Dr. Santosh Kumar Behera, Senior Principal Scientist, CSIR-IMMT, Bhubaneswar honored with the Prestigious ISOI Fellow for 2024

Science and Health

Dr. Santosh Kumar Behera, Senior Principal Scientist, CSIR-IMMT, Bhubaneswar honored with the Prestigious ISOI Fellow for 2024 – Odisha Diary, Latest Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha Home CITY Bhubaneswar Dr. Santosh Kumar Behera, Senior Principal Scientist, CSIR-IMMT, Bhubaneswar honored with the Prestigious ISOI Fellow for 2024 This post was originally published on here

Feeling burnt out? A TikTok travel trend ‘Hurkle Durkling’ can help you refuel

Travel

Let’s be real. ‘Tis the era of an overworked generation who is almost always on the verge of burnout. That’s the primary reason why Millennials and GenZ are found to be more likely to invest in travel than other generations. They are also more likely to seek out unique experiences and prefer to travel in the off-season. Because, for starters, travel is something that helps them recharge and rejuvenate. And for them, traveling doesn’t necessarily mean being touristy and ticking out all the ‘places to see’ boxes while they are at the destination. For these generations, traveling is all about taking time to breathe and relax!And right here ‘Hurkle Durkling’ comes in!‘Hurkle-durkling’ is a travel trend seen on TikTok, that shows how people are seeking trips that emphasize wellness and rest.What is ‘Hurkle-durkling’?‘Hurkle-durkling’ is a Scottish phrase that means to lounge in bed all day. It is a term that refers to the habit of staying in bed after your alarm has gone off.Meaning: “To lie in bed or lounge about when one should be up and about.”Origin: The term dates back to the mid-1800s in Scotland.Trend: The term has become popular on social media platforms as a way to normalize the need for relaxation.The practice of ‘Hurkle-durkling’ involves spending long periods of time snuggled under the covers after waking up with books, screens, snacks, or other comforts — and now, hotels are doing more to accommodate guests who are ‘hurkle-durkers’.Megan Hajduk, general manager at The Williams Inn, told Fox News Digital that the trend is “is particularly popular in the winter months when there’s nothing better than staying warm and savoring the luxury of doing nothing.”The Williams Inn located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, has embraced the trend, announcing, “At The Williams Inn, we’ve embraced this idea and elevated it with a Literary Sabbatical package offering curated in-suite libraries.”Nour Laasri, general manager of Marriott Marquis Houston-area, told Fox News Digital that he and the staff understand the importance of balancing productivity with relaxation for both corporate and leisure travelers. As per Laasri, “It’s no surprise that ‘hurkle-durkling’ is gaining popularity — travel provides the perfect opportunity to embrace it.”James Barnett, general manager of the Deer Path Inn, located in Lake Forest, Illinois, said, “There’s something truly special about a day spent hurkle-durkling in bed.”According to a report from ABTA, a trade association for U.K. travel agents, tour operators, and the wider travel industry, more people are taking vacations. The report found that 73% say taking a holiday is their time to relax. As per Brendan Abraham, general manager at Bellyard in Atlanta, “Hurkle-durkling reflects the essence of what we offer at Bellyard — an invitation to slow down and enjoy the moment.”Benefits of ‘Hurkle-durkling’?‘Hurkle-durkling’, the phrase coined in the 19th century – is enjoying a revival as an act of kindness to the body and mind. Now touted as a wellness practice, it can be a tonic for the growing number of people overstressed by work, overstimulated by social media or generally overwhelmed by the anxiety-inducing state of our planet.Some benefits of ‘hurkle-durkling’ include:Resting: It can help you rest and recharge without feeling guilty. Reducing anxiety: It can help you relax and calm your nervous system, which can help with anxiety and depression. Setting a pace: It can help you move at a gentler pace and avoid rushing through the morning. Prioritizing rest: It can help you balance rest with productivity and avoid burnout. Connecting with your needs: It can help you tune into your natural rhythms and connect with your needs for rest, pleasure, and balance. However, ‘hurkle-durkling’ can also have downsides, such as: Lack of motivation, Depression, Burnout, Avoiding social interactions, and Creating isolation from friends and family. Malaika Arora feels ‘Chaiyya Chaiyya’ is an iconic song and it shouldn’t be tampered with

