The Reading / Listening - A.I. Books - Level 3

A leading poet and writer from Scotland has called for warnings to be put on books written by artificial intelligence (AI). Peter Mackay became Scotland's national poet in December last year. He is concerned about the damage AI could do to the publishing industry. He wants food packaging-style health warnings on all AI-generated books. He told the BBC: "I have got huge concerns about AI in terms of the creation of new literature and the creation of new books, partly because, as a writer, it could be disastrous for new people who are in the profession." He added: "It's very hard to make a living as a writer anyway, and [now] you are having to compete with [all the] knowledge of every book written."

Mr Mackay wants all new books to have a special mark that shows whether AI or a person wrote it. He said the symbol could be like those used on food packaging. He believes the public needs to know about the level of AI input in a book. One idea is that information could show if a book is "100 per cent AI-free or 100 per cent organically produced". Mr Mackay's call comes just before the USA and UK refused to sign an international agreement on AI to keep it "clean" and "ethical". US Vice President JD Vance said too much regulation of AI could "kill a transformative industry just as it's taking off". He said "pro-growth AI policies" were more important than safety.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    A.I. Books - Level 0,  A.I. Books - Level 1   or  A.I. Books - Level 2

Sources
  • https://www.scotsman.com/news/scottish-news/food-packaging-style-health-warnings-should-be-put-on-books-written-by-ai-says-scotlands-makar-4982464
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly4p3wz3l3o
  • https://edm.parliament.uk/early-day-motion/62900/dr-mackay-appointed-scotlands-new-makar


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. A.I. BOOKS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about A.I. books. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
       poet / warnings / books / publishing / food packaging / literature / A.I. / knowledge /
       symbol / the public / information / international agreement / ethical / growth / safety
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. BAN: Students A strongly believe AI books should be banned; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. AI: How will AI change these industries? How will these changes affect workers? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

AI

Workers

Literature

 

 

Music

 

 

Health

 

 

Teaching

 

 

Policing

 

 

Shops

 

 
MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

5. WARNING: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "warning". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. BOOK GENRES: Rank these with your partner. Put the best book genres at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Mystery
  • Romance
  • Historical fiction
  • Adventure
  • Science fiction
  • Comedy
  • Horror
  • Non-fiction

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. leading (adjective) a. To earn money to buy what you need.
      2. poet b. Being the best or most important.
      3. concerned c. Very big.
      4. publishing d. A person who writes poems.
      5. huge e. The business of making and selling books, newspapers, or magazines.
      6. profession f. Worried or thinking a lot about something.
      7. make a living g. A type of job that needs special skills or training.

    Paragraph 2

      8. mark (noun) h. A sign, symbol or shape with meaning.
      9. input (noun) i. Becoming successful very quickly.
      10. refused j. Ideas or information given to help something.
      11. agreement k. Making big changes in a good way.
      12. ethical l. Said no to something.
      13. transformative m. When two or more people have the same opinion or decision.
      14. taking off n. Doing the right thing, being fair and honest.

 

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

  1. A poet from Scotland wants to write poems using AI.     T / F
  2. The poet says AI is great for the publishing industry.     T / F
  3. The poet said AI will be great for new people in the publishing business.  T / F
  4. The poet said it was hard to earn money as a writer.     T / F
  5. The poet wants books to have a sign that says if AI was used to write it.  T / F
  6. The poet said all books should be 100 per cent AI-free.     T / F
  7. JD Vance said too much regulation could kill AI.     T / F
  8. The USA vice president said growing AI was more important than safety. T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

  1. leading
  2. concerned
  3. damage
  4. generated
  5. knowledge
  6. mark
  7. level
  8. refused
  9. ethical
  10. safety
  1. harm
  2. declined
  3. worried
  4. information
  5. amount
  6. top
  7. right-thinking
  8. created
  9. security
  10. sign

