Recently, Daye City People's Court in Hubei Province delivered a verdict on a pioneering case involving the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to write erotic novels for profit. Defendant Ke Mou was sentenced to ten months imprisonment and fined 5,000 RMB for producing, selling, and distributing obscene materials for profit; illegal gains were also confiscated.
According to the prosecution, between November 2022 and March 2023, Ke Mou, a junior college graduate and online literature author, used an AI program to write erotic novels. These novels were published on overseas pornographic websites and sold on other platforms.
In just five months, Ke Mou published dozens of erotic novels, illegally earning over 20,000 RMB. Seven of the novels submitted as evidence by the prosecution were deemed obscene. After the incident, Ke Mou's family returned the illegal proceeds.
The court ruled that Ke Mou's actions, motivated by profit, seriously violated Chinese laws and regulations, negatively impacting social morality. Therefore, Ke Mou was found guilty of producing, selling, and distributing obscene materials for profit. Despite confessing and pleading guilty, Ke Mou received a lenient sentence.
The presiding judge pointed out that with the widespread application of AI technology in fields such as literary creation and artistic design, its use must adhere to laws, regulations, and social ethics. According to the relevant provisions of the Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China, producing and distributing obscene materials can result in a sentence of ten years or more of imprisonment, life imprisonment, or a fine and confiscation of property.