Feeling burnt out? A TikTok travel trend ‘Hurkle Durkling’ can help you refuel

Travel

Let’s be real. ‘Tis the era of an overworked generation who is almost always on the verge of burnout. That’s the primary reason why Millennials and GenZ are found to be more likely to invest in travel than other generations. They are also more likely to seek out unique experiences and prefer to travel in the off-season. Because, for starters, travel is something that helps them recharge and rejuvenate. And for them, traveling doesn’t necessarily mean being touristy and ticking out all the ‘places to see’ boxes while they are at the destination. For these generations, traveling is all about taking time to breathe and relax!And right here ‘Hurkle Durkling’ comes in!‘Hurkle-durkling’ is a travel trend seen on TikTok, that shows how people are seeking trips that emphasize wellness and rest.What is ‘Hurkle-durkling’?‘Hurkle-durkling’ is a Scottish phrase that means to lounge in bed all day. It is a term that refers to the habit of staying in bed after your alarm has gone off.Meaning: “To lie in bed or lounge about when one should be up and about.”Origin: The term dates back to the mid-1800s in Scotland.Trend: The term has become popular on social media platforms as a way to normalize the need for relaxation.The practice of ‘Hurkle-durkling’ involves spending long periods of time snuggled under the covers after waking up with books, screens, snacks, or other comforts — and now, hotels are doing more to accommodate guests who are ‘hurkle-durkers’.Megan Hajduk, general manager at The Williams Inn, told Fox News Digital that the trend is “is particularly popular in the winter months when there’s nothing better than staying warm and savoring the luxury of doing nothing.”The Williams Inn located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, has embraced the trend, announcing, “At The Williams Inn, we’ve embraced this idea and elevated it with a Literary Sabbatical package offering curated in-suite libraries.”Nour Laasri, general manager of Marriott Marquis Houston-area, told Fox News Digital that he and the staff understand the importance of balancing productivity with relaxation for both corporate and leisure travelers. As per Laasri, “It’s no surprise that ‘hurkle-durkling’ is gaining popularity — travel provides the perfect opportunity to embrace it.”James Barnett, general manager of the Deer Path Inn, located in Lake Forest, Illinois, said, “There’s something truly special about a day spent hurkle-durkling in bed.”According to a report from ABTA, a trade association for U.K. travel agents, tour operators, and the wider travel industry, more people are taking vacations. The report found that 73% say taking a holiday is their time to relax. As per Brendan Abraham, general manager at Bellyard in Atlanta, “Hurkle-durkling reflects the essence of what we offer at Bellyard — an invitation to slow down and enjoy the moment.”Benefits of ‘Hurkle-durkling’?‘Hurkle-durkling’, the phrase coined in the 19th century – is enjoying a revival as an act of kindness to the body and mind. Now touted as a wellness practice, it can be a tonic for the growing number of people overstressed by work, overstimulated by social media or generally overwhelmed by the anxiety-inducing state of our planet.Some benefits of ‘hurkle-durkling’ include:Resting: It can help you rest and recharge without feeling guilty. Reducing anxiety: It can help you relax and calm your nervous system, which can help with anxiety and depression. Setting a pace: It can help you move at a gentler pace and avoid rushing through the morning. Prioritizing rest: It can help you balance rest with productivity and avoid burnout. Connecting with your needs: It can help you tune into your natural rhythms and connect with your needs for rest, pleasure, and balance. However, ‘hurkle-durkling’ can also have downsides, such as: Lack of motivation, Depression, Burnout, Avoiding social interactions, and Creating isolation from friends and family. Malaika Arora feels ‘Chaiyya Chaiyya’ is an iconic song and it shouldn’t be tampered with

