Bestselling British author Anthony Horowitz has revealed that he uses ChatGPT regularly during his writing process, though he admits the experience sometimes makes him uncomfortable. In an interview Horowitz said he uses AI “all the time” while working on novels, but compared the feeling to “cheating in a school exam.”
Horowitz explained that AI can be useful for quick research, brainstorming, and finding words or descriptions, but he stressed that human judgment remains essential. He shared an example where ChatGPT suggested the adjective “ellipsoid” to describe a potato, which he felt sounded unnatural and overly technical. According to Horowitz, moments like that remind writers that AI-generated suggestions still require human editing, taste, and common sense.
The author, known for series such as Alex Rider and his modern Sherlock Holmes novels, argued that AI should be treated as a tool rather than a replacement for creativity. He compared modern AI assistance to traditional research methods like visiting libraries or consulting reference books, saying writers still need to verify information and think critically about what AI produces.
Horowitz also reflected on why mystery novels remain so popular in the modern era. He believes readers are drawn to crime fiction because it offers clarity, truth, and justice at a time when misinformation and conspiracy theories dominate public discourse. While embracing some aspects of AI, Horowitz suggested that storytelling, emotional understanding, humor, and human insight are qualities that technology still cannot fully replicate.
