AI has skill, but not art; can't replace human emotion: Chetan Bhagat

Noted author Chetan Bhagat has dismissed concerns that Artificial Intelligence and AI-based language tools will affect the profession of writers, especially in the realm of fiction.

“AI will have a skill but not an art,” he said, adding these tools cannot bring the true emotion into writing, and creativity drawn from human experience will remain irreplaceable.

Bhagat was speaking on Sunday at the launch of his latest book '12 Years: My Messed-Up Love Story' at a bookstore in Pune, where he was interviewed by political analyst Tehseen Poonawalla.

Asked whether Artificial Intelligence and AI-based language models will impact his profession as a writer, Bhagat said storytelling built on human emotion cannot be replicated by machines.

“When people ask whether AI or ChatGPT will affect my profession as an author, my answer is: it won't—at least not for fiction,” he said.

The author underlined that authentic writing is rooted in lived experiences.

“AI hasn't had its heart broken. My heart was broken. ChatGPT doesn't have childhood trauma. I do. I've had breakups. I've felt love. I've lived through highs and lows. And what works in books is the ability to transfer those real feelings to readers. If you don't feel anything yourself, fiction won't work,” he explained.

Bhagat said the essence of storytelling lies in human connection.

“In general, people are interested in people. Why are we talking here? Because you have a certain way of speaking, and I like that. If both of us were replaced by bots, they'd talk about everything—from nuclear science to space to politics—but who would want to sit and listen?” he said.

Challenging the notion that AI could rival creative writing, he added, “Tell me a single book that was written by AI. People will always be interested in people. These models can handle administrative work, but they cannot bring true emotion into writing.” Bhagat further said that even if AI evolves to mimic emotional expression, it will still lack authenticity in the eyes of audiences.

“Even in the future, if AI learns to imitate emotions, the moment people know something was written by AI, they'll stop reading or watching it,” he said.

Known for bestselling novels that have been adapted into popular films, Bhagat maintained that creativity drawn from human experience will remain irreplaceable despite rapid developments in Artificial Intelligence.

“AI will have a skill but not an art,” he added.

In a message to those who aspire to write, Bhagat said that despite the presence of AI-based models, certain things will not change—one's ability to observe people, the ability to read and write, and most importantly, discipline, hard work and focus in writing.

Talking about his new book, Bhagat said it is a love story of a 33-year-old divorced man and a 21-year-old woman.

“It is based on the complexities of relationships and is relatable to both Gen Z and millennial generations, with the female protagonist representing Gen Z and the male protagonist representing millennials,” he said.

"It's a love story: the guy is 33 and the girl is 21. The age gap is what makes it messed up. I hope people will enjoy it. I am very happy that readers from both the current and previous generations were present at the launch — it's heartening to see that people in India are still reading,” the author said.

Bhagat said that after more than 10 years, following the success of his books '2 States: The Story of My Marriage' and 'Half Girlfriend', he has written another love story.

“12 Years: My Messed-Up Love Story is extremely close to my heart and is one of my best books—if not the best book I have written so far. It's funny, emotional, thought-provoking, and a whole lot more. At its core, it tries to answer a timeless question: How do you know if the special someone in your life is ‘the one'?” he said.

Bhagat said that despite there being several online OTT platforms, the people, especially the youth in India, have a penchant for reading.