Local Business Spotlight: AM-FM

Business News

You know when you go out on the town and disocver a great band? Thank a musician. Annapolis has a very robust music scene and the talent in our musicians runs deep. The only problem is that it’s a tough way to make a living! Enter the Annapolis Musicians Fund For Musicians, or AMFM (much easier). Today, we chat with PJ Thomas who is the President of this fantastic non-profit!With anything in life, $#!% happens and musicians are not exempt. Gigs get canceled, fingers get broken, and all of a sudden making ends meet becomes very difficult. AMFM has a fund for them to help bridge the gap. If there is a death, there is a fund to lend a hand. Or if there’s a pandemic (as if) and all the venues shut down–there’s a fund for that. AMFM is ingrained into the music community and they don’t stop with musicians. They award scholarships to students looking to study music in college. They award grants to non-profits who have a music component to their program. And they put on shows!Perhaps the most well-known is the Annual AMFM Christmas Show, followed by the quartely “In the Vane of” shows. AMFM leaves their mark on nearly every aspect of the music scene, and PJ tells it best!Have a listen!LINKS:Where to find the DNB…

Could Southern California fires affect Las Vegas tourism? Maybe

Travel

While some tourism experts say it’s too early to talk about the potential impact the Southern California fires will have on tourism to Las Vegas, those commenting are split over whether potential visitors will stay home in the aftermath or need a break from the stress and come anyway.
Southern California roughly makes up one-third of Las Vegas visitors. Historically, there have been minor lulls in visitation to the Strip after fires, mudslides, earthquakes and other calamities that have affected California communities.
But the widespread devastation brought particularly by the Palisades and Eaton fires that began Jan. 7 make this disaster different from others. Between them and nearly 30 other smaller blazes, more than 38,000 acres have burned and more than 12,000 buildings destroyed.
While some leaders think there won’t be a long-term impact on Las Vegas visitation, others say the priority to victims will be addressing recovery and the paperwork that goes with it instead of traveling.
“It is very early to understand what the impacts of the wildfire will be on Las Vegas,” said Amanda Belarmino, an assistant professor at UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hospitality. “Many of the casinos have already been very generous, and I expect to see further generosity both from the casino companies and our citizens.”
She was referring to the many donations to relief efforts from casino company foundations and through other charitable giving.
“I would expect to see less visitors from California as travel will not be their first priority, and many of them will not be able to afford it,” Belarmino said. “However, Las Vegas is always resilient, and with increased consumer confidence this year, I expect we will find ourselves in a good enough situation to be able to stay strong and help our neighbors to the west.”
No significant impact
Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, is among those who don’t think visitation will take much of a hit as a result of the fires, but he also said it may be too early to tell.
“While it is premature to comment on implications for Las Vegas, we do not anticipate any significant economic effects,” Hill said in an emailed comment. “Our focus remains on those impacted by the ongoing and devastating fires, and we are deeply grateful for the contributions many in Las Vegas have made to support relief efforts.”
Josh Swissman, founding partner and managing director of Las Vegas-based GMA Consulting, sees two potential scenarios coming out of the disaster: that Southern Californians would devote all of their resources to recovery and not come to the city, or break away for short trips as a respite from the recovery process.
“I do think they will be distracted from their normal sort of visitation or vacation patterns only because they’ve got so much of their lives and their homes to clean up and to rebuild,” Swissman said.
“At the same time, I think that Vegas also serves as a nice kind of quick respite and getaway to put, albeit temporarily, your concerns behind you,” he said. So I sort of go both ways there. I do think you’ll see some people that are looking just to get away for a weekend while they continue to sort their lives out.”
He expects that pattern to last awhile because of the enormity of the destruction.
“If vacations are in the cards for those people and they’re being budget conscious, Vegas has always served as a nice, relatively low-cost destination,” he said. “And it’s relatively close. You can do it at the last minute, you can hop in your car. You know, gas, while it’s more expensive than any of us want it to be, it’s not prohibitively expensive for a trip here.”
Of the Nevada Resort Association’s 75 members, 63 are Southern Nevada properties and NRA President and CEO Virginia Valentine said Southern Nevada has had a long-time relationship with Southern California that extends to helping them in times of need.
“Southern Californians are a special part of our community as neighbors, visitors, friends and family of Southern Nevadans,” Valentine said in a statement.
Close ties
“With such close ties between our communities, the resort industry is providing immediate support to the Los Angeles area through significant monetary donations to the Red Cross and the L.A. Fire Department Foundation; matching employee donations dollar for dollar; holding donation drives; contributing portions of sales; sending in-kind goods; and offering flexible and discounted stays.”
While the discounted stays were well-intentioned, some resorts that offered discounted rates immediately after the breakout of the fires were criticized on social media for being insensitive.
“We recognize this is a longer-term crisis that will require additional support and assistance,” Valentine said. “Working with the governor and state and local leaders, Nevada’s resort industry will continue to strongly support our neighbors to help them recover as quickly as possible.
“Our concern is for the safety and well-being of the residents, firefighters and first responders, and we applaud Gov. (Joe) Lombardo and local fire departments for sending vital resources and strike teams to help.”
Contact Richard N. Velotta at [email protected] or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X.

