At Pownal Street Press, we believe stories and art are born from human experience, from memory, imagination, culture, and care.
Recently, Pownal Street Press has received an increased number of manuscript and art submissions created using artificial intelligence. Because of this, we realized it was time to share our perspective on the use of AI in book creation. At Pownal Street Press, we believe stories and art are born from human experience, from memory, imagination, culture, and care. While artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping many industries, its use within our published works is prohibited.
Why We Take This Stance
Creative Integrity
Books are acts of unique voice, intention, and emotional truth, which cannot be automated without being diminished. We are writers, too, and we honour the creative process as something deeply human.
Ethical Labour Practices
AI systems are trained on copyrighted works without permission from, or compensation to, the original creator. Allowing their use in creative production exploits the artists and writers the publishing industry exists to support; this is particularly true for emerging, marginalized, and independent creators within the industry. This goes against the fundamentals of our craft, including the way we publish and copyright materials in Canada and abroad. Our policies are designed to protect sustainable creative careers today in 2026, but also into the future.
Cultural Responsibility
Art shapes culture, memory, and imagination. We believe creative industries have a responsibility to protect originality, authorship, and the trust between creator and reader.
Transparency & Disclosure
Artificial intelligence tools are not permitted in the creation of original literary or artistic content submitted to, or published by, Pownal Street Press. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Manuscripts generated wholly or partially by AI
- AI-assisted writing that replaces authorial voice or decision-making
- AI-generated illustrations, photographs, design elements, or visual storytelling
We publish human work crafted by writers, illustrators, editors, and designers whose lived experience and creative labour are at the heart of every book we make. As such, authors, illustrators, and collaborators working with us are required to disclose any use of AI tools during the development process. Failure to do so may result in withdrawal from consideration or termination of contract.
Looking Forward
At Pownal Street Press, we believe books and the humans behind them matter most of all. Technology will continue to evolve, and so will our policies. What will not change is our commitment to human creativity, ethical publishing, and meaningful storytelling.