Publishing companies have not yet adopted uniform rules for generative AI, leaving writers to navigate the technology on their own - and that means protecting their own voice matters more than ever, according to a publisher and author who spoke at the Philippine Readers and Writers Festival on Aug. 16.
"AI is here to stay. If we do not control technology, it will control us," Kath Eustaquio-Derla, founder of publishing company PaperKat Books, told the Varsitarian at the three-day event in Cubao, Quezon City.
Derla, a journalism alumna of the University of Santo Tomas, said writers are still in the early stages of adapting to AI and should use the tools without compromising their identity or writing style. She stressed that the human element remains central to the creative process.
"I would prefer authors to write badly," Derla said. "Just write it as you, and then let the human editors work."
What the data shows
The stakes are measurable. A Brookings Institution study on generative AI and the freelance market found a nearly 2% decline in new monthly contracts for copyeditors, proofreaders and other text-based freelancers after ChatGPT launched in 2022.
That decline is modest so far, but it signals a shift in how publishers allocate work. For writers who depend on editing and proofreading income, the trend bears watching.
Publishers are setting their own rules
With no industry-wide standards in place, some publishers have started writing their own policies. PaperASIA, an international journal, allows authors to use AI tools for language assistance while holding them responsible for the accuracy and originality of their work.
Under that policy, authors may use tools like ChatGPT and Grammarly to improve readability, language and grammar. AI tools may not be used to generate or manipulate research data, images, references or analysis.
Derla authored the 2014 romance novel "Before I Do" and served as publisher of the 2022 anthology "Dystopia Manila." PaperKat Books began operations in early 2020 as a publishing service and imprint under HS Grafik Print, catering to independent Filipino authors and local literary anthologies.
Why this matters for writers
If you write for a living, the practical takeaway is simple: know your publisher's AI policy before you submit, and keep your drafts human. Derla's advice - write badly, write as yourself, and let human editors do their job - is a workable default in an industry that hasn't settled on standards yet.
The risk of leaning too hard on AI tools isn't just ethical. It's professional. If your writing becomes indistinguishable from a machine's output, editors have less reason to pay for your voice. The writers who survive the transition will be the ones who treat AI as an assistant, not a replacement for their own judgment.
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