Could Southern California fires affect Las Vegas tourism? Maybe

Travel

While some tourism experts say it’s too early to talk about the potential impact the Southern California fires will have on tourism to Las Vegas, those commenting are split over whether potential visitors will stay home in the aftermath or need a break from the stress and come anyway.
Southern California roughly makes up one-third of Las Vegas visitors. Historically, there have been minor lulls in visitation to the Strip after fires, mudslides, earthquakes and other calamities that have affected California communities.
But the widespread devastation brought particularly by the Palisades and Eaton fires that began Jan. 7 make this disaster different from others. Between them and nearly 30 other smaller blazes, more than 38,000 acres have burned and more than 12,000 buildings destroyed.
While some leaders think there won’t be a long-term impact on Las Vegas visitation, others say the priority to victims will be addressing recovery and the paperwork that goes with it instead of traveling.
“It is very early to understand what the impacts of the wildfire will be on Las Vegas,” said Amanda Belarmino, an assistant professor at UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hospitality. “Many of the casinos have already been very generous, and I expect to see further generosity both from the casino companies and our citizens.”
She was referring to the many donations to relief efforts from casino company foundations and through other charitable giving.
“I would expect to see less visitors from California as travel will not be their first priority, and many of them will not be able to afford it,” Belarmino said. “However, Las Vegas is always resilient, and with increased consumer confidence this year, I expect we will find ourselves in a good enough situation to be able to stay strong and help our neighbors to the west.”
No significant impact
Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, is among those who don’t think visitation will take much of a hit as a result of the fires, but he also said it may be too early to tell.
“While it is premature to comment on implications for Las Vegas, we do not anticipate any significant economic effects,” Hill said in an emailed comment. “Our focus remains on those impacted by the ongoing and devastating fires, and we are deeply grateful for the contributions many in Las Vegas have made to support relief efforts.”
Josh Swissman, founding partner and managing director of Las Vegas-based GMA Consulting, sees two potential scenarios coming out of the disaster: that Southern Californians would devote all of their resources to recovery and not come to the city, or break away for short trips as a respite from the recovery process.
“I do think they will be distracted from their normal sort of visitation or vacation patterns only because they’ve got so much of their lives and their homes to clean up and to rebuild,” Swissman said.
“At the same time, I think that Vegas also serves as a nice kind of quick respite and getaway to put, albeit temporarily, your concerns behind you,” he said. So I sort of go both ways there. I do think you’ll see some people that are looking just to get away for a weekend while they continue to sort their lives out.”
He expects that pattern to last awhile because of the enormity of the destruction.
“If vacations are in the cards for those people and they’re being budget conscious, Vegas has always served as a nice, relatively low-cost destination,” he said. “And it’s relatively close. You can do it at the last minute, you can hop in your car. You know, gas, while it’s more expensive than any of us want it to be, it’s not prohibitively expensive for a trip here.”
Of the Nevada Resort Association’s 75 members, 63 are Southern Nevada properties and NRA President and CEO Virginia Valentine said Southern Nevada has had a long-time relationship with Southern California that extends to helping them in times of need.
“Southern Californians are a special part of our community as neighbors, visitors, friends and family of Southern Nevadans,” Valentine said in a statement.
Close ties
“With such close ties between our communities, the resort industry is providing immediate support to the Los Angeles area through significant monetary donations to the Red Cross and the L.A. Fire Department Foundation; matching employee donations dollar for dollar; holding donation drives; contributing portions of sales; sending in-kind goods; and offering flexible and discounted stays.”
While the discounted stays were well-intentioned, some resorts that offered discounted rates immediately after the breakout of the fires were criticized on social media for being insensitive.
“We recognize this is a longer-term crisis that will require additional support and assistance,” Valentine said. “Working with the governor and state and local leaders, Nevada’s resort industry will continue to strongly support our neighbors to help them recover as quickly as possible.
“Our concern is for the safety and well-being of the residents, firefighters and first responders, and we applaud Gov. (Joe) Lombardo and local fire departments for sending vital resources and strike teams to help.”
Contact Richard N. Velotta at [email protected] or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X.

