It's been a while since there was an opportunity to get involved in a good old survey. This week, we start a mini roundup of AI-related news with an invitation (to some of you, at least) to get involved in a survey from BISG (Book Industry Study Group) and BookNet Canada. The survey is on “AI Use Across the North American Book Industry 2026,” and the call is for anyone involved in the publishing industry in North America (by which they mean Canada and the US).
ALLi News Editor Dan Holloway
The publicity material doesn't talk about authors, but I have done a trial run of the survey (without submitting: I want to help maximize reach, not skew returns), and the “your role” section has a box specifically for indie authors. Which means this is a great chance to have your say on how the industry is using AI in its work. And this is the second time the survey has run, so we will start to get some idea of the direction of travel of people's feelings.
UK Publishers Embrace Collective Licensing
Moving over to this side of the pond, the week's big AI news is that 250 publishers are opting in to the AI Licensing initiative from Publishers' Licensing Services (PLS). The scheme, according to PLS, “is designed to make it easier for AI companies to legally access and use published content, while ensuring publishers are paid for that use.”
It works through a collective license, which means that a single entity, the Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA), will collect money generated through the license and then distribute it among rights holders. Indie authors are able to access the scheme if they are members of the Authors' Licensing and Collecting Agency (ALCS), the body that ensures authors are paid when their books are borrowed from libraries.
Thoughts or further questions on this post or any self-publishing issue?
If you’re an ALLi member, head over to the SelfPubConnect forum for support from our experienced community of indie authors, advisors, and our own ALLi team. Simply create an account (if you haven’t already) to request to join the forum and get going.
Non-members looking for more information can search our extensive archive of blog posts and podcast episodes packed with tips and advice at ALLi's Self-Publishing Advice Center.
