In a new age of Large Language Models, a company of professional ghostwriters emphasise the value of their work and collaboration in the arts.
In a world pushed to adopt an increasing number of new and so-called better forms of artificial intelligence, one group of professionals are confident their craft cannot be replaced. The London Ghostwriting Company states that AI cannot replicate the intelligence and individuality that trained scribes bring to their work.
Their views reflect the growing concern among writers, that LLM programmes, whilst perhaps useful for some things, are stripping away key fundamentals at the core of storytelling and lowering standards and the experience of learning.
“We work with authors to understand their unique perspectives and to mine hidden meanings, creating work that resonates authentically and lasts,” says Luke Shipman, Director at LGC. “AI cannot do this because it cannot understand us; it only mimics understanding. It appears as if it understands but simply pattern matches based on what it can access; like articles, blogs and forums.”
The company’s statement comes at a time when AI-generated books and articles are now more prevalent, raising concerns about the future of professional editing and ghostwriting services. Many industries are experimenting with LLMs for efficiency, including some of their competitors, yet LGC argue their author services are fundamentally different, and traditional.
“Our authors want to be understood by others, connecting to people with language on a level that is subtle and real and not produced by an LLM, which has only controlled and limited access to certain parts of the internet.”
Their process involves focused interviews and development edits by writers exploring theme and everything else that makes literature mean something: rhythm, narrative, abstraction. Every story requires a sensitivity and a sophistication that no algorithm can emulate without appearing fraudulent.
“A lot of people won’t agree—they believe LLMs are “just getting going”—they say things like “yes, but in a few years…”, but this is a predictable response and doesn’t concern us; the nature of storytelling is full of entangled, subtle processes that AI cannot navigate, and cracks appear when it tries to mimic patterns.”
Some creative industries view AI as a threat, while others believe that, if used correctly for impersonal tasks, it can be a helpful tool when used alongside real expertise. For instance, AI can assist with transcribing lengthy interviews or proofreading, allowing writers to focus on the more real aspects of their work. Even then, the human hand is required to pick up on details the bot has missed or got wrong.
In this sense, AI can be viewed not as a replacement, but as a tool that enhances human creativity without necessarily undermining it. “This is the idea, but even transcribing interviews and proofreading are key tasks and part of integrating into a project. Writers who have been grafting since before the internet are well aware of this.”
Looking ahead, LGC continue to invest in professional writers who can deliver what machines cannot. “There is a lot more to literature than speed and logic. Ordering information logically can have a utility on occasion, but outside of this, there is a world of symbols and ambiguity which AI cannot read or process like we can, even though it may appear otherwise at times.”
For readers and aspiring authors, this serves as reassurance that storytelling guided by the human hand remains at the heart of writing. In an era dominated by software, the message is clear: ChatGPT can provide rapid feedback relative to what it is accessing and how it has been trained to sweep and scan, but it cannot truly understand or connect, and this is what writers strive to do.
“There is nothing wrong with the AI, what is really happening is this—people are abusing the technology by tasking it with everything and anything, because they don’t want to struggle through the learning themselves. The danger then is—a person does not learn and always depends. If people want help and support with their learning, they should use LLMs in a very limited way or not at all, whilst collaborating with other people as it’s always been done.”
The excitement, it seems, is due to people wanting AI to be better than it is; too many of us are looking to avoid the hard work and instead outsource it for free.
“In addition, tech founders are desperate to maintain a stronghold in the stock market, so a lot of the so-called progress, as ever, is simply advertising. It’s impressive stuff and fun, but it just can’t do what people think it can.”
The London Ghostwriting Company is a leading editorials firm providing editing, mentoring and ghostwriter services for new writers, established authors, agents and publishers. Visit https://londonghostwriting.com/ to learn more about their writing services.
enquiries@londonghostwriting.com
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