Small business owners at risk if TikTok ban takes action: Millions rely on app’s unique features

Business News

The TikTok app has captured the interest of billions of people worldwide since its release in 2016. It started out as a way for people to express themselves by creating, watching and sharing short videos. Over the years, however, TikTok has grown to be much more than that, becoming one of the most downloaded social media platforms in the world.”It’s tailored to the person, which is why it got so popular,” says TikTok user and small business owner Lindsey Jenkins. “It wasn’t just like a basic video for everyone—it’s for you, the viewer.”Unlike other social media apps, TikTok uses a specific algorithm that creates a feed of videos based on a user’s individual interests. The platform displays content they predict a user will find engaging based on the user’s past interactions. Theoretically, a user ‘creates’ their own feed.”They’ll take what you like, what you repost, and what you comment on and use that to show you the video that you’re going to want to see,” Jenkins explains.“Before, nobody had anything like this,” says TikTok user Cadence Bennett.The app’s unique design has provided a way for people to entertain, inform, and promote.”If you want your business to thrive, there are so many different ways you can do it, but, really, it’s through different platforms of social media,” says Jenkins.Jenkins and her husband are founders of their own photography company, Elle Tee Photography. Jenkins says she started using TikTok for her business over a year ago to reach potential clients and share ideas with others who have similar interests, such as different ways to edit photos or strategies to draw clients in.”There’s even photographers I follow on TikTok where I’ll see their little trends that they’re doing, and I get inspiration,” she says.She says posting content also serves as a way to show her viewers she’s engaged and in tune with her clients’ wants and needs.A ban could have detrimental effects for Jenkins and other business owners.”There will be devastation, for sure, because I feel like a lot of people have clung to it,” says Bennett. “There’s million and millions of people out there who have quit their jobs and started small businesses.”Additionally, the app can be used as a way to seek help from the community and spread awareness about important personal or societal issues.Jenkins says she recently discovered a video on her feed that featured a man asking for help to pay for medical treatments.“He was making money off of the app to pay for his cancer treatment and would get millions of views and likes,” says Jenkins. She continues, “I think it’s so cool as a collective when people can come together for the greater good for something, and there’s a lot of greater good on TikTok of people helping people.”

