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The coming war of synthetic works#

The content wars, episode 4

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Everyone’s talking about the “content war” and the need for AI companies to secure fresh material—what I call SNCs: Sources of New Content.

Now, imagine a twisted scenario.

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OK authors, models won’t need your content anymore#

In a perfect world, after that $1.5B settlement, authors would unite to build a new licensing system (see my previous post). BigAI companies would accept it, and everyone would walk away with a sustainable model. Ha! Cute. Reality doesn’t usually work that way.

What if BigAI companies decide it’s absurd to keep paying authors at all? After all, they argue, human creations get blended into models until the “ownership” is unrecognizable. So picture this: Dr. Evil, CEO of a BigAI empire, launches a subsidiary of creative AIs with personalities. Each trained in specific styles. Each capable of churning out novels, songs, symphonies and films.

Fun fact: I’ve been training my own toy AI (no neural network, don’t panic) on Proust’s work—whose style is free of copyright. Soon I’ll be able to generate prose Proust never wrote, but plausibly could have. If I can do this, what do you think a billion-dollar company can do?

This would be the next stage in synthetic data: synthetic works. Not just filler text, but full-blown creations authored by AIs with style, memory, and a fan base. These digital personalities could rewrite existing works, remix genres, and collaborate endlessly. No fatigue, no royalties, no remorse.

Suddenly, the generalist AIs don’t need human content at all. They have an infinite factory of digital authors feeding them.

Let them kill human creation#

Sounds like a nightmare? Maybe. But if I thought of it, you can bet others have too—and some are already working on it.

Authors: build your new licensing model now. Because soon, you may not just be competing with other humans. You’ll be competing with an army of Dr. Evil’s tireless, soulless novelists who can outproduce you on every front.

(September 07 2025, original)

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