Can AI write a novel?

Mrinal Chatterjee

Window Seat

I am writing a long essay on 'Literature and AI' for an upcoming seminar.

If you are still in doubt whether AI can write a novel or a film script, let me tell you emphatically - it can. It is not as good as the best by human beings- but it is improving; and it is written in different languages including some Indian languages.

 “1 the Road”, is considered one of the earliest long-form AI-assisted literary experiments, which was created in 2018. It is a book written using a car as a pen. Ross Goodwin, a prominent Artificial Intelligence creator, outfitted a Cadillac car with a surveillance camera, a GPS unit, a microphone and a clock, all connected to a portable AI writing machine that fed from these input data in real time. The output was printed as a book.

A short film titled Sunspring was written completely by a computer. Made in 2016, it is regarded as the first film written by AI. The script and movie were the product of director Oscar Sharp and Ross Goodwin, a New York University AI researcher. With a dark, ominous atmosphere and gibberish script, penned by a computer it stars Silicon Valley’s Thomas Middleditch.

It is available on Youtube. You may watch it.

The first AI-authored Bengali novel titled Jubok Jekhane Jemon was released in February 2025.

A 16-page Bengali novel compiled by Dr. Mahfuz Shamim from Bangladesh and produced using AI prompts, it was published by Nairita Café and released at local channels and book fairs.

Dr. Shamim pursued academic studies in literature, his PhD was in IT project management.

In India several smaller AI-authored works are available on different digital platforms.

Containing the Stubble Crisis

As harvest winds sweep across the northern plains, a significant transformation is underway in the way crop residue is managed. Traditionally burned, causing severe air pollution, stubble is now being recognised as a valuable resource.

Driven by advances in technology and rising demand for green energy, farmers are increasingly finding profitable alternatives to burning, such as using crop residue for energy, animal feed, and soil improvement. Biomass power plants are purchasing paddy straw as a renewable fuel, tapping into India’s biomass potential of 28,000 MW.

Innovations like the Pusa Decomposer offer a cost-effective solution for converting stubble into nutrient-rich compost, benefiting both the environment and soil health. Meanwhile, treated paddy straw is emerging as a viable livestock feed, addressing fodder shortages.

With growing opportunities in eco-friendly products and carbon sequestration, stubble is evolving from environmental hazard to economic asset, offering farmers new income streams while supporting sustainability

Words of the Year

Macquarie Dictionary picks up 'AI slop' as the word of the year- 2025.

AI Slop is a popular, derogatory term for low-quality, high-volume digital content (text, images, video) generated by AI, characterized by a lack of effort, originality, or meaning, designed to exploit algorithms for clicks and engagement, often leading to misinformation, spam, and a degraded online experience. It's seen as the newest form of internet spam, clogging feeds with formulaic, sometimes nonsensical or harmful content, impacting artists and creators, and posing risks to democracy through deep fakes and propaganda.

Earlier this month the Oxford dictionary picked up 'Rage Bait' as the word of the year and Cambridge Dictionary chose ‘parasocial’ as the Word of the Year for 2025.

Parasocial refers to one-sided emotional connections people form with celebrities, influencers, and even AI, driven by increased online engagement and a search for connection in a lonely world

Interestingly all the 'new words of the year' have close connection with the digital media ecosphere underlining its growing impact and traction with modern society and language.

Another noteworthy aspect is the speed at which language is evolving in the digital age led by the digital natives, especially Gen Z. They are driving changes using slang words like ‘no cap’ (no lie) or rizz (charisma, named the Oxford University Press Word of the Year for 2023.)

It is happening with Indian languages as well. The only difference is, these newly minted words are not taken into the dictionary as readily as it is being done in the Western world.

Tailpiece: ItDidn’tGo

Indigo’s large-scale operational disruptions which put thousands of travellers across the country into misery and inconvenience have also triggered a tsunami of jokes, memes and situational marketing including advertisement of a condom brand.

Industrialist Harsh Goenka shared a spoof of the airline’s logo with a new name: “ItDidn’tGo”, taking a playful swipe at the ongoing cancellations and delays. The post quickly went viral, with many travellers saying the joke perfectly reflects their frustration.

(Cartoon by Smitha Bhandare Kamat)