ChatGPT is now refusing requests to write in famous authors' styles

Mariella Moon· Jul 28, 2026 · 9:05 AM UTC ·1 min read · 0 reactions · 0 comments · 5 views

TL;DR · WeSearch summary

ChatGPT has begun refusing requests to imitate the writing styles of both living and deceased authors. The change appears to be a precaution against potential copyright infringement claims, as the model now cites copyright concerns when asked to emulate specific authors. Tests confirm the chatbot still offers to produce original text with similar characteristics without directly copying the style.

Key facts

▪OpenAI’s ChatGPT now declines prompts that ask it to write in the style of famous authors, citing copyright restrictions.
▪The refusal applies to both living and deceased authors, a shift from earlier behavior where it would comply with requests for dead authors.
▪When asked to emulate Agatha Christie, the model explained it could not replicate her distinctive style but could write something with similar qualities.
▪The policy change is likely intended to reduce legal risk amid ongoing copyright lawsuits against AI developers.

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Original publisher	Engadget
Canonical URL	https://www.engadget.com/2224867/chatgpt-refusing-to-write-in-famous-authors-styles/
Publication time	Tue, 28 Jul 2026 09:05:25 +0000
Retrieval time	2026-07-28T09:09:20.771Z
Last seen	2026-07-28T09:09:20.771Z
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Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand

News AI ChatGPT is now refusing requests to write in famous authors' styles Whether they're dead or alive. By Mariella Moon July 28, 2026 5:05 am EST Alexsl/Getty Images ChatGPT has been refusing to copy the voices and styles of popular authors, Ars Technica reports. Indeed, we have recently seen posts on social media about the chatbot not letting users mimic specific authors' writing anymore. Ars says the chatbot didn't comply with its prompts to imitate the styles of both living and dead authors during testing. That means OpenAI has recently changed how it deals with such requests, as a recent study by publication No Latency showed that ChatGPT didn't refuse them for dead authors. We tested it for ourselves and found Ars' observations consistent with our results.

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