AI and the Writing Profession with Josh Bernoff

AI and the Writing Profession with Josh Bernoff

From FIR Interviews by FIR Interviews

December 10, 2025 · 58 min

About this episode

Josh Bernoff discusses the impact of AI on the writing profession based on a large survey of writers.

Josh Bernoff has just completed the largest survey yet of writers and AI – nearly 1,500 respondents across journalism, communication, publishing, and fiction. We interviewed Josh for this podcast in early December 2025. What emerges from both the data and our conversation is not a single, simple story, but a deep divide. Writers who actively use AI increasingly see it as a powerful productivity tool. They research faster, brainstorm more effectively, build outlines more quickly, and free themselves up to focus on the work only humans can do well – judgement, originality, voice, and storytelling. The most advanced users report not only higher output, but improvements in quality and, in many cases, higher income. Non-users experience something very different. For many non-users, AI feels unethical, environmentally harmful, creatively hollow, and a direct threat to their livelihoods. The emotional language used by some respondents in Josh’s survey reflects just how personal and existential these fears have become. And yet, across both camps, there is striking agreement on key risks. Writers on all sides are concerned about hallucinations and factual errors, copyright and training…

People in this episode

Guest: Josh Bernoff

Topics covered

  • AI
  • writing profession
  • productivity
  • journalism
  • communication
  • publishing
  • fiction

Keywords

  • survey
  • writers
  • AI tools
  • productivity
  • creativity

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: AI and the Writing Profession

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