The Next Big Idea THE FUTURE OF WRITING: A Conversation with Ethan Mollick and Steven Johnson
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Aug 28, 2025 
Join Ethan Mollick, a Wharton professor and AI enthusiast, and Steven Johnson, Editorial Director at Google Labs, as they dive into the future of writing. Discover how Steven penned 40,000 words in just 72 hours using AI! The duo discusses the evolving concept of books and how they may transform into interactive experiences for readers. They also explore the balance between AI-generated ideas and human creativity, questioning whether tech can truly match our writing prowess. Strap in for a fascinating look at AI's impact on storytelling!
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AI Multiplies Writing Speed
- Expect to write books at least two to four times faster using AI for research and drafting tasks.
- Use AI to compress research and revision time while keeping human oversight for quality control.
Research Becomes Instant Discovery
- Feeding your notes and highlights into a source-grounded tool reveals overlooked nuggets quickly.
- AI lets you prototype book structures and chapter contents in seconds, accelerating creative experimentation.
Write First, Then Iterate With AI
- Start first drafts yourself to avoid AI anchoring your original ideas.
- Then use multiple models to fill gaps, generate analogies, and critique structure.
