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This is, at best, hopelessly naive. At worst, it's willfully negligent. These pledges are toothless and vague, especially in light of reports that publishers are using AI regardless of what authors - and even their own employees - want.

This is not the action of a union ready to tackle an existential fight for the workers they represent. It's a mealy-mouthed capitulation built on meaningless slogans like "AI should only be used for good". At least I know what to do when my next membership renewal email arrives.

This approach is built on the assumption that Generative AI is the inevitable future, and the only path open to us is to use it rather than resist it. It's nonsense. AI can no more "protect and support" authors than a fox can protect and support chickens.

This technology cannot create. It is designed to consume and regurgitate. Taking our work for free, and replacing us at cost, is the reason it exists. That's its purpose. That's the business model.

And it's not even a GOOD business model. All these companies and apps are hemorrhaging money, and are only being kept afloat by ludicrous stock evaluations. Stop treating them like obligatory business partners and start treating them like the weak parasites they are.