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

  1. A leading poet and
  2. He is concerned about the damage
  3. disastrous for new people who are
  4. It's very hard to make a living
  5. all the knowledge of
  6. the level of AI input
  7. show if a book is 100 per cent
  8. refused to sign an international
  9. kill a transformative industry just as it's
  10. pro-growth AI
  1. policies
  2. in the profession
  3. every book written
  4. agreement
  5. AI could do
  6. AI-free
  7. as a writer
  8. taking off
  9. in a book
  10. writer from Scotland

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
health
called
compete
new
living
national
publishing
disastrous

A leading poet and writer from Scotland has (1) ______________________________________________ for warnings to be put on books written by artificial intelligence (AI). Peter Mackay became Scotland's (2) ______________________________________________ poet in December last year. He is concerned about the damage AI could do to the (3) ______________________________________________ industry. He wants food packaging-style (4) ______________________________________________ warnings on all AI-generated books. He told the BBC: "I have got huge concerns about AI in terms of the creation of (5) ______________________________________________ literature and the creation of new books, partly because, as a writer, it could be (6) ______________________________________________ for new people who are in the profession." He added: "It's very hard to make a (7) ______________________________________________ as a writer anyway, and [now] you are having to (8) ______________________________________________ with [all the] knowledge of every book written."

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
ethical
symbol
safety
special
taking
produced
input
kill

Mr Mackay wants all new books to have a (9) ______________________________________________ mark that shows whether AI or a person wrote it. He said the (10) ______________________________________________ could be like those used on food packaging. He believes the public needs to know about the level of AI (11) ______________________________________________ in a book. One idea is that information could show if a book is "100 per cent AI-free or 100 per cent organically (12) ______________________________________________". Mr Mackay's call comes just before the USA and UK refused to sign an international agreement on AI to keep it "clean" and "(13) ______________________________________________". US Vice President JD Vance said too much regulation of AI could "(14) ______________________________________________ a transformative industry just as it's (15) ______________________________________________ off". He said "pro-growth AI policies" were more important than (16) ______________________________________________.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) warnings to be put on books written ______
     a.  by artificial intelligence
     b.  at artificial intelligence
     c.  in artificial intelligence
     d.  of artificial intelligence
2)  He is concerned about the damage AI could do to ______
     a.  the publishing industrial
     b.  the publish in industry
     c.  the publishing industry
     d.  the publish shin industry
3)  I have got huge concerns about AI in terms of the creation ______
     a.  off new literature
     b.  of news literature
     c.  of new literary
     d.  of new literature
4)  He added: "It's very hard to ______
     a.  bake a living
     b.  take a living
     c.  fake a living
     d.  make a living
5)  and now you are having to compete with ______
     a.  every the knowledge
     b.  whole the knowledge
     c.  all the knowledge
     d.  entire the knowledge

6)  Mr Mackay wants all new books to have ______
     a.  a special mark
     b.  a specially mark
     c.  especial mark
     d.  especially mark
7)  He believes the public needs to know about the ______
     a.  lever oft AI
     b.  revel of AI
     c.  rebel of AI
     d.  level of AI
8)  Mr Mackay's call comes just before the USA and UK ______
     a.  refuse to sign
     b.  reused to sign
     c.  refused to sign
     d.  refused to signs
9)  an international agreement on AI to keep it ______
     a.  clean and ethical
     b.  clean and ethically
     c.  cleaned and ethical
     d.  cleaned and ethically
10)  too much regulation of AI could "kill a transformative industry just as ______
     a.  it's taking on
     b.  it's take in-off
     c.  it's taken off
     d.  it's taking off

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A leading (1) __________________________________________________ from Scotland has called for warnings to be put on (2) __________________________________________________ artificial intelligence (AI). Peter Mackay became Scotland's national poet in December last year. He is concerned about the damage AI could do to (3) __________________________________________________. He wants food packaging-style health warnings on all AI-generated books. He told the BBC: "I have got huge concerns about AI in terms of the creation (4) __________________________________________________ and the creation of new books, partly because, as a writer, it could be disastrous for new people who are (5) __________________________________________________." He added: "It's very hard to make a living as a writer anyway, and [now] you are having to compete with (6) __________________________________________________ of every book written."

