South african author uses AI to publish 371 books in 20 months, sparks controversy

A South African author, Coral Hart, has sparked controversy by using AI to publish 371 books in about 20 months, with sales exceeding 1 million copies. Hart claims her 2026 income alone surpassed $1 million, equivalent to approximately 6.68 million yuan. The AI-assisted publishing model has drawn criticism, with Hart receiving thousands of hate messages and death threats on social media. Hart, who has 14 years of experience in publishing, began using AI in February 2025. She spent three months learning different AI models and developed a writing process. Most of her books are romance novels targeting specific audiences, with one reaching Amazon's top 100 bestsellers. Hart explains she does not simply input a command and publish the output; instead, she outlines the story, uses AI to draft, and then edits extensively before finalizing with human reviewers. Critics argue that AI-generated content may lower quality standards and increase competition. Hart counters that sales figures indicate reader demand. She also launched a training business for writers and is developing a software tool called Authorythm to support AI writers.