Letters, AI, Bytes and Bits: Who Will Write the Literature of the Future? (Pre-print Version)

Abstract

Nowadays, when we ask whether AI will be able to write literature in the future, a common response is that machines only respond to algorithms designed by humans, but they cannot convey emotions or be creative and authentic, three of the main requirements for producing literature. In the past, this response made sense; however, given the speed at which AI is developing, to the point that we can already talk about humanized AI or general AI, especially since 2014 when a machine achieved a milestone by passing the Turing test, it is now reasonable to ask ourselves who will write the literature of the future: humans, machines, or will the literature of the future be a joint creation between humans and machines? This is the question we address in this reflective article, based on the review of various sources, such as articles published in scientific journals, but also on direct testimonies from Colombian writers and critics. Although the tendency to deny AI's creativity is still very strong, the superintelligent machines envisioned by John Good seem ever closer to our reality, and with them would come the “technological singularity” foreseen by this computing pioneer.