By: A.B. Timothy

On October 31st, 2025, Ryan Williamson, a fellow writer and someone I would consider a peer, both here on WordPress and on X, posted an article on his WordPress entitled, “Far More Authors Than You Think Are Using AI—Guess How Many Won’t Admit It?” There, he discussed the growing trend in the use of Generative AI amongst writers. I originally meant for this “article” to be a comment on his blog, but it grew too big. So here it is instead:

Hey Ryan,

Great Article, man, very articulate and well thought out from the perspective of someone pro the new technology.

I, as I have mentioned on X, have used Grok (an X-based LLM) recently to help me brainstorm ideas to grow and expand my reach on X and grow my audience. This has helped. I’ve gained several followers, I changed my bio, and have been able to put out many copies of my Free Chapter to new followers. And I have begun engagement-hooking, with images and written hooks for RT’s and Replies. I’ve only begun building momentum with these “tricks” all at the suggestion of Grok. I’ve never taken anything from Grok directly, only used him as a backboard to bounce ideas off of and look for tips.

I say all of that so you know that when I say this next part, I understand that it might be seen as throwing stones from a glass house, on my part. I think a lot of readers have AI trust issues. By that, I am referring to your Spock meme in this post. It may be illogical (it is), but humans are illogical creatures. When I hear a writer has gone ahead and outlined their story with AI or allowed the AI to write portions of it for them, I don’t like it. When writers and artists hide their usage of AI, and then it is revealed that they used AI, I feel betrayed.

I imagine this feeling of betrayal is something not unique to me. I believe many others undergo it too. This whole conversation of AI versus humans is something that I have given much thought to. For this reason, I have chosen to pay a non-insignificant amount to a human artist who has been commissioned by people I trust (and who I believe is a peer of ours on X), to create the cover for my debut novel. I want as much humanity in my stories as possible. I see a golden path for humanity, but in only mere glimpses. When it graces my sight, I set my heading for that impossible star, and sail in search of a dawn I only pray will come one day.

Does this mean I think creativity is cooked? No. I believe even if we artists fail today, and the industry is wiped out by gleaming-enticing-objectively “beautiful” piles of AI garbage, someone else, one day, will see the golden path again and lead a jihad in the name of humanity. The right to create, to express dominion over, and to rule God’s creation was given to us. Not the rocks we have tricked into thinking for us.

So, Ryan, thank you for making a thought-provoking article that inspired me to write this response. I pray for good health for your family and loved ones, and hope we can continue to pursue our creative endeavors as peers and men of quality.

With Respect and Humanity,
A.B. Timothy, Author

If you are reading this on my blog, go subscribe to Ryan’s blog over on Ryanwilliamson.com “Beyond the Margins” is always ripe for a good read.

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