Prolific author Anthony Horowitz has revealed he uses ChatGPT 'all the time' in his writing process, a practice he admits makes him feel 'nervous' and akin to cheating in a school exam. The 71-year-old writer, known for the Alex Rider series and adult novels such as Magpie Murders, is currently plotting the next instalment of his Hawthorne and Horowitz series.
Horowitz recounted asking the AI for an adjective to describe a potato's shape, receiving the word 'ellipsoid', which he deemed a poor choice for fiction. 'This is when you drop the artificial intelligence and use your own intelligence,' he said, stressing the importance of human judgment over unchecked AI output. He contrasted this with his earlier research methods, which involved libraries and books.
Beyond AI, Horowitz reflected on the enduring appeal of murder mysteries, attributing it to a need for 'absolute truth' in an era of 'fake news and conspiracy theories.' Crime novels, he said, provide closure and a sense of community healed. His work includes three James Bond novels, two Sherlock Holmes pastiches, and television credits such as Foyle's War and Midsomer Murders.
Horowitz has also quit social media, leaving X two years ago, and now starts his day with a poem instead of the news. He finds this change 'dramatic' for his mental health. On the subject of the next James Bond, he declined to name a preferred actor but stated that casting a female Bond would be a 'mistake', citing the existing female spy character Modesty Blaise.
Currently promoting his new book A Deadly Episode, the sixth in the Hawthorne and Horowitz series, Horowitz says it has a 'lighter side' as a counterpoint to grim times. He also revealed he has been rereading Thomas Hardy with his wife, finding poignancy in the knowledge he may be reading these books for the last time.
