John Grisham has expressed concern that the rise of artificial intelligence could threaten the careers of writers because of the technology's cost-cutting capabilities.
The internationally renowned author was speaking with festival event host and fellow author Sir Ian Rankin before an audience at the Edinburgh International Book Festival on Tuesday evening. He discussed his journey from working in law and politics to becoming a writer recognised around the world.
Declining book sales
Mr Grisham, 71, of Arkansas, has written more than 30 novels as well as a number of short stories, selling more than 300 million copies worldwide. However, he told the audience he is worried about the rise of AI, as well as other forms of media that may threaten literature as we know it.
Mr Grisham said: "We're terrified because we Americans buy fewer books every year, our kids are reading fewer books every year.
"Publishers are worried, and the consumption of books in America has declined for 30 years. It's a very gradual decline… and now we have AI on top of that, and we're worried about what AI is going to do to publishing.
AI-written books
"We're going to reach a point where books like ours can be very well written by AI, and somebody puts their name on it, and the publishers sell that.
"It costs them very little. God knows they're paying us a lot. They don't want to do that. Maybe that could happen."
However, he said that, in spite of the decline, publishers are "doing okay" in the meantime.
"I'm the famous writer in a country where few people read," he said.
"Not nobody, but a few people. We still sell a lot of books, and you know, publishers are making money.
"Thank God for e-books. They make so much money off e-books and audiobooks.
"Audio is the fastest-growing segment of the publishing business right now, and thank God for that. So, most publishers are doing okay."