Mr Mackay wants all new books to have (7) __________________________________________________ that shows whether AI or a person wrote it. He said the symbol could be like (8) __________________________________________________ food packaging. He believes the public needs to know about the level of AI input in a book. One idea is that information could (9) __________________________________________________ book is "100 per cent AI-free or 100 per cent organically produced". Mr Mackay's call comes just before the USA and UK (10) __________________________________________________ an international agreement on AI to keep it (11) __________________________________________________. US Vice President JD Vance said too much regulation of AI could "kill a transformative industry just as it's taking off". He said "pro-growth AI policies" were more (12) __________________________________________________.

Comprehension questions

  1. Where is the poet from?
  2. What role did Peter Mackay get in December of last year?
  3. What does the poet think AI might damage?
  4. Who did the poet talk to?
  5. What does the poet say it is hard to do as a writer?
  6. Who does the poet want to know about the level of AI input in books?
  7. What might information show a book is 100% free of?
  8. What did the USA and UK refuse to sign?
  9. What did JD Vance say could kill off the AI industry?
  10. What kind of policies does JD Vance want?

Multiple choice quiz

1) Where is the poet from?
a) Scotland
b) the USA
c) England
d) India
2) What role did Peter Mackay get in December of last year?
a) coder
b) AI regulator
c) national poet
d) web designer
3) What does the poet think AI might damage?
a) the health industry
b) the publishing industry
c) packaging companies
d) the Internet
4) Who did the poet talk to?
a) the Washington Post
b) Al Jazeera
c) CNN
d) the BBC
5) What does the poet say it is hard to do as a writer?
a) make a living
b) think of ideas
c) sell books
d) read books

6) Who does the poet want to know about the level of AI input in books?
a) the government
b) AI coders
c) writers
d) the public
7) What might information show a book is 100% free of?
a) microplastics
b) AI
c) bad language
d) mistakes
8) What did the USA and UK refuse to sign?
a) a book contract
b) a book
c) an autograph
d) an international agreement
9) What did JD Vance say could kill off the AI industry?
a) hackers
b) writers
c) too much regulation
d) AI
10) What kind of policies does JD Vance want?
a) America-first policies
b) pro-growth AI policies
c) digital policies
d) insurance policies

Role play

Role  A – Romance
You think romance is the best book genre. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their genres. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): science fiction, horror or non-fiction.

Role  B – Science Fiction
You think science fiction is the best book genre. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their genres. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): romance, horror or non-fiction.

Role  C – Horror
You think horror is the best book genre. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their genres. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): science fiction, romance or non-fiction.

Role  D – Non-fiction
You think non-fiction is the best book genre. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their genres. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): science fiction, horror or romance.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'AI'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'books'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • Share your findings with your partners.

    • Make questions using the words you found.

    • Ask your partner / group your questions.

    2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

    •Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

    3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

    4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

    5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

    • leading
    • damage
    • health
    • terms
    • living
    • knowledge
    • special
    • symbol
    • show
    • sign
    • kill
    • safety

    Student survey

    Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

    (Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

    Discussion - A.I. Books

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'book'?
    3. What do you think of poets?
    4. What kinds of books do you like?
    5. What do you think of books written by AI?
    6. Are real writers or AI better?
    7. Are you worried about AI replacing human writers?
    8. How difficult is it to make a living as a writer?
    9. How will you make a living in 10 years from now?
    10. What is the best book you've ever read?

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'AI'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. Do you think books should have an AI mark on them?
    5. Why is it important to know if a book was written by AI?
    6. Should music and art also have a symbol if AI was used?
    7. What jobs do you think AI will replace?
    8. Will AI be better than real English teachers?
    9. How important is AI for our future?
    10. What questions would you like to ask a novelist?

    Discussion — Write your own questions

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    (a) ________________

    (b) ________________

    (c) ________________

    (d) ________________

    (e) ________________

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    (f) ________________

    (g) ________________

    (h) ________________

    (i) ________________

    (j) ________________

    Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    A leading poet and writer from Scotland (1) ____ called for warnings to be put on books written by artificial intelligence (AI). Peter Mackay became Scotland's national poet in December last year. He is (2) ____ about the damage AI could do to the publishing industry. He wants food packaging-style health warnings on (3) ____ AI-generated books. He told the BBC: "I have got huge concerns about AI (4) ____ terms of the creation of new literature and the creation of new books, partly because, (5) ____ a writer, it could be disastrous for new people who are in the profession." He added: "It's very hard to (6) ____ a living as a writer anyway, and [now] you are having to compete with [all the] knowledge of every book written."

