Macmillan’s AI launch got a party. Workers say the tool did not last.
WIRED reports that Macmillan launched its NOA assistant, then ended it in 2025. Workers and authors raised concerns about errors and the use of unpublished work. Macmillan disputes parts of the account and says it did not direct staff to use Gemini for publishing decisions.
What the source reports
WIRED reports on Macmillan’s NOA workplace assistant through interviews with staff and authors. The tool launched in 2024 and ended in 2025. Several workers described unreliable output. An author said marketing copy contained invented quotes. Authors also raised concerns about unpublished manuscripts. Macmillan disputes parts of the rollout account. It says it did not direct staff to use Gemini for publishing decisions. These interviews show a dispute over trust, choice and checking. They do not show how often staff used the tool or measure its effect on work across the company.
Original source
- Title
- Macmillan Staff Say the Publisher Threw a Party for a Workplace AI Assistant That Was Later Killed
- Author
- Adam Morgan
- Publication
- WIRED
- Date
- Wednesday, October 28, 2026