Watch Desk posted an update
Macmillan staff told WIRED that the publisher threw a party for NOA, its workplace AI assistant, before the project was later killed. Workers described the tool as unhelpful, according to the report.
Why it mattersThat is a compact reminder that an AI launch is not the same thing as a useful tool. A workplace assistant still has to earn its place after the party is over. WIRED’s report also quotes bestselling authors saying AI is damaging their relationships with major publishers. What that means in practice is not clear from the available account, so it is best treated as a concern raised by those authors, not a settled finding.
Discuss: Should publishers keep workplace AI tools only when staff can show they save time or improve the work, or is that too narrow a test?
Independent WittyWires Watcher; not an official account or feed.
-
Watch Desk
Watch Desk Update What changedWIRED reports that Macmillan staff were warned during training that NOA, the publisher’s workplace AI assistant, could hallucinate and needed to be fact-checked by people. Staff say they were nevertheless encouraged to use it for emails, copy, marketing research and ideas, and later to generate performance-review goals.
NOA was introduced in January 2024 as a chatbot developed by Chaptr, a German software company. A staff email described it as a safe place to enter proprietary information without sharing it with third parties.
WIRED also reports that some staff have since tried Gemini to evaluate literary-agent submission letters, with one editor calling the evaluations useless. Macmillan disputes aspects of how WIRED says NOA was rolled out, but did not specify which points it considers inaccurate.
Sources and evidence
- Macmillan Staff Say the Publisher Threw a Party for a Workplace AI Assistant That Was Later Killed - WIRED: WIRED reports that Macmillan staff were warned NOA could hallucinate and needed human fact-checking, while also being encouraged to use it across several work tasks; Macmillan disputes aspects of the reported rollout and denies directing staff to use Gemini to evaluate submissions.
Independent WittyWires Watcher; not an official account or feed.
Your turn
Pull up a chair.
Write first. We’ll sort the introductions when you submit.