    Mr Mackay wants all new books to have a special mark that shows whether AI or a person (7) ____ it. He said the symbol could be like those used on food packaging. He believes the (8) ____ needs to know about the level of AI input in a book. One idea is that information could show if a book is "100 per cent AI-free or 100 per cent (9) ____ produced". Mr Mackay's call comes just before the USA and UK refused to sign an international agreement (10) ____ AI to keep it "clean" and "ethical". US Vice President JD Vance said too (11) ____ regulation of AI could "kill a transformative industry just as it's taking off". He said "pro-growth AI policies" were more important than (12) ____.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     have     (b)     has     (c)     having     (d)     haves    
    2. (a)     concerted     (b)     concerned     (c)     cornered     (d)     corny    
    3. (a)     them     (b)     that     (c)     every     (d)     all    
    4. (a)     at     (b)     in     (c)     of     (d)     by    
    5. (a)     that     (b)     on     (c)     at     (d)     as    
    6. (a)     take     (b)     fake     (c)     make     (d)     bake    
    7. (a)     wrote     (b)     writing     (c)     written     (d)     writer    
    8. (a)     private     (b)     pub     (c)     public     (d)     privately    
    9. (a)     healthily     (b)     slowly     (c)     hurriedly     (d)     organically    
    10. (a)     on     (b)     by     (c)     at     (d)     as    
    11. (a)     much     (b)     many     (c)     more     (d)     most    
    12. (a)     safety     (b)     safely     (c)     sultry     (d)     suffer

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. A leading pteo and writer
    2. books written by tilafraici intelligence
    3. He is concerned about the mgadae
    4. the creation of new tieraurelt
    5. new people who are in the orfipsenos
    6. all the wdngeoekl of every book written

    Paragraph 2

    1. the slbmyo could be like those used on food
    2. 100 per cent lgoacnliyar produced
    3. keep it clean and thalcei
    4. too much uentgariol
    5. AI could kill a transformative yrsdntui
    6. pro-rwtgoh AI policies

    Put the text back together

    (...)  warnings on all AI-generated books. He told the BBC: "I have got huge concerns about AI in terms of the creation of new
    (...)  about the damage AI could do to the publishing industry. He wants food packaging-style health
    (...)  intelligence (AI). Peter Mackay became Scotland's national poet in December last year. He is concerned
    (...)  literature and the creation of new books, partly because, as a writer, it could be disastrous for new people who are in the
    (  1  )  A leading poet and writer from Scotland has called for warnings to be put on books written by artificial
    (...)  Mr Mackay wants all new books to have a special mark that shows whether AI or a person
    (...)  profession." He added: "It's very hard to make a living as a writer anyway,
    (...)  and [now] you are having to compete with [all the] knowledge of every book written."
    (...)  to sign an international agreement on AI to keep it "clean" and "ethical". US Vice
    (...)  wrote it. He said the symbol could be like those used on food packaging. He believes the public
    (...)  needs to know about the level of AI input in a book. One idea is that information could show if a book is "100
    (...)  industry just as it's taking off". He said "pro-growth AI policies" were more important than safety.
    (...)  per cent AI-free or 100 per cent organically produced". Mr Mackay's call comes just before the USA and UK refused
    (...)  President JD Vance said too much regulation of AI could "kill a transformative

    Put the words in the right order

    1. He   on   to   warnings   books   .   for   called   be
    2. AI   about   damage   could   the   concerned   do   .   He's
    3. could   be   disastrous   people   .   It   new   for
    4. as   a   a   writer   .   living   to   Hard   make
    5. book   All   written   .   every   of   knowledge   the
    6. books   New   special   to   a   mark   .   have
    7. be   like   on   those   The   symbol   could   food   .
    8. level   .   know   about   public   needs   the   The   to
    9. sign   international   an   Refused   on   agreement   AI   .   to
    10. of   a   kill   industry   .   AI   could   transformative   Regulation

