Kanae Minato talks AI writing in Taipei: Tools help, but humanity is essential

Bestselling Japanese novelist Kanae Minato arrived in Taiwan earlier this month, where she was invited to Taipei to hold a launch event for her new book, Dawn Star. Since winning the 150th Naoki Prize in 2009 for Confessions, Minato has successively released works such as The World I Want and You Who Are Not Here. Long renowned for her delicate portrayal of interpersonal relationships and psychological shifts, she has frequently topped bestseller lists across Japan, South Korea, and the Chinese-speaking world. In addition to holding a lecture at Eslite Bookstore during her trip, she also arranged a panel discussion with local young writers, demonstrating her emphasis on cross-strait literary exchange.

During the lecture, when asked about the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on writing, Minato confessed that she does not reject AI technology. She pointed out that in recent years, generative AI, including ChatGPT, has become capable of helping brainstorm plots, proofreading sentences, and even simulating specific writing styles, possessing practical value for data collection and initial drafting. However, she emphasized that "the core of creation must still return to the author's own perspective and tactile sense," believing that only through the author's personal experiences, feelings, and thoughts can a story be endowed with unique emotional depth and human luster. She cited as an example that if one relies solely on AI to piece together plots, the resulting text often lacks "human touch" and "resonance."

Minato's viewpoint coincides with heated discussions in the global literary community regarding AI creation. Since 2023, multiple publishing houses in Europe and the United States have experimented with AI-generated short stories, and there have even been literary awards featuring entries under the name of AI, sparking concerns from writers' unions and copyright groups. Voices in the Japanese literary world have also worried that AI might weaken writers' creative motivation and market value, prompting some publishers to begin formulating "AI usage guidelines" requiring authors to explicitly state the degree of AI involvement in their manuscripts. Against this backdrop, Minato's standpoint provides a thinking framework of "instrumentalization" rather than "replacement," offering a reference of significance for an industry still exploring the relationship between AI and writing.

In Taiwan, experiments with AI writing are likewise emerging endlessly. In recent years, domestic emerging writers have utilized AI to help conceive science fiction novels, and publishing entities have also launched AI writing competitions, attracting numerous young readers to participate. Despite this, many readers still prefer the brushwork of traditional authors, believing that the "person" behind the text is the key to emotional resonance. Minato's emphasis this time on the view that "stories that are written out are truly interesting" echoes Taiwanese readers' expectations for humanistic warmth, and also provides a balanced reference point for local creators when facing AI: utilizing technology to improve efficiency while steadfastly holding onto personally unique perceptions and narrative methods.

Dawn Star itself is a novel themed around urban loneliness and self-discovery, continuing Minato's signature style of psychological description. She revealed at the launch event that some of the inspiration for the book came from moments she observed on the streets of Taipei, and explained that even if keyword searches generated by AI were used during the conception stage, the ultimate plot direction and character emotions were entirely determined by herself. This creation model of "AI-assisted, human-led" is precisely the message she wants to convey to readers: technology can be a boost to creation, but ultimate artistic value is still decided by human imagination and emotion.

Minato's trip not only opened up the Taiwan market for Dawn Star, but also provided a direction for thought regarding the future of cross-strait literature in the era of AI. Her remarks reminded the industry that technological advancement should not become the end point of creation, but rather should serve as a starting point to inspire deeper human narratives. As AI tools become increasingly widespread, how to make good use of new technologies while preserving the humanistic spirit will become a major subject for future literary creation. (Source of facts: Central News Agency)