joe Walsh’s humorous take on artificial intelligence in creative fields. When asked about AI’s impact on music, Walsh reportedly said he wouldn’t worry about AI “until I see AI go and destroy a hotel room and throw a television at a swimming pool”—a quote Patterson enthusiastically endorsed. This sentiment reflects a broader skepticism among established creative professionals about AI’s ability to replicate the human elements of artistic creation: the chaos, emotion, and lived experience that inform authentic creative work.
Key Quotes
It doesn’t interest me at all. If anybody knew how I do stuff, they would go, ‘That’s stupid. He would never do that. Why would he?’
Patterson’s response when asked about using AI as a writing tool, dismissing the technology despite his collaborative writing process that some compare to potential AI applications.
I haven’t seen anything yet—I’m sure it’ll happen, but I haven’t seen anything yet—out of AI where you go, ‘Yes, this could be Patterson, or [John] Grisham.’
Patterson explaining why AI writing tools don’t appeal to him, noting that current AI technology cannot convincingly replicate established authors’ distinctive voices and styles.
Until I see AI go and destroy a hotel room and throw a television at a swimming pool, I’m not going to be worried about AI.
Patterson enthusiastically quoted musician Joe Walsh’s humorous take on AI in creative fields, suggesting that AI lacks the human chaos and lived experience essential to authentic creative work.
Our Take
Patterson’s dismissal of AI writing tools reveals a critical blind spot in how the technology industry markets creative AI applications. While AI companies emphasize efficiency and scale—areas where Patterson already excels through human collaboration—they often overlook what makes creative work valuable: authentic voice, lived experience, and human connection.
The comparison between Patterson’s collaborative model and AI is superficially appealing but fundamentally flawed. His co-authors bring their own creativity, judgment, and humanity to projects, while current AI systems essentially remix existing patterns without genuine understanding or experience. Patterson’s instinctive rejection suggests that successful creators recognize this distinction intuitively.
Most tellingly, Patterson’s enthusiasm for his Substack interviews—the “human-to-human stuff”—reveals what he values: genuine human connection and authentic stories. This suggests that as AI handles more routine content generation, premium creative work may increasingly emphasize irreplicable human elements. Patterson’s position indicates that the future of creative industries isn’t about humans versus AI, but about what makes human creativity distinctively valuable.
Why This Matters
Patterson’s rejection of AI writing tools carries significant weight in the ongoing debate about artificial intelligence’s role in creative industries. As one of the world’s most commercially successful authors with a uniquely collaborative production model, his perspective offers important insights into AI’s current limitations in creative work.
His stance highlights a crucial distinction often overlooked in AI discussions: collaboration with human co-authors fundamentally differs from AI-assisted writing. While both involve multiple contributors, human collaboration brings diverse perspectives, experiences, and creative instincts that current AI systems cannot replicate. Patterson’s assessment that AI hasn’t produced anything convincingly resembling established authors’ work validates concerns about AI-generated content lacking authentic voice and depth.
This matters for the broader AI and creative industries conversation as companies increasingly market AI writing tools to authors, publishers, and content creators. Patterson’s high-profile dismissal may influence how other writers and the publishing industry approach these technologies. It also underscores that productivity and efficiency—areas where AI excels—aren’t the only factors in creative work. The “human stuff” Patterson emphasizes may represent an enduring competitive advantage for human creators in an AI-augmented future.
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Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/james-patterson-substack-ai-interview-2024-10