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    A leading poet / poetry and writer from Scotland has called for warnings to be put on books writing / written by artificial intelligence (AI). Peter Mackay became Scotland's national poet in December last year. He is cornered / concerned about the damage AI could do to / of the publishing industry. He wants food packaging-style health warnings at / on all AI-generated books. He told the BBC: "I have got huge concerns about AI in terms / teams of the creation of new literature / literary and the creation of new books, partly because, has / as a writer, it could be disastrous for new people who are in the profession." He added / addition: "It's very hard to make a living as a writer anyway, and [now] you are having to compete with [all the] knowledge of every / all book written."

    Mr Mackay wants all / every new books to have a special mark that shows whether / weather AI or a person wrote it. He said the symbol could be like / liked those used on food packaging. He believes / beliefs the public needs to know about the level of AI input / output in a book. One idea is that information could shows / show if a book is "100 per cent AI-free or 100 per cent organ / organically produced". Mr Mackay's call comes just before the USA and UK refused to sign / singe an international agreement on AI to keep it "clean" and "ethical". US Vice President JD Vance said too many / much regulation of AI could "kill a transformative industry just as it's taking off". He said "pro-growth AI policies" were more important than safely / safety.

    Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct. Look up the definition of new words.

    Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

    _  l__d_ng  p__t  _nd  wr_t_r  fr_m  Sc_tl_nd  h_s  c_ll_d  f_r  w_rn_ngs  t_  b_  p_t  _n  b__ks  wr_tt_n  by  _rt_f_c__l  _nt_ll_g_nc_  (__).  P_t_r  M_ck_y  b_c_m_  Sc_tl_nd's  n_t__n_l  p__t  _n  D_c_mb_r  l_st  y__r.  H_  _s  c_nc_rn_d  _b__t  th_  d_m_g_  __  c__ld  d_  t_  th_  p_bl_sh_ng  _nd_stry.  H_  w_nts  f__d  p_ck_g_ng-styl_  h__lth  w_rn_ngs  _n  _ll  __-g_n_r_t_d  b__ks.  H_  t_ld  th_  BBC:  "_  h_v_  g_t  h_g_  c_nc_rns  _b__t  __  _n  t_rms  _f  th_  cr__t__n  _f  n_w  l_t_r_t_r_  _nd  th_  cr__t__n  _f  n_w  b__ks,  p_rtly  b_c__s_,  _s  _  wr_t_r,  _t  c__ld  b_  d_s_str__s  f_r  n_w  p__pl_  wh_  _r_  _n  th_  pr_f_ss__n."  H_  _dd_d:  "_t's  v_ry  h_rd  t_  m_k_  _  l_v_ng  _s  _  wr_t_r  _nyw_y,  _nd  [n_w]  y__  _r_  h_v_ng  t_  c_mp_t_  w_th  [_ll  th_]  kn_wl_dg_  _f  _v_ry  b__k  wr_tt_n."

    Mr  M_ck_y  w_nts  _ll  n_w  b__ks  t_  h_v_  _  sp_c__l  m_rk  th_t  sh_ws  wh_th_r  __  _r  _  p_rs_n  wr_t_  _t.  H_  s__d  th_  symb_l  c__ld  b_  l_k_  th_s_  _s_d  _n  f__d  p_ck_g_ng.  H_  b_l__v_s  th_  p_bl_c  n__ds  t_  kn_w  _b__t  th_  l_v_l  _f  __  _np_t  _n  _  b__k.  _n_  _d__  _s  th_t  _nf_rm_t__n  c__ld  sh_w  _f  _  b__k  _s  "100  p_r  c_nt  __-fr__  _r  100  p_r  c_nt  _rg_n_c_lly  pr_d_c_d".  Mr  M_ck_y's  c_ll  c_m_s  j_st  b_f_r_  th_  _S_  _nd  _K  r_f_s_d  t_  s_gn  _n  _nt_rn_t__n_l  _gr__m_nt  _n  __  t_  k__p  _t  "cl__n"  _nd  "_th_c_l".  _S  V_c_  Pr_s_d_nt  JD  V_nc_  s__d  t__  m_ch  r_g_l_t__n  _f  __  c__ld  "k_ll  _  tr_nsf_rm_t_v_  _nd_stry  j_st  _s  _t's  t_k_ng  _ff".  H_  s__d  "pr_-gr_wth  __  p_l_c__s"  w_r_  m_r_  _mp_rt_nt  th_n  s_f_ty.

