In the AI age, human-made is the new organic 

In the 2004 dystopian blockbuster I, Robot, Will Smith's character asks a sentient machine if it could write a symphony — once considered a "gotcha" question about AI's lack of creativity.

Today, its answer would be, "Honestly, Will? Probably," and that doesn't sit well with creatives. 

Some, like human-written literature verification startup Books by People, are pushing back on AI's presence in the arts. 

How it works

• A publisher applies for BBP's stamp of approval by completing a questionnaire — covering workflows, AI usage, authorship integrity, and editorial control. 
• Books by People uses expert analysis, editorial process checks, and signed declarations to screen a sample of that publisher's recent titles.  
• Once its literature is certified organic, that publisher can display the official Books by People Stamp on its covers (among other perks). 

AI can make push-of-a-button knockoffs indistinguishable from painstaking labors of love. Books By People offers a visible distinction — validating authors by assuring readers their books come with "an assurance of the shared humanity that we look for in books."

Why should you care?

AI is permeating fields ranging from perfume development to cat pain detection, but its place in the arts remains particularly controversial. Artists and consumers generally want human expression to come from, you know, humans. 

Books by People is part of an emerging authenticity economy — organizations dedicated to telling legitimate practitioners from robo-hacks — for instance:

• Art Recognition offers art recognition software (as its name implies), using machine learning and computer vision techniques to verify visual art's authenticity. 
• Ircam Amplify, an AI music detector, analyzes audio fingerprints and spectral characteristics to tell real rockstars from AI posers. 
• CREDO23 offers a stamp of approval to films created with zero AI, from the script to final edits. 

AI has blurred the lines of creativity, and things are only getting blurrier — several artists, critics, and audiences want to recognize human achievement while it's still recognizable. 

If you prefer organic art, look into organizations and resources that confirm robot-free creative processes. And if your medium doesn't have a "human brain to table" seal of approval, consider developing one.