Singapore Unbound’s AI Policy
Singapore Unbound seeks intentionality, originality, and lived human experience in the works we publish through SUSPECT and Gaudy Boy, meaning the works must be written by a human author. Thus we do not accept writing of any genre that has used generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in any stage of the creative process, such as ideation, brainstorming, planning, or generating any part or whole of the text. This policy includes the use of GenAI tools such as large language models (LLMs) to generate prompts or texts.
That said, we understand that GenAI is useful to writers for:
Literature review, including searching for references, classification of literature and sources, and producing and arranging citations
Data organization, and
Proofreading (spelling and grammar check).
As such, Singapore Unbound requires submitters to SUSPECT and Gaudy Boy to disclose the above uses of GenAI in their writing, stating how, why, and what GenAI model and version thereof was used. We will not consider any written submissions without such disclosures. A statement of non-use is also required. The art we publish does not come through open calls but is curated with thought and care. Any feedback or queries regarding texts or artworks may be sent to the Publisher (Jee at jkoh@singaporeunbound.org).
We advise all writers to be aware of the ethical issues associated with the use of GenAI, issues to do with intellectual integrity and social-environmental costs. We take intellectual rights very seriously as many writers and artists throughout the world do not want their work scraped by GenAI, but this demand is not always respected given the nature, management, development, and regulation of GenAI by government and industry bodies. Singapore Unbound prides itself on ensuring that the rights and work of writers, artists, and other creatives are respected. In addition, we work against GenAI’s lack of attribution or misattribution of ideas, quotes, or citations, and its bias and inaccuracy. Although SUSPECT and Gaudy Boy conduct fact-checking during our editorial process, it is the responsibility of submitters to ensure the accuracy of their work. We stress the need for writers to verify all factual claims made in their submissions.
Furthermore, the use of GenAI incurs tremendous social-environmental costs. The increased use of electricity, fossil fuel, mineral resources, and water required by GenAI training and operation are exacerbated by GenAI’s ubiquity and complexity. These environmental costs worsen the unsustainability of already-unsustainable tech firms and are unevenly distributed across populations, disproportionately affecting the politically disempowered. As part of Singapore Unbound’s commitment to social justice, we stand against the environmental harm inherent in the unchecked proliferation of GenAI tools. We invite you to do the same.