Use of AI in Ghostwriting

Abstract

This case study investigates the ethical dilemmas surrounding AI-generated books and the evolving intersection of ghostwriting, misinformation, and digital publishing. Focusing on the practices of the Mikkelsen twins—entrepreneurs who teach others to profit from outsourcing book production—this case highlights a growing industry that blends human ghostwriters and generative AI to mass-produce low-quality or misleading content. Initially reliant on human labor paid below a living wage, the Mikkelsens’ model has increasingly incorporated AI to generate book outlines and, potentially, entire manuscripts, threatening to displace writers altogether. As AI-generated books flood platforms like Amazon, concerns mount over misinformation—particularly in self-help and alternative medicine genres—which may spread dangerous pseudoscience or politically polarizing content. These developments raise broader ethical questions: Is it more acceptable to claim authorship over work written by a ghostwriter or by AI? What responsibilities do platforms, publishers, and individual creators bear when AI is used to mass-produce content that deceives or harms? As AI reshapes the literary landscape, the case calls for urgent reflection on authorship, intellectual honesty, and the societal risks of automated misinformation.