ChatGPT is now refusing requests to mimic the writing styles of famous authors, whether living or dead, according to Ars Technica. OpenAI appears to have recently changed its approach, as a No Latency study previously found the chatbot would comply with such prompts for deceased authors.

Testing confirms the shift. When asked to write a mystery story in Agatha Christie's style, ChatGPT responded that her works remain under copyright and it couldn't closely imitate her distinctive voice. However, the chatbot offered to produce original writing with the same qualities Christie is known for.

This suggests the refusal may function more as a disclaimer than a hard block. The move likely aims to shield OpenAI from further copyright lawsuits, as the company already faces multiple legal challenges over training data and output similarities.