AI and the Speed Conundrum
Legacy publishers have routinely struggled to beat the clock. AI only exacerbates their problem.
In late July, I wrote a post about a sports-related AI hallucination. TL;DR: AI still makes basic mistakes. My piece dropped on August 14, 2025—seven days after OpenAI released ChatGPT 5.
The latest version of the popular AI chatbot remains far from perfect, but I would have written my article differently if I had started a mere week later.
Time Matters
Today, a 300-word blog post may be partially or completely dated not long after the author writes it.
If speed is imperative, consider the hybrid route.
What does that mean for your chapter, part, or book? And what are the odds that you're the only one working on a text like yours?
Traditional publishers have historically needed a year or more to complete the cycle. (Forget agents shopping your manuscript and prolonged negotiations for the moment.) Are you confident what you're writing now will be as relevant in 12 months?
Phil Simon
What You Need to Know
Think about those questions when you're deciding on a publisher. If you're writing a timeless nonfiction book, then speed may not matter to you. Memoirs are a good example. Who really cares if it arrives next month or next year?
If speed is imperative, though, you are probably better off eschewing traditional publishers and going the hybrid route.