Prolific author Anthony Horowitz, whose career spans decades and includes the beloved Alex Rider series and adult novels like Magpie Murders, has revealed he uses ChatGPT 'all the time' in his writing process, a practice he admits makes him feel 'nervous'.
AI in Writing: A Tool or Cheating?
The 71-year-old writer, currently plotting the next instalment of his popular Hawthorne and Horowitz series, confessed to a sense of unease about his reliance on artificial intelligence. 'I feel nervous about it, because, is it cheating? I feel a bit like it's cheating in a school exam,' he stated. He recounted an instance where he asked ChatGPT for an adjective to describe a potato's shape, receiving the word 'ellipsoid'. This, he noted, highlighted the limitations of AI. 'This is when you drop the artificial intelligence and use your own intelligence – readers hearing that the potato on her plate was “ellipsoid” are going to say, “What the hell is this guy talking about?”'
Horowitz, known for his meticulous research, which saw him read three to four books for every episode of his ITV drama Foyle's War, acknowledges the convenience of AI for immediate knowledge. However, he stresses the importance of human discernment. 'It's useful to have immediate knowledge, but not unrestrained. You've always got to judge what you're being told, and also look for a second source.' He contrasts this with his earlier methods: 'In the old days, I'd go to a library, I'd look up stuff in books. What's the difference between using AI and going straight to the point?'
Enduring Appeal of Murder Mysteries
Beyond his AI experiments, Horowitz's extensive bibliography includes three James Bond novels, two Sherlock Holmes reimaginings, and contributions to television hits like Midsomer Murders. He is currently promoting A Deadly Episode, the sixth book in his Hawthorne and Horowitz series, which delves into a meta-narrative where the detective and author investigate a murder on a film set adapting their first book.
Reflecting on the enduring appeal of murder mysteries, a genre that dominates much of his work, Horowitz suggests it stems from a fundamental human need. 'I put it down to a sense of people needing absolute truth,' he muses. In an era saturated with 'news and fake news and social media and all the conspiracy theories,' he believes crime novels offer a unique solace. 'A crime novel, at least, dots the i's, crosses the t's and provides you with absolute truth. The killer was this person. These are the clues you should have spotted. This is the reason that he or she did it, and they will be punished.' He adds that the genre also satisfies a craving for justice and closure, providing a sense of a 'community that is healed.'
Despite these weighty themes, Horowitz ensures his books are not without humour, admitting he often makes himself laugh while writing. While he dislikes the term 'comedy crime capers,' he notes that the Hawthorne and Horowitz series has developed a 'lighter side,' perhaps as a counterpoint to the 'grim and dark times' we inhabit.
Personal Changes: Poetry and Quitting Social Media
In response to contemporary angst, Horowitz, who was made a CBE for services to literature in 2022, has adopted new personal practices. He has embraced reading poetry, finding it 'endlessly encouraging and life-enhancing,' and now starts his day with a poem instead of the news. He also made the decision to quit social media, leaving X (formerly Twitter) two years ago. 'I am free of all social media and feel so much healthier and better for it – the change is really quite dramatic,' he states, having found himself 'disappearing into it' and encountering 'noticeably more toxic' content.
On James Bond and Classic Literature
On the subject of James Bond, having penned a trilogy of 007 novels, Horowitz firmly declines to name his preferred actor for the next iteration of the spy, calling it 'a rabbit hole not to fall into.' However, he does express his view that casting a female Bond would be a 'mistake,' citing Modesty Blaise as an existing female spy character. Though he describes the Modesty Blaise books as 'terrible,' they hold a 'special place in my heart' as family favourites.
Horowitz has also been revisiting classic literature, rereading Thomas Hardy with his wife, producer Jill Green. He finds a poignant beauty in this process. 'I've reached the age where I'm aware that I will be reading these books now for the last time, and that's sad – but it's also very heartening to revisit books I loved when I was younger,' he reflects. For him, 'the joy of great literature is that if you read it when you're 20, then reread it when your 60 or 70, it holds up a mirror to how much you've changed.'
A Deadly Episode by Anthony Horowitz is published in hardback by Century, priced £22, and is available now.