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    a leading poet and writer from scotland has called for warnings to be put on books written by artificial intelligence ai peter mackay became scotlands national poet in december last year he is concerned about the damage ai could do to the publishing industry he wants food packagingstyle health warnings on all aigenerated books he told the bbc i have got huge concerns about ai in terms of the creation of new literature and the creation of new books partly because as a writer it could be disastrous for new people who are in the profession he added its very hard to make a living as a writer anyway and now you are having to compete with all the knowledge of every book written

    mr mackay wants all new books to have a special mark that shows whether ai or a person wrote it he said the symbol could be like those used on food packaging he believes the public needs to know about the level of ai input in a book one idea is that information could show if a book is 100 per cent aifree or 100 per cent organically produced mr mackays call comes just before the usa and uk refused to sign an international agreement on ai to keep it clean and ethical us vice president jd vance said too much regulation of ai could kill a transformative industry just as its taking off he said progrowth ai policies were more important than safety

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    AleadingpoetandwriterfromScotlandhascalledforwarningstobeputo
    nbookswrittenbyartificialintelligence(AI).PeterMackaybecameScotl
    and'snationalpoetinDecemberlastyear.Heisconcernedaboutthedam
    ageAIcoulddotothepublishingindustry.Hewantsfoodpackaging-styl
    ehealthwarningsonallAI-generatedbooks.HetoldtheBBC:"Ihavego
    thugeconcernsaboutAIintermsofthecreationofnewliteratureandthec
    reationofnewbooks,partlybecause,asawriter,itcouldbedisastrousfor
    newpeoplewhoareintheprofession."Headded:"It'sveryhardtomakea
    livingasawriteranyway,and[now]youarehavingtocompetewith[allth
    e]knowledgeofeverybookwritten."MrMackaywantsallnewbookstoha
    veaspecialmarkthatshowswhetherAIorapersonwroteit.Hesaidthesy
    mbolcouldbelikethoseusedonfoodpackaging.Hebelievesthepublicne
    edstoknowaboutthelevelofAIinputinabook.Oneideaisthatinformatio
    ncouldshowifabookis"100percentAI-freeor100percentorganicallyp
    roduced".MrMackay'scallcomesjustbeforetheUSAandUKrefusedtosi
    gnaninternationalagreementonAItokeepit"clean"and"ethical".USVi
    cePresidentJDVancesaidtoomuchregulationofAIcould"killatransfor
    mativeindustryjustasit'stakingoff".Hesaid"pro-growthAIpolicies"w
    eremoreimportantthansafety.

    Free writing

    Write about AI book warnings for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    A.I. books will be better than  books written by people.  Discuss.

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    Homework

    1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
    2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
    3. A.I. BOOKS: Make a poster about A.I. books. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. BAN: Write a magazine article about banning AI books. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.
    Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
    5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
    6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on AI books. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your opinions on AI books. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

    A Few Additional Activities for Students

    Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

    Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

    Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

    Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

    Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

    Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

    Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

    Also...

    Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

    • News
    • Warm ups
    • Pre-reading / Post-reading
    • Using headlines
    • Working with words
    • While-reading / While-listening
    • Moving from text to speech
    • Post-reading / Post-listening
    • Discussions
    • Using opinions
    • Plans
    • Language
    • Using lists
    • Using quotes
    • Task-based activities
    • Role plays
    • Using the central characters in the article
    • Using themes from the news
    • Homework

    Buy my book

    $US 9.99

    Answers

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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