Get this. I went to the library yesterday and there was a picture book for adults type thing with a lovely title and what looked like Ai illustration. Checked the author and she isn’t an artist and no artist credited so yes #ai pics .
THEN I saw that the entire book including title and isbn page was printed twice within a single cover. Yes twice from beginning to end.

No one noticed.
Is this a book which no one, not even the author has read and no one is going to read?

@londondreamtime The comics industry used to have a weird tradition of "ashcan prints", which were drafts printed on revoltingly cheap processes only so they could send one to the Library of Congress and then burn the rest (hence the name).

The only purpose was to lay claim to characters and concepts before the rival publishers could, for ammunition in their vicious copyright and trademark suits.

@spacehobo interesting

@londondreamtime I think even without AI, this is probably a thing with the advent of print-on-demand.

I published my first book 20 years ago via print on demand but never got a printed copy (I did proof it before submitting though) since I'd have to pay quite a bit more than the cover price to get it down to Sri Lanka, where I was then.

So if there were issues with the print version, I never knew of them since I'd never even seen the printed book.

@londondreamtime to be fair if I could get away with not reading my stuff sometimes.
Been monitoring that AI development some print on demand publishers make it really clear that ALL AI content must be disclosed and some won't publish...however some will.

@chrisroberts99 or at least should be clearly labelled. On close inspection the fingers and other details very weird.

@londondreamtime did you show the library staff? What was their reaction?

@friesen5000 I didn’t show them because what are they going to do?

I took exception in particular to the terrible ai gen images really especially the ones with text saying “you deserve to use your imagination and dream”#
And I mean that’s just personal taste isnt it?

@f yes I think you’re right

@londondreamtime I suppose, but may be worth flagging for the library that you as a patron prefer non-ai books. They may not have realized.

@friesen5000 yeah maybe right. I also feel a bit uncomfortable about mentioning this book in particular because it’s a Black interest book and I’m white.

@londondreamtime Oh yes, that would require some care in approach. Perhaps "I'm looking forward to reading this book but noticed..."?

@friesen5000 y that’s a thought…I think I will monitor the situation and if more ai books appear I will mention it otherwise prob let it pass!!