Canada Caps ISBNs for AI Books — but Won't Define 'Mostly'
Canada Caps ISBNs for AI Books — but Won't Define 'Mostly' By Daniel Rao | October 24, 2026 Canada has just asked every publisher in the country to sign a small declaration of humanity. From this month, anyone registering for an ISBN through Library and Archives Canada must declare that a human author wrote the publication. Brainstorming with a chatbot, running the manuscript through a grammar check, letting software handle the formatting — all fine. But if the text, illustrations or translation in your book were "primarily generated" by AI, the national library will limit how many ISBNs you get. And here is the part Ottawa refuses to spell out: what counts as "primarily", what the limit actually is, and who does the checking. The policy names no quota, describes no test, and concedes it is still under review. Canada has put up a velvet rope against the machines — and hired no bouncer. Photo: Library and Archives Canada's Preservation Centre in...