Key facts
- ChatGPT has been updated to refuse requests to mimic the writing style of specific authors.
- This restriction applies regardless of whether the author is living or deceased.
- The change was first reported by Ars Technica and confirmed by Engadget.
- A recent study indicated ChatGPT did not refuse these requests for dead authors just months ago.
- The move comes amid a wave of copyright lawsuits against AI companies.
- OpenAI's restriction allows it to claim its tool inspires rather than reproduces copyrighted content.
OpenAI has implemented a new restriction on ChatGPT, preventing it from generating text that mimics the distinct writing styles of specific authors. This change means users can no longer prompt the AI to write "in the style of" famous writers like Ernest Hemingway, Agatha Christie, or Stephen King, whether they are living or deceased.
The modification was first identified by Ars Technica and subsequently confirmed by Engadget. A recent study by No Latency indicated that ChatGPT had not previously refused such requests for deceased authors, suggesting this is a recent and deliberate policy change by OpenAI.
When prompted to imitate a specific author's voice, ChatGPT now declines, often offering to create an original piece based on broader thematic elements associated with the author, such as "stark naturalism" or "small-town dread," rather than directly replicating their style.
This development follows a series of copyright infringement lawsuits filed against AI companies, including OpenAI, and a significant $1.5 billion copyright ruling against its competitor, Anthropic. By blocking direct style mimicry, OpenAI appears to be positioning its tool as an inspiration rather than a direct reproducer of copyrighted literary works.