Major authors hope new AI licensing site will help them keep control of their books

Arts & Culture, Books

Susan Orlean wasn’t surprised when she found out last year that several of her bestselling books had been used to train AI models.

She was indignant.

“Like I found out someone had Xeroxed copies of my book and had sold them at great profit,” the bestselling journalist and author told NPR.

Orlean, along with Walter Isaacson and Viet Thanh Nguyen, is among a growing group of bestselling authors in support of Created by Humans. The new online marketplace, which launched publicly this week in partnership with the writers’ advocacy nonprofit The Authors Guild, aims to give authors more control over how their books are used by artificial intelligence companies.

The partnership illustrates how the AI rights licensing space is opening up, even as some authors continue to sue developers for allegedly training their AI programs on pirated literary works.

Orlean is a named plaintiff in a class action copyright infringement lawsuit against the AI developers who allegedly stole her work. Other authors including George RR Martin, Sarah Silverman and Jodi Picoult have launched similar actions.

Orlean said it’s not that she’s opposed to AI technology.

“I suspect that AI will have great value to us in many ways,” the author said. 

She simply wants more control over how it’s used in relation to her work.

“First of all, you give permission. Secondly, you are compensated,” Orlean said. “Thirdly, you are aware of how and where the work is being used.”

More control for writers

Unless writers transfer the copyright to another party in a signed agreement, they themselves hold the rights to their literary works.

As such, Created by Humans enables authors to add their books to an online marketplace. Writers can opt in or out of the various types of AI rights. They would then get paid when AI companies use their content.

Authors Guild CEO Mary Rasenberger said her nonprofit decided to partner with Created by Humans because of the control it could give writers.

“You have a chance to review the actual terms of any potential deal,” she said.

And the startup’s contract is non-exclusive. So writers could sell AI licensing rights through other channels too.

“Right now there’s this enormous gap between the world of AI and the world of creators. And a lot of books have been been trained on by AI companies without the permission of authors,” said Trip Adler, Created by Humans co-founder and CEO. “We’re positioning ourselves as the company that’s going to solve this problem.”

An alternative to litigation

So far, the solution has mostly revolved around individual agreements between big publishers and AI developers. For example, Microsoft has a deal to use nonfiction works published by HarperCollins for AI model training.

Created by Humans is in talks with AI companies. No deals have been made yet. Adler said his platform will help these companies navigate the complex licensing landscape.

“We want to just make it very simple,” Adler said. “So AI companies can just get the content they need and just focus on innovation.” 

It’s unclear whether AI companies will sign on to the platform at this stage. The several NPR reached out to for comment did not immediately respond.

But Rebecca Finlay, the CEO of Partnership on AI, a tech nonprofit which counts Amazon, Google and Microsoft among its founders, said while the courts will eventually decide how literary works are protected and used, the AI rights licensing model is useful to the industry in the meantime.

“It offers a clear set of terms and principles on which to use these works,” Finlay said.

Getting writers engaged

One third of authors recently surveyed by The Authors Guild expressed willingness to license their works. But the remainder were not willing — or were unsure.

Against this backdrop, bestselling author Bruce Barcott said he is on a mission to get more buy-in from the literary community.

“AI is here and it is not going away,” Barcott said. “Let’s make it equitable for everybody.” 

Barcott, who said he has had three of his nonfiction books scraped by AI companies, has been helping the nonprofit Transparency Coalition develop state legislation like the California AI Data Transparency Act. It makes AI companies disclose all of the sources used to train their large language models.

He also hosted a discussion for writers in January in Seattle about AI licensing rights. It included discussion about Created by Humans.

Barcott said he’s adding his books to Created by Humans.
It remains to be seen how much money authors will actually make on the platform and how well their work will be protected. Susan Orlean described the protections afforded by the platform at this point as “conceptual rather than actual.” “But,” the author added. “So is most of Western law.”
Copyright 2025 NPR

Major authors hope new AI licensing site will help them keep control of their books

Arts & Culture, Books

Susan Orlean wasn’t surprised when she found out last year that several of her bestselling books had been used to train AI models.

