ChatGPT has begun blocking direct requests to mimic the writing style of specific authors. This new behavior, which aims to capture a writer's "broad qualities," could have legal implications.

The Authors Guild advises writers against using generative AI to purposely copy or mimic the unique styles of other authors, warning of potential claims of unfair competition or copyright infringement. This issue gained prominence when author Lena Mc Donald's book reportedly included an AI-generated response suggesting it had rewritten a passage to align with fellow author J. Bree’s style.

While OpenAI's DALL·E 3 model declines requests for images in the style of living artists, its written response models previously lacked clear prohibitions against style mimicry. Studies show variations among AI models; Google's Gemini consistently complies, while Perplexity AI refuses. Anthropic's Claude and Microsoft's Copilot offer qualified compliance. OpenAI users are reportedly finding it difficult to generate content in specific authorial styles, with some suggesting workarounds like feeding the AI their own edited prose.