Hao Jingfang, the internationally acclaimed Chinese science fiction writer, has ignited a contentiouscontentious/kənˈtɛnʃəs/L3引起争议的；有分歧的Causing or likely to cause disagreement or argument; controversial. debate after revealing that approximately half of her latest literary work was generated with artificial intelligence, asserting that readers are incapable of distinguishing the AI-contributed segments from her own prose. The controversy centers on the concluding two volumes of her five-part children's series, "Galaxy Academy," following a June 3 interview with domestic media—subsequently removed—in which she noted that her publisher's editors "kept praising" her AI-assisted writing. China presently lacks any statutorystatutory/ˈstætʃʊtɔːri/L3法定的；法令规定的Required, permitted, or enacted by statute (written law). mandate requiring books to disclose AI involvement, though factual inconsistencies and compromised readability in recent publications have repeatedly provoked speculation and criticism regarding AI usage since last year. Only online literature platforms have imposed restrictions on AI-generated content, complying with labeling regulations that were introduced in 2024.
Hao had previously disclosed to domestic media that she constructed an AI profile, utilizing her past works and established characters as a knowledge base; through iterativeiterative/ˈɪtərətɪv/L3迭代的；重复的Relating to or involving repetition, especially in a process of gradual improvement or refinement. training, the system can generate content that adheres to her distinctive stylistic conventions. She acknowledged deploying this profile to assist in composing the final two installments of the series. Notwithstanding the technological integration, Hao later clarified in a June 16 interview that she employs AI exclusively for research and plot development—to generate ideas and acquire writing techniques—but insisted that "every line was ultimately written by me." She affirmed her intention to continue this methodology and will explicitly label future publications as having been "created with AI assistance," characterizing her current practice as "an exploration of the future of human-AI collaboration."
Public reaction on the microblogging platform Weibo has been sharply divided: one user expressed dismaydismay/dɪsˈmeɪ/L3沮丧；惊愕A feeling of distress, disappointment, or shock caused by something unexpected or unwelcome. that "as creators are gradually being replaced by AI, she's actually taking pride in readers' inability to tell the difference," while another commended her transparencytransparency/trænsˈpærənsi/L3透明度；公开性The quality of being open, honest, and easily understood; lack of hidden agendas or concealment., arguing that "at least readers can make informed choices" and urging other writers to disclose their AI usage. Other prominent literary figures have weighed in on the broader implications. Mo Yan, China's first Nobel laureate in literature, contended that AI can serve as a useful tool but insisted that "any ambitious writer should not surrender to the pressure of AI and should continue pursuing original creation." Meanwhile, award-winning science fiction author Chen Qiufan has acknowledged employing AI in his work since 2017—among the first Chinese writers to do so publicly—describing his stance as existing somewhere "between embracing it and remaining vigilant."