She was indignant.

“Like I found out someone had Xeroxed copies of my book and had sold them at great profit,” the bestselling journalist and author told NPR.

Orlean, along with Walter Isaacson and Viet Thanh Nguyen, is among a growing group of bestselling authors in support of Created by Humans. The new online marketplace, which launched publicly this week in partnership with the writers’ advocacy nonprofit The Authors Guild, aims to give authors more control over how their books are used by artificial intelligence companies.

The partnership illustrates how the AI rights licensing space is opening up, even as some authors continue to sue developers for allegedly training their AI programs on pirated literary works.

Orlean is a named plaintiff in a class action copyright infringement lawsuit against the AI developers who allegedly stole her work. Other authors including George RR Martin, Sarah Silverman and Jodi Picoult have launched similar actions.

Orlean said it’s not that she’s opposed to AI technology.

“I suspect that AI will have great value to us in many ways,” the author said. 

She simply wants more control over how it’s used in relation to her work.

“First of all, you give permission. Secondly, you are compensated,” Orlean said. “Thirdly, you are aware of how and where the work is being used.”

More control for writers

Unless writers transfer the copyright to another party in a signed agreement, they themselves hold the rights to their literary works.

As such, Created by Humans enables authors to add their books to an online marketplace. Writers can opt in or out of the various types of AI rights. They would then get paid when AI companies use their content.

Authors Guild CEO Mary Rasenberger said her nonprofit decided to partner with Created by Humans because of the control it could give writers.

“You have a chance to review the actual terms of any potential deal,” she said.

And the startup’s contract is non-exclusive. So writers could sell AI licensing rights through other channels too.

“Right now there’s this enormous gap between the world of AI and the world of creators. And a lot of books have been been trained on by AI companies without the permission of authors,” said Trip Adler, Created by Humans co-founder and CEO. “We’re positioning ourselves as the company that’s going to solve this problem.”

An alternative to litigation

So far, the solution has mostly revolved around individual agreements between big publishers and AI developers. For example, Microsoft has a deal to use nonfiction works published by HarperCollins for AI model training.

Created by Humans is in talks with AI companies. No deals have been made yet. Adler said his platform will help these companies navigate the complex licensing landscape.

“We want to just make it very simple,” Adler said. “So AI companies can just get the content they need and just focus on innovation.” 

It’s unclear whether AI companies will sign on to the platform at this stage. The several NPR reached out to for comment did not immediately respond.

But Rebecca Finlay, the CEO of Partnership on AI, a tech nonprofit which counts Amazon, Google and Microsoft among its founders, said while the courts will eventually decide how literary works are protected and used, the AI rights licensing model is useful to the industry in the meantime.

“It offers a clear set of terms and principles on which to use these works,” Finlay said.

Getting writers engaged

One third of authors recently surveyed by The Authors Guild expressed willingness to license their works. But the remainder were not willing — or were unsure.

Against this backdrop, bestselling author Bruce Barcott said he is on a mission to get more buy-in from the literary community.

“AI is here and it is not going away,” Barcott said. “Let’s make it equitable for everybody.” 

Barcott, who said he has had three of his nonfiction books scraped by AI companies, has been helping the nonprofit Transparency Coalition develop state legislation like the California AI Data Transparency Act. It makes AI companies disclose all of the sources used to train their large language models.

He also hosted a discussion for writers in January in Seattle about AI licensing rights. It included discussion about Created by Humans.

Barcott said he’s adding his books to Created by Humans.
It remains to be seen how much money authors will actually make on the platform and how well their work will be protected. Susan Orlean described the protections afforded by the platform at this point as “conceptual rather than actual.” “But,” the author added. “So is most of Western law.”
Copyright 2025 NPR